Topic: Rear axle nut torque - '40 Ford pass car

mgarrett	-- 04-19-2011 @ 7:50 AM
	Anybody know the correct torque for the rear axle nuts on a '40 Ford pass. car? Can't seem to find it in any of my manuals. Thanks, MG
37don	-- 04-19-2011 @ 8:21 AM
	If you lap the drums to the axle they will set to final torque on the 1st or 2nd try and will not change. I torque to around 200ftlbs and drive without cotter pins for a few days and then re-torque. Do this until the torque dosen't change and then torque to 220 to 250ftlbs stopping when the cotter pin hole lines up. you can continue to 270ftlbs if necessary but I don't like to. I believe this is what Henry recomended. Good luck and let us know how it went. Regards,Don
mgarrett	-- 04-19-2011 @ 9:01 AM
	Thanks for the info. I've heard horror stories of axles breaking and keys/keyways being torn out due to incorrect torque settings, so I know how critical it is to have them tight.
MG	-- 04-19-2011 @ 9:32 AM
	37don, I've never been able to find any Ford documentation as to the correct torque spec and procedure for the rear axel nuts. Can you post the publicaton for this?
supereal	-- 04-19-2011 @ 9:33 AM
	In over sixty years, I've never twisted off the end of an axle. We use a "breaker bar" with a pipe extension on the handle, and cinch up the nuts as tight as possible. The "secret" to getting the hubs firmly on the tapers is to have both the axle end and the inside of the hub very clean, and not to put any lube on either. A good solvent is a spray can of carb cleaner. Be sure the hub fits the taper with no play. There are conical shims available if you detect any.
Kens 36	-- 04-19-2011 @ 11:34 AM
	MG, In the September/October V-8 Times, pages 44-50, then Associate Editor Rusty Davis (currently Chairman of the Judging Standards Committee) published an article about the evolution from 1946 – 1947 models. The article included a number of Ford service letters and “mailgrams” gleaned from the Ford Archives. A mailgram dated 10-20-47 detailed the procedure for assembling the hub and drum to the axle shaft. It specified use of a 24 inch handle and a torque of 300-350 foot-pounds. Service Letter A-25 dated 11-6-47 corrected the torque setting, stating: “…tighten nut 356074-S to 200-220 foot pounds; then continue to the next castellation providing final resultant torque does not exceed 275 foot pounds.” Ken This message was edited by Kens 36 on 4-19-11 @ 11:35 AM
MG	-- 04-19-2011 @ 12:24 PM
	Ken, Good info. I would like to think these specs/porcedures apply to my '30's vintage Fords. But I'm still curious as to why the lack of 1930's documentation about this for 1930's V8 cars. Maybe for this spec the V8's were treated just as were the Model T's and A's. Does anyone out there have Ford documentation on the rear axel nut torque spec for T's & A's? Could you post it?
Stroker	-- 04-19-2011 @ 3:31 PM
	37 Don: I agree with you regarding lapping-in the axle/hub fit-up, but I sure wouldn't recommend driving around with the cotter pins out for a few days. I had to replace all the front-end sheetmetal both water pumps, front axle and the frame on my 38 after experimenting with that concept. That was 55 years ago, and I can still feel the pain.
supereal	-- 04-19-2011 @ 3:46 PM
	This might not comfort the purists, but when I was a Ford mechanic, we never saw a torque wrench. The instructors that came by for factory meetings challenged us to tighten fasteners such as spark plugs and head nuts. For the latter, we used long extensions with tee handles. I suspect this was due to Henry's disdain for what he considered "bunkum". The engineers of the day must have been pulling out their hair! We turned put a lot of successful jobs in spite of the absence of the finer techniques.
37don	-- 04-20-2011 @ 5:54 AM
	Hi Stroker, I sure agree with you about not having a pin in the front wheels but the rears will not come that loose in a few miles if torqued to over 200lbs.Front wheels are loose when properly set and will surely move without a pin in place. Regards, Don
JM	-- 04-20-2011 @ 8:01 AM
	I found the same basic spec that Ken mentioned in his post on the Ford Flathead '32-'53 Techno Site. Lot's of other good info can also be found there: http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/flathead.htm The 'V8 Times', Sept/Oct 98 Issue, pages 46 and 48, quotes several Ford Service Letters and later corrections. The final direction on tightening axle nuts reads: "tighten nut 356074-S to 200 to 220 foot pounds; then continue tightening to the next castellation providing final resultant torque does not exceed 275 foot pounds." JM This message was edited by JM on 4-20-11 @ 8:04 AM
ford38v8	-- 04-20-2011 @ 8:12 AM
	Don, you may well be a gambler, but I fail to see the point in gambling on something in which you have no chance for profitable gain. What's the Point? Alan
TomO	-- 04-20-2011 @ 8:44 AM
	I agree with Supereal that torque wrenches were not in the average mechanic's tool box until after the flathead era, and the ones that were around only went to 150 ft lbs and to get an accurate reading of 250 ft.lbs, the wrench would have to have a scale of 300 to 600 ft lbs. Tom
mgarrett	-- 04-20-2011 @ 9:09 AM
	Thanks to everyone for all the helpful information. It occured to me after pondering this discussion that it would be a fitting addition to our website to post an index of basic mechanical information like this for a quick reference. It would take a fair amount of work to get it all gathered and posted, but it would be a tremendous asset to all us V-8ers. From what I can tell, the information is out there, just not collected in one place. What better place to have it than right here?
TomO	-- 04-22-2011 @ 8:14 AM
	Here is a web site with a lot of the information of the type you are looking for. Most of it is accurate, but there are some errors. http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_home.htm Tom

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