'08 Ram CTD rear wheel bearing questions

D60

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Nov 6, 2017
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I'm looking at maybe needing to replace a rear wheel seal on an '08 (ok it's technically '07.5 with 6.7) Ram 2500 4wd.

I'm not certain of the exact model of the rear but assume it's the largest available (maybe AAM 11.5?)

Last time I did this I didn't get warm fuzzies about the spindle nut and keeper because the nut essentially has "nylon" for the keeper to press into. Theoretically if you're not replacing bearings you'd want the nut to wind up back in the same place, meaning the keeper presses into the same grooves which can make it seemingly loose.

I guess questions are:
1) is it SOP to just use a new spindle nut every time, or is reuse ok, even if the keeper is going back into the same nylon grooves?

2) is it even possible for the keeper to walk out enough to fall out? If it were intelligently designed it would hit the backside of the axle flange before it could come out.

3) anyone have the reco'd wheel bearing torque procedure for seating and then properly preloading the (used) bearings? I'm sure I could find this elsewhere online with a web search so not a critical question here.
 
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Dec 19, 2013
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It's the Dana differentials that used the nylon lock nuts, The AAM uses a circlip & a keyway.

*Install hub bearing nut with Socket 8954 (1) and tighten with torque wrench (2) to 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.) while rotating the hub.
*Back off nut about 30° and align next hub nut key slot with axle tube key slot and install locking key.
*Endplay should be .001" to .010"

Service information doesn't clarify if this is new bearing or used bearing procedure, I usually just measure endplay before disassembly & set it back the same for used bearings.
 

D60

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Nov 6, 2017
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It's the Dana differentials that used the nylon lock nuts, The AAM uses a circlip & a keyway.

*Install hub bearing nut with Socket 8954 (1) and tighten with torque wrench (2) to 30 Nm (22 ft. lbs.) while rotating the hub.
*Back off nut about 30° and align next hub nut key slot with axle tube key slot and install locking key.
*Endplay should be .001" to .010"

Service information doesn't clarify if this is new bearing or used bearing procedure, I usually just measure endplay before disassembly & set it back the same for used bearings.
Thank you. Do you reuse the nylon lock nuts if so equipped?
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2013
Messages
7,319
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
I try to avoid Dorman!

Spicer # 47163 which is OE without the Mopar markup.
Mopar # 52069306.

Alternatively.....If you wanted to get away from the nylon lock nut altogether.....

Spicer # 33732, Hub Nut, Need 2 per hub.
Spicer # 33733, Nut retainer, Need 1 per hub.
 
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