TheSamba.com :: View topic - Can I re-use my 2wd front bearing nut

Mon Apr 28, 2025 8:38 pm

Last summer I repacked my bearings, and was going to check all wheels for play, and apparently need to retighten the main drive nut.

It has already been peened one time, zero miles.

Could/Should I reuse it?

Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:24 pm

Yes, can be re-used but find a new spot for the new “peen”.

Or, invest in and start re-using these re-reusable nuts:

https://t3technique.com/products/front-wheel-beari...&_ss=r

8)

- Dave

Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:28 pm

It is not recommended to reuse the stock nuts. Just get these Mercedes Wheel Hub Nuts. P/N: 1163340372 https://a.co/d/3sJwWav

Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:45 pm

It’s been a while but IIRC, there are two opposite sides of the spindle clearanced for peening the nut. If you peened on top first time, peen from the bottom into fresh metal. On an un-rotated bearing I wouldn’t give it a second thought.

The T3 nuts are bombproof though, and you’ll never need to buy another.

…plus, Chris is a great guy! 8)

- Dave

Tue Apr 29, 2025 5:38 am

Just as a reference on what they look like installed.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 5:51 am

Despite being a one use only nut I have reused the stock nut for many years and many removal cycles. As long as you can peen it so it will not rotate you should be fine. YMMV.

That being said, the locking nut from T3 or other sources is the bees knees.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:11 am

Thanks for the suggestions!

When I repacked my front bearings with fresh Redline CV2, I put on new Busdepot axle nuts and peened with a round tip steel punch.

They are 0 mile, so Id like to save them if possible. Being its not a torque to yield.. I'm good with hearing I can re-peen.

The peen wont even be in the same place, as tightening the nut will shift the clocking of the nut on the axle either way. Will clean it up, re-peen.

I did see those Nifty T3 Benzo versions, very nice.

It has been on jacks for nearly 3 yrs... I am down to putting the dash cowl back on..

Cant drive it with slack in that bearing.. I really miss applications with PRESSED in bearings.. C clips to hold them in place.. like the rears.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 10:20 am

re-peening is fine, especially if you are close to a first drive!! but those nuts suck compared to the Mercedes nuts and once you have them, you'll never want to see another peenable nut. they are SO nice to set, check, drive, test wheel bearings.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 2:56 pm

Everytime I was at a u pull parts, I would grab the Mercedes threaded ones. Most the time, they don't even charge for it. So if your in a hurry and don't want to wait and order one, that's what I would do.

Tue Apr 29, 2025 2:59 pm

I’ve repeened BMW nuts in the same place with impeenity.

Put a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly inspection regimen in if you like

Tue Apr 29, 2025 7:31 pm

If able, you can swap the left and right and the odds of the past smoosh being in the same place are the same as Roulette.

BK

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:24 pm

So...the front axles have standard inner and outer roller bearings?...small one on the outside and large one on the inside?...like every other ACVW?

And...you are not applying torque to these nuts at all. You are turning them until you et pre-load to the two roller bearings and then peening into a groove...right?

That is a "no-load" nut. You could reuse it 100 times and never have it fail as long as you can still peen it into the groove to some extent.

I think the thread size is 18mm x 1.0? Use one from a bay window bus or from many of the Porsche 911.
Just used the notched and machined plate/washer that the bus or 911 uses.

I think there is a thread here on this.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=513408&highlight=spindle+thread+pitch++size

Ray

Tue Apr 29, 2025 9:07 pm

raygreenwood wrote: So...the front axles have standard inner and outer roller bearings?...small one on the outside and large one on the inside?...like every other ACVW?

And...you are not applying torque to these nuts at all. You are turning them until you et pre-load to the two roller bearings and then peening into a groove...right?

That is a "no-load" nut. You could reuse it 100 times and never have it fail as long as you can still peen it into the groove to some extent.

I think the thread size is 18mm x 1.0? Use one from a bay window bus or from many of the Porsche 911.
Just used the notched and machined plate/washer that the bus or 911 uses.

I think there is a thread here on this.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=513408&highlight=spindle+thread+pitch++size

Ray

Correct, it is a "no real load" nut, unlike the rear bearing. The way I was taught, was get it snug then spin the wheel while over tightening it, then backing off, do that a few times to land the bearings home and then just snug it again. the proper adjustment is when you can move the keyed washer behind it with a flat tipped screwdriver with "some" resistance. Never hurts to check for play after a test drive in case the seats weren't fully seated.

BK

Wed Apr 30, 2025 3:26 am

You can even do the math to see how overengineered they are.

With ca. 10 rollers taking the mass, and 1000 pounds on each corner, it’s 100 pounds on a hardened steel roller living in good grease. Its very happy .

Wed Apr 30, 2025 5:47 am

1988M5 wrote:
Correct, it is a "no real load" nut, unlike the rear bearing. The way I was taught, was get it snug then spin the wheel while over tightening it, then backing off, do that a few times to land the bearings home and then just snug it again. the proper adjustment is when you can move the keyed washer behind it with a flat tipped screwdriver with "some" resistance. Never hurts to check for play after a test drive in case the seats weren't fully seated.

BK

I added the bold to your quote.

That part is very important. It ensures that the 'snug' is correct. Many folks over 'snug' them and run them too tight which does not make for a long lasting bearing. YMMV.

Fri May 02, 2025 10:55 am

Thanks guys!

I'm glad to see these developments on this thread.

Yes, the front hubs are 0 mile after re-greasing... the bearings and the axle/big brake setup have maybe 3K on them.

