Hi Richard

I torqued mine with a 3/4" drive socket, breaker bar, and a 4' pipe on the
breaker, a 12" extension to clear the fender, and a jack stand under the
extension to keep it lined up. Stood on it about 3' out, @165 lbs should
have made 345ft/lbs. Bounced more to align cotter pins.

When I checked, after noting that they were loose, I got another full turn
on 'em, using the same procedure.

Just can't see what could have compressed or stretched after torquing that
tight. Threads are OK. And it was BOTH axles!

I've never heard of new nuts being recommended.

I plan to check 'em again soon, make sure everything's staying tight.

Thanks

Chris


tricky wrote:

> Hi Chris
>
> I'm no guru, but you might try new axle nuts.
> I have found when things wont stay tight, new ones will.
>
> I have a feeling that some of the specs call for new nuts each time they
> are removed ?
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> On 31/03/13 05:17, ChrisKlinger wrote:
>> Here's a new one for me; if anyone can tell me WTF, I'd be most
>> appreciative.
>>
>> Did the brakes on the Ghia. Replaced rear grease seals, Torqued rear axle
>> nuts to>215 ft. lbs. Checked and tightened link pins; some slop, planned
>> rebush for soon.
>>
>> All's great. Had a little rumble in right rear, figured I'd be changing
>> bearing soon, but I digress...
>>
>> Took my son camping. On the road, car began getting squirrely. Whenever
>> I'd let off the throttle, the sumbitch would attempt an automatic lane
>> change. Great adrenaline rush, but my kid was with me. Assumed front
>> end...
>>
>> Got German king and link pins and bushings (and a sweet complete set of
>> adjustable reamers, in super condition, on EBay, for 80 bucks but, again,
>> I digress.)
>>
>> One kingpin simply impossible to press out, but it's still faily tight.
>> Replaced one kingpin and bushings, and all linkpins and bushings.
>>
>> Shimmy continues. So, I check the back...
>>
>> BOTH axle nuts loose. LOOSE loose. Turn 'em by hand loose! Jeez! I could
>> grab the tire and wobble everything on the splines.
>>
>> I (re)-torqued them today. That was the problem. Car handles great (or as
>> great as can be expected of a lowered kiddie-hack with the snubbers sawed
>> off and the front beam swing arm bearings shot and the adjuster adjusted
>> as frickin HIGH as it can go yet still the tires and fenders are missing
>> pieces from where they chose to brutally attack each other... but again,
>> this digression
>>
>> Guys, as some of you know, I'm a (licensed and experienced) aircraft
>> mechanic, and have owned aircooled VW's over 30 years, so I'm no noob.
>> But I have never had an axle nut show up loose. (of course, I must admit,
>> in the past I used the hammer-on-special-VW-tool-#halfbaked, and this
>> time I used an actual socket and a breaker bar and my weight positioned
>> at the correct calculated point, plus enough to line up the cotter pin)
>>
>> Can anyone tell me what the hell I did wrong? Are the axles working their
>> way out?
>>
>> Thanks guys. And happy easter to all believers.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> 59/60 Type I - 6V 36HP and no gas gage
>> 65 Ghia - 1835cc dual Weber 48-IDA, suspension highly modified by someone
>> who evidently hates VWs.
>>
>> I don't have attention deficit disorder. As a matter of fact LOOK! A
>> butterfly!