I'm repacking the wheel bearings on a full floating axle from an 80 E350. It has a single retaing nut and a lock wedge to hold the bearings in place. I've never seen this type of nut retaining system. I'm used to doing the ones with two nuts and a retaining lock washer. Online repair procedures state that "new" wedges should always be reinstalled and a special install tool is needed. You don't just bang it in there. My question is can you install these wedges without the special tool? How much pressure to you have to apply? thanks.

 

The nut has a fiber insert like a self locking nut. I never had a problem with adjusting the bearing preload then driving the wedge back in place.