Front axle trouble- bearing nut tool?

Does anybody know where I could find the bearing nut adjustment tool for the front axle? If not what size is the nut? I live out in West Texas and the only parts store is NAPA and none of their parts work. In their catalog they have 2 tools for the rounded hex nut, ones a 2 1/2" and the other a 2 3/4". The size I need seems to be somewhere between those two sizes but NAPA's catalog list that those are the only two sizes available. Also those sockets are only deep enough to reach the outer nut so I dont know what to do about the inner one. Please help!

Caleb Roach
M715Aggie
croa230@sulross.edu

Caleb,
Welcome to the new zone. There was a post about a month ago in the Stock Board that covered the socket size. When I get to work on Monday, I can tell you also. That is where I took the front hubs off last, so that is where my socket is.

2-5/16 is what you need

They are available, where I can't remember, but someone will speak up.

I'm a tight , So i cut six slats of steel and welded them to fit the nut, capped off one end and welded a 1" nut on it so I could use a socket or wrench on it if need be.

Good Luck!!!

And welcome

Doug

they sell them at auto zone. only cost 13.95

WOAH! I just tapped them with a screwdriver. Makes a little notch in the flat, but not a big deal. No one in my little burg had the socket, and I'm a cheap anyway.

I looked but couldn't find the old post. Besides the 2-5/16" you now know about. You might need to know that some 1/2" drive sockets don't fit into the hub without the socket being ground down some on the outside. Most 3/4" drive sockets fit with no problems.

huh? 3/4 should be bigger. What gives?

For some reason, my 3/4" drive sets here and at work are both 12 point. They normally have less metal around them than 6 point. Most 1/2" drive big sockets and especially the hub removal sockets that you can buy in auto part stores are 6 point. If I had to guess, I would say that it has to do with the flexibility of the metal and the structural integrity of each socket design. 1/2" drive 6 point hub removal sockets are normally cheap stampings or welded tubing bent to shape with a flat piece welded across the end for the socket wrench. They have to be made thicker to make them actually work. 3/4" drive 12 point forged sockets are just like your normal sized ones only bigger. The are designed to take stress all the time everyday. They have thinner walls, because the socket is one complete unit, not several parts put together.

Trivia tip.

Have you ever wondered how the NASCAR guys can get the air gun on and off the lugs so well without getting stuck or not on? They take a 12 point impact socket and mill out every other point. This opens up the socket enough that the nut normally won't get stuck. They taper the points so that the socket will basically guide itself on also. I thought that was an amazing amount of time, thought and money spent toward getting a wheel off.

well yall, i finally got the outer lock nut off with a 2 9/16 socket from NAPA costing $42. Now the fun stuff..... the outer lock washer was okay, adjusting nut came off easy ( sorry for the confusionon the first post, i meant the outer lock nut, not the adjustment nut). However, there was no lock washer between the nut and the bearing like there was supposed to be, the outer and inner bearings need replacing, the bearing cups are stuck to the hub, but the spindle looks okay. Then i took off the spindle and brake backing plate and the axle just fell out (what was left of it anyways). The u-joints some time had disentigrated into dime size chunks or smaller and the outer axle is simply FUBAR. The inner axle seems okay though. So i'll be cleaning all the glittery axle grease out of that steering knuckle as well as cleaning all the parts I took off and try to see what all i need to replace. So far the list is: inner and outer bearing, inner oil seal, lock washer, oil seal on the back of the knuckle, lower knuckle bearing cup, short axle and universal joint. Does anybody know a good source for this stuff? I normally buy my parts from Leo Porter out of Arlington because he's the only one I've heard of in Texas and he's well priced. But since I live out in BFE West Texas where nothing is a short drive, I guess I could ship it in from anywhere.
Thanks yall
Caleb

PS there another Kaiser out here thats badass. Has the be a Zone member or something. M715 w/big ass winch, soft top with hard plastic rear window, looks like 20" NDTs on tubeless 6 lug wheels with the M715 pattern drilled inside original pattern, all pioneer tools, selectro locking hubs, dual exhaust, flawless sheetmetal, with big rack on the bed that sticks over the cab (hauling wood or pvc pipe) and a matching trailer thats as far as i can tell the ass end of a M715 frame and all made into a trailer. But the owner never seems to be home when I go by. Its a slick looking rig

Vintage Power Wagons has most, if not all of that stuff...have you checked the other side to see what a mess that is yet...hopefully better than this one...YIKES!!
Anyway, check their parts page, over on the left side of this page there is a link to it.
Good luck...sounds like you could use some...and if you find out more bout that other rig, let us know....does sound cooool!
brute4c

All the basic stuff is available from any parts store. Numbers for the bearings, races and seals should be on each.

The bearing cups are supposed to be "stuck". You have to press or carefully pound them out/in.

The lock washer goes between the two thin nuts, nothing between the nut and bearing.

Sounds like a mess...

Good luck
Chris

AB Linn ( ablinn@salisbury.net ) has most of the stuff including the axle shaft assy with U joint.