Auto grade lock nuts info needed

[Jimmy9190]

I have to replace the wheel bearing hub assemblies on the Dakota pickup in my signature. The new hubs do not include the spindle nuts. My spindle nuts are a one-time use only. It even says "DO NOT RE-USE" on the flange of the original nut. The new nut must be torqued to 185 ft-lbs with the wheels on the ground.

Question is, no parts store here sells the spindle nut. The local Dodge dealer parts department is open today but as usual they don't have it in stock. They have to order it, $17.10 each. I can get a nylon lock nut in the right size and thread pitch at Ace Hardware for about $6.00 and they have a bin full of them on the shelf today. Is there any real difference between an Auto Grade lock nut and a standard lock nut I buy at Ace? Don't they both heat up the nylon insert the same way when the nut is tightened and torqued down?

I would like to start and finish this job today. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

 

[AandPDan]

Buy the correct part from the dealer. Try another if you have to.

Yes there is a difference. The nylon lock nut you're looking at it is likely not rated the same "grade" as is the OEM nut. The locking part can also melt so it isn't locking anymore.

Your front rotors/hubs will get hot.

I'm assuming you have the 2wd version since you say it says "do not reuse." Your front hubs can/will come apart if that nut isn't torqued properly.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
I have to replace the wheel bearing hub assemblies on the Dakota pickup in my signature. The new hubs do not include the spindle nuts. My spindle nuts are a one-time use only. It even says "DO NOT RE-USE" on the flange of the original nut. The new nut must be torqued to 185 ft-lbs with the wheels on the ground.

Question is, no parts store here sells the spindle nut. The local Dodge dealer parts department is open today but as usual they don't have it in stock. They have to order it, $17.10 each. I can get a nylon lock nut in the right size and thread pitch at Ace Hardware for about $6.00 and they have a bin full of them on the shelf today. Is there any real difference between an Auto Grade lock nut and a standard lock nut I buy at Ace? Don't they both heat up the nylon insert the same way when the nut is tightened and torqued down?

I would like to start and finish this job today. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.


There is the grade of the bolt/nut in the first place. Most auto stuff is grade 5. There are also steel lock nuts and nylon lock nuts. I did not think the nylon ones involved heat, just the stiffness of the nylon. Then you can get a second and usually thinner lock nut to jam against the first one.

Does your old one have any grade markings?

I would see if you can get grade 5 luck nuts. If not then a grade five nut and a second nut to jam against the first. Tighten the first one to the specified torque, then jam the second one.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Thanks for the help. I found a Napa not too far away that is open till 3:00 today and they have the nut:

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=BRG6504007_0257938603

Same as OEM, $10.99 each. I want to do this job right and only once so I had better go get the right parts.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Trav]

Were the originals a deformed nut or did they have nylon in them?
Any grade marking on the original nut?

Edit: I see you have this sorted so never mind. Get the ones from NAPA.

 

[mechtech2]

You'll sleep better with those new and correct parts.
Are they indeed nylon lockers from the factory?

Need to use the old parts?
If they are staked, you can cut a new notch with a Dremel or die grinder and restake it [new location].

 

[Jimmy9190]

No they are nylon insert type spindle nuts, not staked like my wife's Honda has. You have to use new nuts and the nuts do not come with the hubs, not with any brand of hubs I can buy locally anyway. I decided to hold off on buying from Napa and I went by the Dodge dealer and ordered new OEM spindle nuts instead. They cost a few bucks more at the dealer and I have to go back over there tomorrow after work and pick them up but it is still smarter than taking a 100 mile round trip to buy the nuts at the other out of town Napa store. According to the Napa web site my local Napa only has one of the nuts in stock, so I just ordered the parts from the dealer. I did a few other things with the truck this afternoon, and set it up on jack stands in the garage.

I am getting the truck ready to drive to Atlanta for Thanksgiving, leaving on Wednesday. Today I removed the wheels, calipers and rotors and the old hubs, cleaned and greased the spindles and set the new hubs in place. Now all I have to do tomorrow is just snug the new spindle nuts in place and reinstall the rotors, calipers and wheels, then set the truck back on the ground and torque the new nuts down properly and I should be all set. I believe that is what caused my previous hubs to fail. I put new National brand hubs on my truck in March last year and I did not torque the nuts correctly. Lesson learned. I bought myself a new 1/2" torque wrench at AAP today too, it has a range of up to 250 ft-lbs. It's not a pro quality tool by any means but it should be OK for how I will use it. $89.00 regular price, I saved $35.00 on it with a discount code I found in the Sales and Promotions section here on BITOG.

 

[Donald]

I use Steve White Motors for any Chrysler parts I want to order. They are down south and ship quickly charging to PayPal or credit cards. They are happy to answer questions, look up stuff via VIN. And better prices than any local dealer.

Best of all they tossed in a free Steve White Motors hat on one order. I only get refrigerator magnets from RockAuto.

 

[Jimmy9190]

I would have ordered from Rock Auto or one of the online Mopar parts suppliers, but I am driving to Atlanta on Wednesday to spend Thanksgiving with my daughter and the rest of my family and do not have time to wait for shipping. I just found out about the bad wheel bearings yesterday when I had my tires and wheels balanced. I have been trying to solve a highway speed vibration problem for about a month now and I really hope these new hubs are the last piece of the puzzle.