Tool for Front Wheel Bearing Lock Nut (4X4 Auto Hubs)

[spddm0n]

I removed the wheel hub/brake rotor to replace a broken wheel stud, and I’m trying to install the wheel bearing lock but and adjust the bearing preload according to the FSM.  

 

What tool is is everyone using for this?  I tried using a socket tool I made for a similar job on my Nissan Xterras, but this one is a tad different. 

 

Is there another way way to get the correct bearing preload, without torquing the nut to 58-72 ft-lbs, and then loosening it?  I have a friend who said (in general) he does these a lot by “feel”, but I’m cautious and not sure I would get it correct. 

[]2eDeYe]

Do you have a pic of the offending nut? 

 

Do you have a welder? 

[spddm0n]

22 minutes ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Do you have a pic of the offending nut? 

 

Do you have a welder? 

I cab grab a pic of the nut and post it today. 

 

I have a friend who can weld.  Do you think one could be made?

[]2eDeYe]

Yep. Fairly easy, I can describe what you need if I see what your working with. 

[spddm0n]

Ok, here is an image I took last night.  It shows the lock nut behind the lock washer.  They are covered in grease, so let me know if you can't see them well and I'll try to get it off again and clean it up for a better photo.  I tried to use my Xterra wheel bearing socket tool to get 60 ft-lbs torque (didn't achieve it without the tool slipping), so I can't yet remove it again. 🙂

 

Also, I included the image from the FSM, below.  The other weird thing is...the washer that is circled in RED doesn't seem to be on my truck.  I didn't remove it in the process.  Maybe it's hiding somewhere packed in with all the grease, but I can't find it.  I took the passenger side apart as well to double check it simply wasn't missing from the driver-side or something, but the passenger side doesn't have it either.

 

 

 

[spddm0n]

Here's a picture of the socket tool I bought/modified for the Xterra wheel bearing lock nut.

 

[620slodat]

It looks to me like the outer diameter of the socket is the same size as the outer face of the nut. Is it? Can you fasten/weld something around the outside of the socket to center the socket on the nut? Adding something to the socket that would span from the side of the socket to the tabs on the socket would keep the socket centered on the nut and allow the tabs to engage the recesses in the face of the socket. The addition to the socket wouldn't have to be all the way around the socket either, it could be just at four equal distant points around the socket.

 

I'm not sure if what I wrote makes sense, does it ?

 

Don

[]2eDeYe]

Essentially, what 620slodat said. 

4 appropriately shaped tabs welded to that socket would do the trick.

[]2eDeYe]

Also I wouldn't worry about that washer if the hubs work. It doesn't appear to do anything in that pic. 

[spddm0n]

Hey Don - 

 

That does make sense...and a good idea. I’ll buy another one of those sockets and try it. I’ll keep this one for the Xterra hubs. Originally, it came with 4 “teeth” on the socket. I removed two of them and cut down two to fit the Xterra lock nut. 

 

I think a “bar” across the diameter of the open end of the socket, the width, of the space between the teeth of the lock nut would be perfect. Maybe even two bars forming a cross across the face of the socket would even be better. 

 

I ended up getting by without it yesterday, since I wasn’t actually replacing the wheel bearing and it turned out I didn’t need that much torque to install it, but down the road the new design will work excellent I think! 🙂

 

Thanks for the idea!! 

[spddm0n]

2 minutes ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Also I wouldn't worry about that washer if the hubs work. It doesn't appear to do anything in that pic. 

 

Ok. Thanks. Yeah, it’s kinda weird. The hubs worked fine beforehand. I put them back together yesterday. I haven’t driven it yet to confirm it “still” works, but I’ll do that today. 🙂

 

Thanks for your comments! 🙂

[]2eDeYe]

3 minutes ago, spddm0n said:

I’ll keep this one for the Xterra hubs. Originally, it came with 4 “teeth” on the socket. I removed two of them and cut down two to fit the Xterra lock nut. 

