I'm replacing my front rotors and when I took off the wheel bearing locking nut, it was only hand tight. The Chiltons book I just bought, says the inner one should be tightened to 35lbs then backed off 1/4. The outer locking nut should be 150lbs. I'm doing this 1 wheel at a time and when I checked the other side, it was looser than the first.
On the "new" side, I cleaned and repacked the inner bearing, replaced the seal, put a little grease around the inside edge, packed the outer bearing, torqued the inner locknut to 35lbs, and backed it off 1/4. The rotor turns, but has a lot of resistence. Maybe that is just the new tight seal?
What is the proper procedure?
Its a '89 with 4wd, manual hubs.
thx for any advice.

 

That's basically the procedure, though you are missing one step. After backing of 1/4 turn, you're supposed to tighten the inner locknut to 16 in-lbs, then continue tightening (if necessary) just until the pin on the inner locknut fits in one of the holes in the lockwasher.

 

16 in-lbs eh? Excuse to buy another tool! Bought the lock nut socket last night for a "mere" $25. My wife is already giving me a hard time(in fun), "How much does that $2000 Bronco cost us now"?.
One really good thing you pointed out is that pin on the locknut goes on the inner one. Thought I kept them in order, but obviously not!

 

16 in/lbs is the same as hand tight, so you don't have an excuse to buy a new tool. Sorry to rain on your parade.

 

I'm in the process of doing the same job. But I'm confused on the positioning of the needle thrust bearing. Which way should it face and does it go between the spacers?

 

I like to hand tighten the inner nut and if it isn't close to the pin alignment, I loosen it. Good bloody luck in getting 150 ft lbs on the outer nut. I use an impact on it and that gets it tighter than by the torque wrench. (Just my preference since I dissasemble 2 to 3 times a year due to 100% off road use)


crowneagle, assuming you have a 4x4 with manual hubs. The needle thrust bearing goes between the bearing spacer and the axle shaft spacer. Or in this order...from the outside.
snap ring, axle shaft spacer, needle thrust bearing, bearing spacer, outer lock nut....

 

You might try a diffrent torque wrench.150ft.lb. is not hard to get to on the outer nut at all.I do mine at least once a year and never had any trouble getting it to 150 ft.lbs.The first time I did mine I didn't trust my wrench so I got one from a friend{new one}.Checked the nut I had put on with mine with his,click at 150ft.lb.with no heavy force at all..

 

I had to re-do mine. The right onw; even though I seated it with the 35lbs, it must have been hung up on something, because after driving it a while it became loose. I had the tires balanced and wheel alignment. They told me the bearings were loose and I needed a complete bearing re-pack job for about $200. I told them I just did that!
Getting that outer nut off was alot harder now since I did tourque it to 150! When it finally broke loose, I threw my shoulder/collar bone area inside the mud flap bolts. That was about 10 days ago and its still a nice yellow/green color!
The left side was fine, but I stupidly put the inner nut with the locking dipple on the outside facing in and stripped off the dipple. It, with the locking ring is a $130 part at the dealer (unless he misunderstood me), so I went to the junkyard and got one for free, since I pulled some other stuff too.
BTW if you live around San Jose CA, the pick-u-parts on trade zone blvd had 2 1985 Bronco II, 1 1989 and a couple of 80's Rangers, all 4wd. Only one had the front diff. pulled.

 

Get well soon rudy! I whopped my shoulder real good getting the rusted spindles off so I feel for you. IMO, and it is only that, 150lbs is overkill, and I beat the pee out of my rig offroad. I'm lucky I have a nice quality Snap-On IM6500HP so them pesky bolts don't stand a chance any more. You can see from shopping around how dealers and people like to rip you off, $200 for a bearing repack, I guess $200 dosn't buy as much as it used to. OBTW we have all sheared off that little pin, just punch the little piece out of the collar, and tap in what is left, it will be good enough.