The spindle that nearly cost me my life (damaged assessment discussion)

[alpaccino]

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My rear wheel flew off while i was traveling at 160km/h last Saturday evening and i want to discuss the cause because i'm now very sceptical of the wheels at the back being secured just with a 14 nut.

In planning for a long journey on Saturday i wanted to take all precautions and ensure that the car is in a tiptop state. The left wheel bearing was just starting to make a little noise so i decided to change it. my mechanic friend pointed out also that the spindle was worn so i decided to change that as well. Now thinking back, the original spindle center nut tighten clockwise but i couldn't get it in any condition (new/used) but i got one in mint condition which tighten counter-clockwise. The guy who sells me the spindle says it will still work all i need the right nut for it, which i got. On Saturday morning i noticed the grease cap was missing, i thought it was strange but i got a replacement anyways and headed out. While returning the car felt good so i decided to speed (smh) but then i hear a chirping sound at the same wheel so i started slowing down, then the backend jumps up and then it was apparent that the wheel was missing, surprisingly the car was still stable even when the car was sliding on the road. The spindle was glowing red hot, and if you looked closely on the wheel the 14 nut is fastened (welded) on the drum with the outer bearing still attached to the drum. The spindle thread is still there so i'm guessing it backed off but how because the wheel is turning counter-clockwise as well.

I want to let everyone know how serious wheel bearing change can be so don't cut corners and also what could cause this because as i said before, i didn't know that the wheel could come off like this.

ps any one knows the part number i want to get a new/mint condition spindle for the left (that tighten clockwise).

[sketchman]

I don't understand how you still have threads left if the nut tightened CC-wise either. How did it spin off if the wheel was turning CC-wise since it's the left side and you were moving forward?

Even if the thing got so hot as to weld the nut, washer, and outer bearing together it would seem to have to take off the threads to come off like that.

Either way, if the install is not too tight and the grease was still there, it shouldn't get that hot to begin with. So I would IMHO, learn that you need to keep the grease cap on there rather than the axle nut needs to turn the right way.

[Advancedynamix]

Also, upgrade to the 1993 stub axle/nut and retainer if you can. They have a locking cotterpin. I don't trust the locknut style.

[Movin]

Cotter pins and castle nuts work great, Jam nuts work great, split nuts with a locking screw work great, Drive in locking keys work great . This smash the nut on a flat idea is not so great.

[Fordverde]

How are you even alive if you were at 160km/h??!?!?!?! Man you should be praying and thanking that you are here to tell the tell....
I think i read some where in the manual that the nuts and the counter pin should always be replaced with new ones each time you take them out!
i'm all for it to reuse parts as much as necessary, but parts that are subjected to such stress better get them replaced.
Glad you are ok and nothing happen to you or your dear ones....
We have some luck that most of the parts are available better spend 20 bucks on nuts and bolts than 3k or more in a hospital...
By the way, replace those brake springs!!!

[rmoltis]

There sure have been a lot of wheels coming off while driving lately haha.
What is that now 2 on ff.com and 1 on fa.com?

Maybe we should start taking bets.

[william]

I don't see how they can just come off even if the bearings failure leads to it. They sound like hell long before they get that bad.. but I guess not everyone hears that kinda thing like I do. Heck I hear rocks that get stuck in my tires lol.

[alpaccino]

I don't see how they can just come off even if the bearings failure leads to it. They sound like hell long before they get that bad.. but I guess not everyone hears that kinda thing like I do. Heck I hear rocks that get stuck in my tires lol.

Remember I changed the bearings the day before and it was perfect upto seconds from disaster, that's when I heard the chirping sound. Can the fact that the cc spindle and cc wheel rotation helped further tighten the nut which perhaps let the spindle push off the grease cap?

[william]

Ah I didn't catch that you changed them the previous day. I've had a bearing fail on me from my own mistake. I over tighten it and it over heated. But I had the opposite probably as you my wheel/drum wouldn't come off it welded the outer bearing to the spindal . That's when I did my aspire swap.
The main thing is that no one was hurt.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[william]

Dubble post.

[ajbcc2]

first off here is my modification to make the axle nut use a cotter pin on my 1989...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGCUCQVbL4 next, the right hand drive nut is on the drivers side you put a left hand threaded axle on that side...the direction of forward travel is trying to tighten the nut(counter clockwise) if you didnt lock the nut well enough (or not enough grease or too much grease) it sounds like the forward motion of the car which is in the direction of tightening the nut cause an over tighten pressure on the bearings causing them to heat up....the thread on the axle are still there but are the threads on the nut ok?..maybe the outer brg got so hot it seize and just tore itself off of the axle pulling thru the axle nut threads as well....

[ajbcc2]

swap not neccesary see my video takes less than an hour to modify https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGCUCQVbL4

[ajbcc2]

ok first it isnt neccesary to swap out to get a cotter pin set up when you can easily modify both spindles in less than an hour....see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGCUCQVbL4
its my guess that the drivers side spindle requires a right hand threaded nut and you put a left hand threaded unit on....tire rotation will try to over tighten the nut causing just what you experienced, IF, the nut was not locked down well enough( drum should spin freely when brg nut is tightened), or too little grease, or too much grease...the spindle threads are there but are the nut threads intact? or did the seizing part tear off the wheel nut right thru the nut threads?

[alpaccino]

ok first it isnt neccesary to swap out to get a cotter pin set up when you can easily modify both spindles in less than an hour....see this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjGCUCQVbL4
its my guess that the drivers side spindle requires a right hand threaded nut and you put a left hand threaded unit on....tire rotation will try to over tighten the nut causing just what you experienced, IF, the nut was not locked down well enough( drum should spin freely when brg nut is tightened), or too little grease, or too much grease...the spindle threads are there but are the nut threads intact? or did the seizing part tear off the wheel nut right thru the nut threads?

Thanks for your input i was away for sometime and i didn't get a chance to read the forum. The spindle was installed on the passenger side (KIA PRIDE) which is the left side of the car, the original spindle tighten clockwise but the one that i use tighten counter clockwise. I had to buy a new drum because the outer bearings welded in the drum and the lock nut also on the end. Im trying to replace the axle/spindle but can't seem to find it online anyone have the partnumber or a website link? If i don't get the type with the pin i'll def perform this mod thanks.