 

 

 

I have one just like that for my xterras lol

[spddm0n]

3 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

 

 

I have one just like that for my xterras lol

Oh Nice!  Yeah, it's funny...the Xterras are what brought Nissan into my life.   I've been working on a solution for the reoccurring head gasket failures, in addition to some of the other regular design failures on the Xterras, but I keep finding cool Datsun/Nissan vehicles and have been busy fixing them up.  What year Xterras do you have?  

[spddm0n]

4 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Essentially, what 620slodat said. 

4 appropriately shaped tabs welded to that socket would do the trick.

Yeah, I hate it when I run across situations like this...where either I'm missing parts, I don't take things apart far enough to identify all the parts - according to the exploded diagrams in the FSM, or simply - the FSM is printed incorrectly (often only seems to occur with torques specs).

 

It just leaves me wondering!  🙂

[]2eDeYe]

We have a 2000 and a 2005, both bought with low miles and now have 200,000 on both lol

[spddm0n]

On 7/3/2019 at 3:31 PM, ]2eDeYe said:

We have a 2000 and a 2005, both bought with low miles and now have 200,000 on both lol

Nice!  I have two 2000's and a 2001.  I bought them all with blown engines or blown head gaskets.  You are doing great with mileage like that on the VG33E engine!  Have you had the issue with the transmission/radiator on the 2005 (assuming you have an auto trans)?

[]2eDeYe]

The 05 has had an external cooler added. Biggest issue I've had with that one was the cats failing and then blocking the 'post cats' that cause the truck to run like crap and was a bitch to troubleshoot. 

[spddm0n]

9 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

The 05 has had an external cooler added. Biggest issue I've had with that one was the cats failing and then blocking the 'post cats' that cause the truck to run like crap and was a bitch to troubleshoot. 

Yeah, the radiator/internal trans cooler failing was poorly handled by Nissan.  I was super disappointed to hear they didn't cover any of that for customers.  If I had purchased one of the 2nd gen Xterras new, and that happened, I would likely have been done with Nissan. I still battle constantly with Nissan North America over recall work with my 1st gen Xterras (if you can believe it). 🙂

[]2eDeYe]

I can believe it. 

[Charlie69]

Pathfinders have problems with the automatic trans in radiator leaking and filling trans with cooling liquid.  I have one, it will take a complete rebuild to repair the damage.

[]2eDeYe]

That's exactly the problem with the newer ones, you would think mfgs would figure this one out by now...

[thisismatt]

Ah, the ol' coolant in the ATF joke.  They must have borrowed that one from Ford

[spddm0n]

3 hours ago, Charlie69 said:

Pathfinders have problems with the automatic trans in radiator leaking and filling trans with cooling liquid.  I have one, it will take a complete rebuild to repair the damage.

Really?  What year Pathfinder?  I didn't realize this issue went beyond the later model Xterra/Frontier.  I have friends who had to pony up $5K to fix it.  

[spddm0n]

3 hours ago, thisismatt said:

Ah, the ol' coolant in the ATF joke.  They must have borrowed that one from Ford

Yep!! 🙂

[spddm0n]

3 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

That's exactly the problem with the newer ones, you would think mfgs would figure this one out by now...

Agreed.  A super easy way to earn consumer confidence in your brand - by taking responsibility.  Manufacturers rarely do this, except Toyota.  I've owned Toyotas most of my life.  It wasn't until a friend gave me her Xterra after blowing head gaskets that I learned much about Nissan and their many failures.

 

Nissan manufacturing (during that time) was highly challenged.

 

Check this out...

This is what the center cooling channel looks like in the VG33E engine block (viewed from the back after removing the rear freeze plug)...

{NOTE:  The engine block is cut in half, so you are seeing both halves assembled side be side for the photo}

 

 

This is what it looks like after I put a 1" diameter drill bit (2 feet long) through the center of the engine block to open it up...