1949 Packard standard rear axle torque question

Hi everyone, I have a question on my 1949 Packard standar eight. The mechanic took the nut off of each side of the rear axle (the nut that holds the differential together) now that the nuts are off we don't know what amount of torque needs applied when putting them back on? Does anyone know this? Thank you for your time -Brandon

Hi Brandon

Can you be more specific about which nut you mean? Is it the nut at the end of each driveshaft, that holds the brake drum on? or is it the threaded cap that aligns and preloads the diff carrier bearings? (which is locked by the diff carrier bolts).

I should have the answer for you but need to know that I am not giving you the wrong info.

Adam..

Hi Adam, i believe what I'm looking for is the nut at the end of the driveshaft, but if you know the specified torque on both ( driveshaft nut and differ carrier) it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your quick reply- Brandon

Hi Adam, i believe what I'm looking for is the nut at the end of the driveshaft, but if you know the specified torque on both ( driveshaft nut and differ carrier) it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your quick reply- Brandon

Hi Brandon

I can look up the torque settings for you, but it will have to be tomorrow (UK time) as I am at work now for the rest of today.

In practice I never worry about the torque setting on the halfshaft nuts ( I think you call them axleshafts), I give them a good heave with a 24" bar, because you will have to adjust slightly to align the split pin hole, unless you are into grinding washers down to get alignment at the correct torque. Unless you have changed any components, it will likely go back where it came from.

Nevertheless, I will look up the settings and post tomorrow. (If I remember).

Adam..

If you're referring to the pinion nut, you don't tighten it to any specific torque; you tighten it until you begin to buckle the crush sleeve (using a new one each time) and attain a preload on the bearings of 25-30 inch-pounds to rotate the pinion. If you don't have a new crush sleeve the best one can do is to tighten the nut EXACTLY the same number of turns it took to remove it. Sounds like you need to read up on this, there's a good discussion in Motor's, as well as the Packard manuals.

Hi Brandon

I seem to have misplaced my workshop manual for the 48-50 cars for the moment. However, I did find advice on another site that the torque setting for the axle shaft nuts (the ones that hold the rear brake drums on) is 200-270 ft-lbs. That seems massively tight to me and my advice would still be to ensure that the taper is dry, but the thread is lubricated and tighten with a good heave on a 24" breaker bar, (probably about 150 ft-lbs). Then adjust to align the split pin hole.

Owen above has given you good advice about the pinion nut, which secures the pinion flange at the end of the propellor shaft.

As for diff carrier bolt torque settings, I don`t think you can be needing these, because you would have had to remove the entire diff unit from the axle to even expaose these.

I hope that this helps, please shout if you need clarification.

Adam..