Page 1 of 1

54mm nuts in front hubs

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:32 pm
by D_Web
I replaced my rotors yesterday and when removing the two big nuts holding the whole thing on noticed that the washer in between was damaged. Or so I thought. Apparently dad noticed in his 80 series service manual that the Toyota ones are designed to have one tab pushed back and one one pulled forward.

Before I put them back in I straightend them up in the vice. Is this bad? Should I open it up again and bend the washer back like it was?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:51 pm
by MKPatrolGuy
They are meant to be bent over to prevent the nuts form becoming loose or tightening up further.

Re: 54mm nuts in front hubs

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:57 pm
by Smartdigger
i've got the haynes manual and it doesn't mention to much about the washer. I would assume that they are meant to be straight. I was halfway doing mine yesterday before i realised that I need a 53 mm socket. Going to get one today. I will let you know how mine come out when i do it.

Just wondering how long it took you and if its a hard job. It seemed easy enough but i didn't get very far.

Dave

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:58 pm
by Smartdigger
MKPatrolGuy wrote:They are meant to be bent over to prevent the nuts form becoming loose or tightening up further.
haha well there you go!

now i know

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:35 pm
by D_Web
MKPatrolGuy wrote:They are meant to be bent over to prevent the nuts form becoming loose or tightening up further.
That's what I assumed, is it bad to leave it flat though?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:47 pm
by MKPatrolGuy
D_Web wrote:
MKPatrolGuy wrote:They are meant to be bent over to prevent the nuts form becoming loose or tightening up further.
That's what I assumed, is it bad to leave it flat though?
Yes, very bad. The nuts will back off and undo completely on the left hand side and tighten up and sieze the bearings on the right hand side.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 2:25 pm
by bundyrum4x4
Buy new ones - they cost about $2 from nissan.

They tend to stretch when you re-use them and the locking tab can become too short thus leaving then useless.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 5:23 pm
by ausoops
do you need a 54 or a 53 socket? and what torque should they be done up to ?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:22 pm
by Smartdigger
ausoops wrote:do you need a 54 or a 53 socket? and what torque should they be done up to ?
The book says 53 mm socket

167 - 196Nm

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:45 pm
by D_Web
Smartdigger wrote:
ausoops wrote:do you need a 54 or a 53 socket? and what torque should they be done up to ?
The book says 53 mm socket

167 - 196Nm
I thought I'd heard 53mm in the past too, but the guy down at a local tool shop had these sockets specifically designed for this looked on his computer and gave me the 54mm. It did the job but it would be nice to be spot on :)

Whether I have torqued it up correctly is a guess, I don't think I left them too tight or too loose, any opinions?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:00 pm
by AJS
D Web,

it is 53 MM. If you buy a socket you will probably have to get a chamfer machined onto the edge as it may not reach all the way into the hub (the inside of the hub is tapered).

Use a torque wrench.

Make sure you turn the wheel while you are tightening the nut, so as to seat the bearings properly.

Use new lock washers every time or you may find your left wheel falling off. When you do the left wheel, bend the washer in two places over the adjusting nut (towards the axle) and two places over the lock nut (towards the wheel).

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:24 pm
by Shadow
nissan is 53mm, toyota is 54mm, hence most just make a 54mm that suits all.

And follow AJS advice on the locknuts.

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:45 pm
by Woop
Another thing that can also happen when you straighten out and re-use the washers is that small metal particles come off the washer as you straighten it out.

Nick

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:45 pm
by D_Web
AJS wrote: Use a torque wrench.
I'll go grab a couple of new washers off Nissan in the morning. Regarding torqueing the nuts up, is it such a critical thing that I should go and spend the money on a torque wrench? Of course I would rather do it properly, but the extra costs aren't always easy when one is a student :)

Also, just out of curiosity, this diagram I pulled from the FAST system has a lock nut, a washer and then the lock washer with a screw in it, while my vehicle just has two nuts with the washer in between. I assume everybody else has the two nuts rather than what is shown on this diagram?

Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 11:50 pm
by Woop
Newer trucks have thick washer with 2 screws--also those with Auto Freewheel hubs. You can use a spring balance acting on the wheel studs to set pre-load. Inner nut sets the preload--outer is a locknut

Nick

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 6:37 am
by Sexy Fingers
D_Web wrote:
AJS wrote: Use a torque wrench.
I'll go grab a couple of new washers off Nissan in the morning. Regarding torqueing the nuts up, is it such a critical thing that I should go and spend the money on a torque wrench? Of course I would rather do it properly, but the extra costs aren't always easy when one is a student :)
You can tighten up the nuts using a breaker bar. Just tighten the nut up until you feel it getting harder to tighten and then just nip it up a little further. DON'T hang off the breaker bar to tighten or you will damage the bearing.

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:11 am
by AJS
D_Web wrote:
AJS wrote: Use a torque wrench.
I'll go grab a couple of new washers off Nissan in the morning. Regarding torqueing the nuts up, is it such a critical thing that I should go and spend the money on a torque wrench? Of course I would rather do it properly, but the extra costs aren't always easy when one is a student :)

Also, just out of curiosity, this diagram I pulled from the FAST system has a lock nut, a washer and then the lock washer with a screw in it, while my vehicle just has two nuts with the washer in between. I assume everybody else has the two nuts rather than what is shown on this diagram?
Yeah a good torque wrench is expensive. If you can't borrow one, do it the way that has been suggested but check the wheel regularly. As a matter of course you should regularly jack up the front left wheel to see if it wobbles.

Those other lock nuts are a newer version. My car is a 94 but still has the old style. If you go for the new ones you will probably need to buy, or make up, a special tool to tighten them.

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:19 am
by spannercrab
Buy new ones - they cost about $2 from nissan
I reckon that's what they SHOULD be ... about 2 bucks ...

Last time I bought some from Nissan they stung me about $14 each for the lock washers ...

OUCH ....

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:24 am
by bundyrum4x4
spannercrab wrote:
Buy new ones - they cost about $2 from nissan
I reckon that's what they SHOULD be ... about 2 bucks ...

Last time I bought some from Nissan they stung me about $14 each for the lock washers ...

OUCH ....
Shop around, not all Nissan dealers use the same price list

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 9:54 am
by Shadow
you can hire a torque wrench from hire shops.

Re: 54mm nuts in front hubs

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:58 am
by D_Web
Smartdigger wrote:i've got the haynes manual and it doesn't mention to much about the washer. I would assume that they are meant to be straight. I was halfway doing mine yesterday before i realised that I need a 53 mm socket. Going to get one today. I will let you know how mine come out when i do it.

Just wondering how long it took you and if its a hard job. It seemed easy enough but i didn't get very far.

Dave
Sorry Dave, just noticed your question!

It's all pretty straightforward. It initially took a lot longer than required as I had to do a lot of running around to get the necessary tools for the job (the 8mm hex socket, 53mm socket, caliper piston thingy etc), but now that I have them all it's a pretty quick process.

Once I had the hub off I put it in the vice and a few good whacks on the spanner got the bolts holding rotor to the hub loose. Replacing the studs on one side didn't take long but once I had the new pads in the caliper it was really annoying it get it aligned again so it'd fit over the rotor.

All in all I have probably spent about a day and a half getting it all done. However, if I had to do it again I would give it an afternoon.

I've just been following my nose throughout the process and referring back to the Nissan FAST diagrams, OL and the like. Everything seems fine to me but I'll of course be keeping an eye on it all to make sure it stays nice and tight.

Also, thanks for all the help guys :D

P.S - the two washers from Nissan were $3.50

Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:26 pm
by bogged
bundyrum4x4 wrote:Buy new ones - they cost about $2 from nissan.

They tend to stretch when you re-use them and the locking tab can become too short thus leaving then useless.
agree totally have had issues with reusing them in the past with coming loose.. As said $2-3.00 for new ones.
bend oen forward and one back.