A wheel bearing nut tightness may be specified by the vehicle owner or indicated on the car’s maintenance schedule. It is common for a car to have more than one specification.
For example, one might require a thread torque of no more than 50 foot-pounds while another specifies a torque of 80 foot-pounds or less.
How Tight Should a Wheel Bearing Nut Be
It is common for wheel bearing nuts to be over-tightened. Over-torquing a wheel bearing nut has become so common that wheel bearing replacement kits are even sold commercially.
They generally include a wrench with a locking mechanism so that you don’t have to worry about losing your wrench during installation or driving off without tightening it properly.
However, although the wheel bearing nut is the only part of the assembly that handles mechanical loads, failure of the nut’s retainer ring often results in some damage to the wheel bearings.
Over-tightening a wheel bearing nut can result in the nuts’ becoming stripped, which could damage the wheel bearings.
Sometimes, one may tighten a wheel bearing nut to such an extent that it compromises the seal at the axle end of the hub. When this happens, water will leak into the axle well and find its way up through cracks in the axle shaft. If enough water finds its way into the axle, it will freeze and expand its volume enough to damage the bearings.
In addition to freezing and bursting, frozen water in an axle can create burrs on or inside the bearing so that they no longer slide properly. When the car is driven, this can generate high heat levels and lead to bearing failure.
Symptoms of Over-Tightened Wheel Bearing
When bearing nuts are over-tightened, the nut and retaining ring seal may be compromised. This could affect the bearing, causing damage to the bearings or even a failure of one or both.
Inevitably, a wheel-bearing nut no longer holding water will attempt to roll off the end of its shaft and into the air. If it is on an open hub or axle that has not been properly greased, it can result in the wheel bearing or hubs destroying itself and possibly damaging other components.
When a wheel bearing nut is overtightened, sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate whether we have broken it loose or just damaged it so badly that it broke loose without us even noticing. Regardless of what the problem is, it is commonly a sign that you should have it replaced.
Inevitably, a wheel-bearing nut no longer holding water will attempt to roll off the end of its shaft and into the air. If it is on an open hub or axle that has not been properly greased, this can result in the wheel bearing or hubs destroying itself and possibly damaging other components as well.
What Happens If You Over-Tighten Wheel Bearings
Over-tightening a wheel bearing nut can cause damage to the bearings or damage to other components of your vehicle. This can lead to the early failure of the bearings, which will require immediate replacement.
If the wheel bearing nuts have been over-tightened, they may come loose in your wheel well or the very center of the wheel. When this happens, you cannot remove your wheel bearing caps and finish re-greasing both bearings, particularly if you use a special 0.1 mm line or a diamond pattern.
In that case, there is not much that you can do to stop the bearing from cracking and breaking.
If they are so tight that they are failing within the wheel well or axle hub itself, replacing them is generally easier than fixing them.
How to Tell The Wheel Nut Is Over-Tightened
Check if this wheel bearing nut or the bearing cap on either side of it is one piece. If they are loose or you feel any unusual movement during the wheel turning, that is a good indicator that these parts have been over-tightened.
If water is leaking from any part of the hub, this also indicates that the wheel bearing nut has been over-tightened.
The axle can also give some indication as to whether or not a wheel bearing nut has been overtightened. If it is noticeably moving or wobbling, then this can indicate that it has been over-tightened.
Also read: How To Stop Wheel Nuts Coming Loose (5 Preventive Measures)
What is The Proper Way to Tighten Wheel Bearings
The proper way to tighten a wheel bearing nut is to use just enough pressure to ‘finger-tight’ the nut. If you overdo it, your nuts will become stripped and no longer be able to hold their seal, but they won’t break on you while driving down the road.
To determine if your wheel bearing nuts are too loose or not tight enough, remove them and place a properly tightened wrench on either side of the nut.
If the wrench ends up spinning, it needs to be put on firmly enough. If it doesn’t spin, your wheel-bearing nuts are probably too tight.
It is common to over-tighten wheel bearing nuts simply because you don’t think you did or because you don’t know how to tell if they are too tight or not tight enough. This can lead to wheel bearing damage and warranty claims.
Even if the wheel bearing nuts do not break free on their own, there is still a chance that they can cause damage to the axle hub or wheel well itself. This can lead to problems with access for repairs and other complications that may be expensive or even dangerous for vehicle occupants.
When you have a wheel bearing seized due to debris or other factors, you should still replace it rather than undoing the wheel bearing nut to remove the debris.
Some manufacturers recommend using anti-seize paste on the thread of any wheel bearing nuts designed for alloy wheels used on cars with steel wheels. The anti-seize paste makes it harder for the nut to strip, ensuring that it will always be able to hold its seal and keep its bearings in place without slipping.
Properly applied anti-seize also gives a barrier against impact damage that could occur if your nuts come loose while driving down the road.
Conclusion
When you have to replace wheel bearings or wheel bearings in general, you should make sure that you are aware of what types of bearings your vehicle uses and what their proper installation is.
With this knowledge, it can be easier to tell if the wheel bearing nut has been properly installed or if it was installed so that it may have caused problems with your wheel bearing or axle hub. This can then lead to warranty claims and other unnecessary expenses.
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I am passionate about all things automotive and have a deep understanding of the topic. As a mechanic, I use my free time to share knowledge of everyday challenges that any car owner can experience – helping you make informed decisions about tires.