3,500 pound Dexter axle bearing pre-load?
I'm putting a new drum-brake system on a single-axle cargo trailer. It has a torsion suspension. I have the components ready to go and one of the old, non-brake assemblies removed. It occurred to me, ...
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Lynnmor wrote:Ron3rd wrote:Lynnmor wrote:Ron3rd wrote:Ranger Smith wrote:
From what I remember when doing mine it was torque axle nuts to 50 ft. lbs and then back nut off to next cotter pin slot.It is a little more involved than "hand snug" as everyones idea of hand snug is different
That is correct, and I don't remember the exact torque required but it's in the Dexter instructions available for download. Basically, you torque the bearing to the spec and rotate the wheel to seat the bearing and then back off to the first cotter pin hole. My old trailer had Dexter 3500 lb axles and I did this several times, easy process.
BTW, most techs I've watched don't use a torque wrench; they tighten the nut down with a large Crescent wrench or Channel Locks, rotate the wheel and then back off the nut. Probably close enough but I prefer to go by the book as it's no harder.
Wrong again, this will result in a pre-load condition.
Wrong? Then Dexter's instructions are wrong. Take it up with the factory! The bearings are supposed to be preloaded btw.
Nope! Just checked Dexter's instructions. There is no pre-load. You should not be giving incorrect information.
Nope, you're wrong (again). Don't know what instructions you checked, but they're not for 3500 lb axles. Quote from Dexters instructions:
"After placing the hub, bearings, washers, and spindle nut
back on the axle spindle in reverse order as detailed in the
previous section on hub removal, rotate the hub assembly
slowly while tightening the spindle nut to approximately
50 Ft Lbs. (12" wrench or pliers with full hand force.)"
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