Tightening Rear wheel axle nuts

[OrtisEvans]

I have a 1954 NAA. The rear axle nuts have loosened over the years despite the retainer clips. The manual says to torque them to 400 ft-pounds. I imagine that the correct way to do that is to buy a ~$400 torque wrench or take it to the shop. Is there an adequate alternative?

Unrelated to the axle question - I had an electrical problem last year. Even though I measured 6 volts at the coil with the points open, I was getting no spark. Also, the headlights didn't work. That gave me the clue I needed. Tracing back, i found that the ignition switch had high resistance. I bypassed it, and then the ignition and the headlights were fine. Yes, I eventually replaced the switch when I got tired of using a clip lead.

 

[BHD]

I have used a planetary torque mulplyer and my Harbor freight 300 foot pound 3/4" drive, but one should be able to take a 4 foot extension, and apply about 100 pounds on the end of it. to get close,

Basic Torque Formula
L (length) x F (force) = T (torque)

What is Torque?

 

[Soundguy]

exactly. a big pipe wrench and a big pipe are about as exact as you need for an old ford axle nut.

be warry though.. if it has ran loose a while, that hard splined axle probably has beat up and hogged out that soft cast hub a bit, and in turn, the play in the soft hub plus dirt has abraided the hard axle splines. As you know,, the hub meshes with the axle splines and pushes on as your tighten the nut. there comes a time when the nut shoulders on the axle and no longer pushes the hub on.. if it is still loose, hub usually, and sometimes axle, or both are worn.

a cheap fix is to cut some strips of metal from roofing steel or pallate strapping bands and shim the splines with a strip and then tighten down, reun, tighten more, rinse, repeat till it stops moving, then recheck every use. that usually buys you some time if the seals didn't hog out and the hub isn't into the brake mechanism.


PS, tot he OP, running the headlamps thru the ignition switch is a poor, poor choice.

source current for the lamps from the same place the ignition switch gets it's power, don't make the ignition switch, which is made to run 4a, also carry the headlamp load, which could be 3-4 times higher... poor idea.

 

[OrtisEvans]

Thanks -on the advice on the splines.
On the headlight circuit: I was wondering about that. It would be handy at times to have the lights on with the ignition off anyway