Dana 60 Bearing Tq?

[special-K]

It's been a while since I've been in this area of a Dana 60. My problem is I have conflicting torque figures on the adjuster nut. I don't do well with conflicting info. Makes me want to toss it all and go by my own instincts.

Both sources say seat the bearing with the first nut to 50 ft lbs. One says back off then go finger tight or 1# and the other says back off, 35#, then 1/4 turn back. Ok, close enough on both of those. Different way for same result.

Now on the adjuster nut the one says 160 ft lbs and the other says 65 ft lbs. That's a 95# difference! I wonder if that 165# was a misprint. That's cranking mighty hard on a bearing, enough to move the inner one a bit, I'd think. So my instincts say go 65 ft lbs, and that is from the GM service manual.

Any thoughts before I get into this later this evening or soon after?

[kwmech]

This is what I've been doing now for 40 years. Tighten the nut by hand, with a ratchet tighten it more while spinning the hub to make sure it is seated and smooth. Back it off to being loose, then with the socket (by hand) seat the nut again without a heavy hand. Install the washer then the outer nut and tighten the outer nut tight with the ratchet. (Don't have to get crazy tight) Fold the tab over.

If you put the nuts on without anything else on the spindle you will find that they will move forward and back on the threads a few thousands. So by tightening the outer nut, you are pushing everything in until the nut stops on the slop giving it some preload. Does that make sense?

[PepperTreeGarage]

I followed the Service Manual and then checked the End Play. On mine the 65 lbs. outer nut torque takes out approx. .005 of End Play. So I set my End Play to .008 by hand with the inside nut. Then added the lock washer and outside nut, torqued it to the 65 lbs. and ended up with .003 End Play on both sides. Just what I did, I'm sure there are many more ways to get there.

[Ironangel]

I've used both methods over the years and have come to using KWMech's method. I don't need to use the dial indicator because once you understand the difference between "tight and snug" and the dynamics of wheel bearings it becomes unnecessary to break out the dial calipers. Wheel bearings are very forgiving as long as one does not crank down on them and leave them with 150 ft lbs of force. The factory gives you like .008" of slop which is your indicator that loose is better than tight. Read up here, http://www.billavista.com/tech/Artic...nt_Axle_Bible/ The Dana 60 Front is way less forgiving than the Rear's but are no more difficult nor more important or complex than the 1/2 ton front spindles...Follow KWMech's procedure and your golden...If your using torque wrenches, you only crank up the torque to seat the bearings in the races and the races in the hub. You never leave that adjuster nut that tight. 50 ft lbs is plenty tight and 50+/- ft lbs on the lock nut is also tight enough as long as and especially with locking tabs or spring loaded adjusting nut and washer combination used on many Dana 60 Fronts in which case "Tightening" that lock nut to 150 ft lbs is good insurance...

[special-K]

Yes, makes sense.

I'll be honest, this will be the first time ever for me using a torque wrench. I have always used the feel method and it's very well developed. The chart shown above is what I'm inclined to follow. That is one of the two I have. I believe that's from the GM manual. I also saved something off of a website forum. A post went down the line with all the sptcs for Dana60 front and rear. J think the rear info is bad, way too much tq on that!

The reason I'm going with torque specs is the issue I had with my rear brakes was leaking seals. They were soaked. I had serviced the bearings, maybe replaced, back in '07 when I did the brakes last. I'm not a mechanic by trade so I have big gaps between doing certain procedures and I've become less confident or trusting of my work. Both lock nuts came off, almost, by hand. It took nothing to get them starting to loosen. I suspect the looseness caused the leakage. So I'm doing it GM's way this time. Also using all Timken parts. The bearings on one side had started to pit. They were Bowers. I'm pretty sure I installed those. They were Bowers on both sides.

[toolboxchev]

That part on those outer bearings is easy peasy. On the Dana 60 I always hate doing the Pinion bearing. Mine is still not right.