3,500 pound Dexter axle bearing pre-load?

Carb Cleaner wrote:
Fellow forum members, thanks for all your efforts to make my life easier. Some of the responses are spot-on and some are leaning towards the right direction, but for whatever reason, go askew. It's the internet's fault.
If you want to see the Dexter web page, with bearing lube and replacement procedures, see my post from earlier today at 2:05 PM. Here it is again. Go to page 56:
Clicky
Copy and paste address and/or clicky:
http://www.dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/600-8K_Service_Manual/Hubs_Drums_and_Bearings.pdf
http://www.dexteraxle.com/i/u/6149609/f/600-8K_Service_Manual/Hubs_Drums_and_Bearings.pdf
The 1 7/16" nor the 1 1/2" sockets I picked up at Sears would function on the spindle nut (axle nut) due to the bevel on both the socket and the nut. As the nut gets closer to the hub, the two bevels will not permit the socket and nut to come in contact. I wound up using a giant pair of Channel Locks on the first, and so far only, assembly I've installed. In my accumulated frustration from various events of the day, I resorted to using the Channel Locks. I'll be grinding the bevel off of the appropriate socket tomorrow. This will permit an interface between the socket and spindle nut, and I'll be able to properly torque the bearings to 50 ft/lbs. I'm doing a champion job on the break-away switch wiring, though (soldered and double shrink wrapped with wire loom). It'll look much better when it's all wrapped up:

Thanks but you're cheating with that piece of plywood under your parts. Isn't it all supposed to be lying in a pile in the gravel? :B

FWIW, as I was reading the thread, I realized I've been packing bearings the "Dexter" way for a long time. I don't use a torque wrench unless it's something really special, though ( A TT doesn't qualify). How many guys here have had a car or truck with serviceable front axle bearings?