Can you overtighten axle nuts?

[G Ford Fan]

Originally Posted by whynotthinkwhynot

I think it depends. I have 2, one goes to 150, and another goes to 250.

Exactly, they are not all the same. There are some that go to 250, they are typically longer than the 150 ft-lb max wrenches.

[hurtinfocus]

"whirring" in my experiences with the focus is 90% of the time due to rear wheel bearing failure. The bearing is pressed into the rear drum and you can buy brand new drums already setup with new bearings and dust collars for about $50/side.

[drunkyoda]

hmmmm... ya it sounds like a bearing... ill check it sometime during this 4 day break lol. as you can tell im not too worried about it.

[freemind]

Mine are doing the same thing! Well one side for sure. I'm wondering if the 1.5" drop put them over the edge.

[freemind]

The rears I mean LOL

[drunkyoda]

ya... your 1.5" drop... try my drop lol.

[amc49]

I've heard bad ones that whirring would be a perfect description of the noise they made, no grind or rumble, just a smooth whir that got louder and louder over coming days, bearing change fixed it. Thinking they can make several sounds there on back or front. Whir means you got some time to fix it, grind or rumble, fix it now or walking in a short time. The grinding means bearing is eating itself.

You jack up vehicle by SUSPENSION not frame, jacked up by frame the suspension is overextended and CVs are not supposed to be cycled under those conditions, the angle will be one not normally seen in use and it SHOULD click if any wear there on an older car. Means nothing if it does, mine all do it. You should never motor car like that under power, can tear up axles.

[JCH841]

First of all, it is possible to overtighten anything; that's why they make torque wrenches. Likely not the problem here, but we had a crankshaft failure in a 6000 hp diesel because the factory (over) tightened the connecting rod bolts to the same torque as the main bearing caps and distorted the bearing caps. Most threaded fasteners will develop some adhesion in service; rust, corrosion, heat cycling such that the disassembly torque is likely higher than the assembly torque. In this case if there are any residual stresses or minute fractures from manufacturing/rolling threads, gross overtightening could precipitate a fracture failure.

[amc49]

X2..........

[TheGlassMaker]

Bearing will expand when heated up from the motion of the car I thought you had to tighten just enough to expect the tolerance for that.

I haven't needed to change the bearings in the focus, but in my ranger I went through a few sets.