I pulled them as I wanted to clean behind the remachined "old Vanagon disc" was used for the Big brake kit base.

To set the waaaay back clock.. they were machined by Smallcar (Mao) right before they moved to Fife.

Evidently I need to buy those updated nuts... I like not having to peen.

But, today I own this part and am of the mind yea.. it isnt a torque to yield, and the metal is in great condition. When I reuse a bolt like this I do assure there are no burrs, or visible cracks in the metal.

Being its Nice, 70+ today, I'm going to do this, and then, the van becomes fully drivable.

omg.. did I reallllllly say that...

I'm needing to fast track the VDO cockpit guages, but the dash work is done.. for now.. Im dreaming of the Smallcar heater core update... dxing the vanagon core/hvac is high on my list for next projects.

Fri May 02, 2025 11:03 am

dubbified wrote: Im dreaming of the Smallcar heater core update... dxing the vanagon core/hvac is high on my list for next projects.

i'm very curious what they are using for a heater core! the OE Vanagon one is very large and has a high fin density for lots of BTU extraction.

Thu May 08, 2025 10:36 pm

DanHoug wrote: dubbified wrote: Im dreaming of the Smallcar heater core update... dxing the vanagon core/hvac is high on my list for next projects.

i'm very curious what they are using for a heater core! the OE Vanagon one is very large and has a high fin density for lots of BTU extraction.

They are using a VintageAir as I can see.. They do have a vintage air catalog, its on there.. except smallcar does a kit for the vanagon, with some custom parts as I can see.. sure one can do the same thing.. but for a COTS, commercial off the shelf setup..... it depends on how you wish to spend your life.

I like what they did. If there were better options.. I'm lookin for them.

Did I say I hate the front bearing setup? I like the rear bearing setup being sealed.. its really hard to understand why an open grease bearing in the front, and a sealed in the rear.. vs sealed all the way around, they coulda avoided that entirely.

Fri May 09, 2025 3:00 pm

dubbified wrote: DanHoug wrote: dubbified wrote: Im dreaming of the Smallcar heater core update... dxing the vanagon core/hvac is high on my list for next projects.

i'm very curious what they are using for a heater core! the OE Vanagon one is very large and has a high fin density for lots of BTU extraction.

They are using a VintageAir as I can see.. They do have a vintage air catalog, its on there.. except smallcar does a kit for the vanagon, with some custom parts as I can see.. sure one can do the same thing.. but for a COTS, commercial off the shelf setup..... it depends on how you wish to spend your life.

I like what they did. If there were better options.. I'm lookin for them.

Did I say I hate the front bearing setup? I like the rear bearing setup being sealed.. its really hard to understand why an open grease bearing in the front, and a sealed in the rear.. vs sealed all the way around, they coulda avoided that entirely. You have to remember when this vehicle was designed and produced, that re-packable front wheel bearings were the NORM, not the exception for many car makers.
The general rule was that you were going to clean,inspect, repack, or replace, your front wheel bearings with doing a brake job or at set intervals.
Once ABS became the norm, engineers wanted a tighter clearance check on the front wheel bearings for Speed sensors, so that meant eliminating the chance that someone, Tech or owner, didn't set the running clearance correctly and screw up the tolerance level of the runout of the hub or ABS ring.
So, everyone went to hub bearings that were sealed and part of an assembly, Front Wheel Drive also pushed the adjustable, serviceable bearings aside as well since it was easier to have a sealed bearing for CV shafts being supported at the HUB.

Tue May 13, 2025 7:31 pm

jlrftype7 wrote: dubbified wrote: DanHoug wrote: dubbified wrote: Im dreaming of the Smallcar heater core update... dxing the vanagon core/hvac is high on my list for next projects.

i'm very curious what they are using for a heater core! the OE Vanagon one is very large and has a high fin density for lots of BTU extraction.

They are using a VintageAir as I can see.. They do have a vintage air catalog, its on there.. except smallcar does a kit for the vanagon, with some custom parts as I can see.. sure one can do the same thing.. but for a COTS, commercial off the shelf setup..... it depends on how you wish to spend your life.

I like what they did. If there were better options.. I'm lookin for them.

Did I say I hate the front bearing setup? I like the rear bearing setup being sealed.. its really hard to understand why an open grease bearing in the front, and a sealed in the rear.. vs sealed all the way around, they coulda avoided that entirely. You have to remember when this vehicle was designed and produced, that re-packable front wheel bearings were the NORM, not the exception for many car makers.
The general rule was that you were going to clean,inspect, repack, or replace, your front wheel bearings with doing a brake job or at set intervals.
Once ABS became the norm, engineers wanted a tighter clearance check on the front wheel bearings for Speed sensors, so that meant eliminating the chance that someone, Tech or owner, didn't set the running clearance correctly and screw up the tolerance level of the runout of the hub or ABS ring.
So, everyone went to hub bearings that were sealed and part of an assembly, Front Wheel Drive also pushed the adjustable, serviceable bearings aside as well since it was easier to have a sealed bearing for CV shafts being supported at the HUB.

I've had 10+ MK1 Rabbit body hardtop, GTI, and Cabriolets.. 2 MK2s.. and done so many taildragger bearings.. ugggh.

Yep. Looking at my Audi, very similar front end/front wheel drive.. it has a hub, and a sealed bearing. I love my Audi.

Changing the bearings, easy.

Just the same, I am going to buy the mercedes adjustable nut.. that's gold.

:)

Thanks everyone. Today, the issue is solved, glad to get this fixed before spring launch.