Thread: Axle Nut Came Loose

Alright, finally got a chance to look at my car today and the noise seems to be wheel bearing related. I shook the front-driver wheel from all angles and there was quite a bit of play. After removing the wheel, I realized the axle nut had come loose. I would assume the wheel bearing/hub assembly is damaged since I drove on it with the nut having come loose. Now how did the nut come loose?...was it because the wheel bearing assembly had gone bad or did something else cause the nut to come loose.

I had torqued the nut to over 150 lbs. the last time I replaced my driver side axle. Although I must add that the new axle was a raxles and not OEM. Along with the axle I had replaced the axle nut and washer. Anyone experience the axle nut coming loose after it was torqued properly???

I should also note that my brake pedal has been shaking pretty bad from applying the brakes. I don't think the shaking is caused by the wheel bearing problem since the brakes have been shaking for about 3 months now. However, could the brakes shaking have caused the axle nut from looseing???

Any input is appreciated.

-saaby

Maybe the axle was not fully seated when you torqued the nut on and it pushed out a bit more (although I would think that the torque would pull it through anyway)?

I don't know, maybe that's impossible .

Did it not have the pin in place to keep that from happening?

Pin's only going to stop it from coming off, not loose. It could still back off a bit before hitting the pin unless the pin was right up against it.

That's not right... Stock the cars come with a little hat that goes over the nut that inserts right on the axle nut, and it has grooves (sort of like a castle nut) that fits the pin so the nut doesn't spin, or move out. Unless he wasn't using that piece I'm talking about...


Saaby...

Get a 32mm castle nut for your axle... and pin it and it will not budge.

Tokes FTW! I totally forgot about this.. my car did not have those and ever since then I've gotten used to staring at axles without them :o

Dude, I feel you... My red car didn't come with those OR a pin

I about freaked out!!! My friend got me hip to the castle nuts, Problem solved!

LOL I was about to say WTF??? Yeah the caps and pins are there for a reason. If you don't have them, get them.

when i got my sentra it was missing the pins, and was missing a caliper bolt!!!

it was just in there with one bolt

This is what happened to me on the SE-L. Car kept pulling to the right hardcore... Went to change the wheel bearing and whole hub and went to take the nut off and it was loose as all hell.

I feel your pain. But now you are better off getting a whole other hub with wheel bearing and replacing it.