Re assembling front spindles ??

Mike I said that before looking at my spare spindle and hub in the garage, thats when I realized you guys can't bend the washer over far enough to even work to grab the inner nut.
The way you guys were doing it it simply doesn't do anything.

Then can't yourself lucky that it never came off, cause it surely could have.

 

Enough bickering, Mcruff's right!

 

The washer doesn't have any outer tabs because there's no way to predict where the flats of the outer nut will end up in relation to said tabs.

The washer should be round and large enough that you can bend it over onto any flat of the outer nut. Should be able to use a pair of channellock pliers, put the lower jaw against the bottom edge of the nut and the upper jaw on the washer, and just bend it over onto a flat of then nut, Then the outer nut can't move.

Regardless of how tight you get that nut, if you don't bend that washer over one flat of it, it can still back off. If it's real tight, sure it's not likely to back off, but the point is that it can.

 

I'm gonna keep the channellock pliers idea in mind for next time - but I really don't think they'll fit down in there.

I've always had trouble getting that darn washer to bend out over the outer nut. I have to confess that the last few times I haven't bothered trying - you know, after you've tried it ten times and haven't been able to get it you just quit trying.

After reading this discussion I'm going to try again. Thanks guys.

 

I almost hate to get involved in this...BUT I just put mine back together. 30 Seconds ago. Here is what I found. Channel locks would not have fit but I was able to bend the lock washer OUT quite easily with a tire iron. I'm going to have to take it apart soon as the bearings need to seat a little before I can get the snapring in. I'm not sure why you need that snap ring with my DualMatic locking hubs as everything is bolted into place. But I'm going to order new gaskets and snap rings and redo them.

 

So.......... without pics I assume that "out" = up against top nut ...........and "in" = down against bottom nut? Hope so, that's the way I've done it.

 

I don't understand the "up" and "down. Spindles are parallel to the ground not perpendicular. The nuts are "outside" and "inside"; so the lock washer that goes between the nuts bends "out" over the outside nut.

 

Or... "up" against it

 

OK, here's how anal I am....I made a little drawing, let's see if it works...

 

Yep

 

the proper way is to bend the lockwasher lip over the outer nut, period.
some folks do some pre-bending before installation
you can do it on the vehicle if your careful...and you can bust the wheel hub if you don't pry in a reinforced area of the hub...so be careful!
let the tip of your pry device just barely grab the washer to slightly bend the lip, then readjust for the final bend.