Cotter pin nut

t bell · Oct 24, 2003

I just read my Chilton's book on the front brakes. It states that you are not supposed to tighten the nut on the spindle when replacing rotors. Oops. What will happen if you tighten it? I guess I should've read that before I replaced my rotors, huh? I guess I will redo them this weekend.

5-90 · Oct 24, 2003

The catellated nut (that's what it's called) is there to preload your spindle bearings in the usual applications - but I'm not sure what it will do with out unitised hubs. It may perform the same function, but not to the same extent.

Check your manual for a torque spec. If you tighten that nut, you remove some of the operating clearance for the bearings, squeeze out grease, and could accelerate wear in the rollers. I don't know how much extra torque you put to it, so I'm only guessing.

5-90

AZ Jeff · Oct 24, 2003

Are we talking conventional 2WD, or the 4WD?

The 4WD model of XJ uses "permanently assembled" hubs. It is important that the nut on the end of the stub shaft that goes through the hub is torqued properly. It creates the proper amount of preload on the bearings.

Leaving the hub nut only "slightly tight", as is common on 2WD cars with conventional spindles and replaceable bearings, is a bad thing to do with the XJ type of hubs.

t bell · Oct 24, 2003

Ok, I think we are talking about 2 different nuts here. This is the nut that goes on the spindle that holds the bearings up against the rotor. In the Chiltons it said hand tighten it. I tightened it with an adj. wrench. What is the recommended torque specs from the fsm?

Wayne Sihler · Oct 25, 2003

Unless you have replaced the front axles with non-stock lock-out hubs and spindles there is no need to loosen or tighten the axle nut.The rotor will slip right off the studs.
If you are replacing the hub(unit bearing) the torque on the axle nut is 175 ft lbs
the hub mounting bolts(3) 75 ft lbs
Wayne

t bell · Oct 27, 2003

not axle nut, spindle nut.

Rev Den · Oct 27, 2003

2 wheel drive??

Rev

Eagle · Oct 27, 2003

t bell said:
not axle nut, spindle nut.

You said that -- and that's why everyone is confused. Most of us have 4WD XJs, and one the 4WD front axle there is no spindle.

Please answer the question: do you have 2WD? If not, we don't know what you're talking about (obviously). If so, the spindle nut for a conventional non-drive wheel spindle should be tightened while wiggling the wheel back and forth. You want to pre-load the bearing just enough to eliminate any free play in the bearing (between the bearing and the race, actually), then tighten the castle nut until the hole aligns for the cotter pin.

t bell · Oct 27, 2003

I have 4wd. I am talking about the nut the holds the rotor on.

ChiXJeff · Oct 27, 2003

t bell said:
I have 4wd. I am talking about the nut the holds the rotor on.

Ain't no such animal. The rotor is a slip over the studs job, just like a brake drum.

That 36mm nut is *NOT* on a spindle, it's on the end of the axle. Like Wayne said, it's 175 ft./lbs. torque on it. It does not hold the rotor in place.

Eagle · Oct 27, 2003

t bell said:
Ok, I think we are talking about 2 different nuts here. This is the nut that goes on the spindle that holds the bearings up against the rotor. In the Chiltons it said hand tighten it.

Could you point usto the page in Chilton so we can understand what it is that you are looking at? As ChiXJeff wrote, with the caliper out of the way, the rotor just slides off -- it is not retained in any way by the axle nut.

satan · Oct 27, 2003

If this is for your '91, then this:

is all you're 4wd would require to get the rotor off...

... if you ran into something kinda like this:

Then your 4wd won't work so well...

t bell · Oct 27, 2003

Some people need pictures. I has been a weird week for me. Please excuse me. I was think about conventional rotors. It is in fact the 1st picture from satan. Now that we have that clear, what should the nut be torqued to?

ChiXJeff · Oct 27, 2003

t bell said:
Some people need pictures. I has been a weird week for me. Please excuse me. I was think about conventional rotors. It is in fact the 1st picture from satan. Now that we have that clear, what should the nut be torqued to?

Like Wayne said, 175 ft./lbs.....

Hope your week goes better, now.

ChiXJeff

Cotter pin nut

t bell

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