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Torque rating for wheel bearings ? Axle nut size ?

G

GTP in RTP

New member
Ok I searched and seen various numbers. 97 GTP coupe, is axle nut 36mm ?
Torque for axle nut ? 118 ft-lbs or 151 or 159 ?
Does a 1/2 socket actually fit better on the hub bolts than a 13mm ?
 


It is; the Charlotte meet has been my favorite meet out of all meets, I consider Deidre Alan and Buddy good friends and of course all the one I've met there I really do like as wel. I just have a blast at this meet and I hope it continues to grow again :)
 


Drive axle
Front wheel drive axle nut 151 ft/lbs

But I have seen 118 also. Just depends on where you get the info.



This might help in the future too


Front suspension
Front lower control arm ball stud to steering knuckle nut 40 ft/lbs
Front lower control arm ball stud to front lower control arm bolts/screws 50 ft/lbs
Front lower control arm mounting nuts 83 ft/lbs
Front stabilizer shaft bracket bolt/nut 35 ft/lbs
Front stabilizer shaft link nut 17 ft/lbs
Front suspension strut to body mount nuts 30 ft/lbs
Front suspension strut mount nut 63 ft/lbs
Front suspension strut to steering knuckle bolts/screws 90 ft/lbs
Front wheel drive shaft bearing bolts/screws 96 ft/lbs

Rear Suspension
Rear suspension strut shaft nut 55 ft/lbs
Rear suspension support mounting bolt/screw 77 ft/lbs
Rear wheel hub to knuckle bolt/screw 55 ft/lbs
Rear wheel spindle rods to knuckle nut 110 ft/lbs
Rear wheel spindle rods to rear suspension support nut 103 ft/lbs
Stabilizer shaft link nut 26 ft/lbs
Stabilizer shaft link to strut bolt/screw 26 ft/lbs
Strut mount to body nuts 33 ft/lbs
Strut to knuckle bolts/screws 82 ft/lbs
Trailing arm bracket to body nut 37 ft/lbs
Trailing arm to bracket bolt/screw 37 ft/lbs + 60*
Trailing arm to knuckle bolt/screw 66 ft/lbs + 75*
 
All data says 118 ft lbs, as does the GM Dealership website we use at work, any other number is wrong.

In the year 2001, for whatever reason the number does say 151 or 159, yet the wheel bearing and axle nut aswell as the axles themselves NEVER changed, all parts are exactly the same. I've talked with a guy at GM and comfirmed the torque spec is and always will be 118 ft lbs.
 
Fivefingerdeathpunch said:
All data says 118 ft lbs, as does the GM Dealership website we use at work, any other number is wrong.

In the year 2001, for whatever reason the number does say 151 or 159, yet the wheel bearing and axle nut aswell as the axles themselves NEVER changed, all parts are exactly the same. I've talked with a guy at GM and comfirmed the torque spec is and always will be 118 ft lbs.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think 151 is way to high anyways.
 


I have a 2001 Pontiac service manual set. In volume 1, there are 2 different torque #s. On page 3-28, 3-37 of the Front suspension section, the torque spec is 96 ft lbs. On page 4-3 of the Wheel drive shafts section, the spec is 159 ft lbs. I recently replaced my front wheel hub assemblies. Before I did that, I had the transmission rebuilt for slipping. I don't know what they tightened the front axle nut to, but I could not break the nut free with my torque wrench at 160 ft lbs. The wrench clicked and I pulled quite a bit harder. So, I am kind of thinking they had it around 160 ft lbs. I do have a GTP. I don't know if they tighten the nut more so because of the extra power. Whatever the case, 118 may be a good amount of torque as some suggest.
 
Revive a 3 year old thread. Check.
Stupidly use torque wrench to break bolt free. Check, check.
Don't realize that different bearings require different torque. Check, check, check.
 
FWIW I replaced my front wheel bearing assemblies on my 01 GP at 80,000 miles when one went bad. On front wheel drive cars it is critical not to buy cheap assemblies since they inevitably will fail prematurely. I used Timken bearing assemblies at the time of replacement and they are still going strong today over 100,000 miles later. I torqued the nuts to 160 ftlbs (159 or 151 ftlbs is the standard amount listed from most sources as well as my Haynes Manual). I think that 118 is way to low. Just as a reference, I just did the front bearing assemblies on my Chrysler 300 (used SKF bearing assemblies) and torqued the axle nuts to 184 ftlbs as specified from on line sources as well the 300 Haynes manual.
 


Alldata and the Gm Ac delco website that I've used while worknig in a shop still say 118 ft lbs.

People can argue it untill they are blue in the face, it's still 118ft lbs. 2001 models got a 159 ft lb rating on alldata but was straight back to 118 the next year.

Just note that that bearing assembly is for more than just a grand prix. Many other cars ran that same hub, the reason for the different numbers is for the cv axles they run. Most bearings are sealed units, they might not require a torque rating to preload them.
 
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a friend of mine ran his gmc 4x4 truck with no front axle in place, dont ya know that hub exploded on him and the whole wheel came off......... no nut and they come a part.

id have to think that tq rating is tested over and over during r and d. to much is bad, to little is bad. aka sweet spot.
 
I guess it more depends on the bearings themselves, what type and if they need a specific rating to create a preload. Pressed in units and ones on like a ford/chevy 2wd front ends with package bearings are all different in ways they require loading.

True the axle can be there to keep the hub from making them com apart.

I looked up the SKF website too and they have a rating from 118-160ft lbs.

http://www.skf.com/binary/79-66360/457377.pdf
 
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