30 year old botas are in my future. I have a customer that has a fleet of'em I hauled this one in for a front axle seal/bearing job. While here the rear axle seals and PTO seal like to drip on my nice clean floor. Its time to potty train it again.
Sometime back you referenced this site I saved it just incase I needed to ask a question. I have an observation on another issue. I have done 6 are so front bearing/seal jobs I always take the complete steering knuckles off and do a full clean/seal, and all bearings if needed. You know from my pass I don't leave noting unturned.
This is my first final drive gig. The nut that retains the axle from what I have see on the net folks find it lose when they put it back together they install it lose like they found it. They reuse use the old nut. Its a $75.00 nut I tried as best I could to salvage the old nut, Bota did not have to completely thread the inside of the nut. When you try and tap the crimp up from its lock position you damage the threads inside the nut I did not like that so I used a dremel to cut the crimp section out. As carful as I was the nut came off hard, It did not do much damage to the axle threads. I called my local dealer and ordered two nuts. I asked how many nuts have they sold she tells me 2 and that was in 2022.
I am doing the other side I plan to cut the crip section out and not try and punch the crip section up/out. I know folks are not going to be happy I am buying new nuts but nuts are cheaper than a new axle. I will let Y'all know how the other side goes. The videos I have watched they use the old nut and install it back lose like they found it. I read it has a torque spec 181 lb ft, I wounder how it got lose to begin with.