what size/pin Wheel Bearing Locknut Tool do i need for 2001 QX4

[cbcrippler]

is it a 2 pin?

[NISTECH]

We have a cheapo adjustable one at the shop. But several guys just use a punch and hammer to loosen and tighten it. It doesnt need to be super tight but tight enough to keep the wheel from rocking. When you get to tightening it after you pack it with grease. tighten it down and spin the rotor a few times to squeeze any air pockets out then loosen it and retighten it and spin it again. do this a couple times per side to help work out the air pockets then tightn it down enough to keep the wheel from rocking when finally tightened. the trickiest part is getting the little phillips screws in the retainer plate to line up with the holes in the nut. you will need to go slightly tighter or looser then what you think feels right to get them to align.

[cbcrippler]

thanks, good info. i'm sure i'll end up doing it that way.but i guess you could say i am curiously obsessed. where can i find this tool. who might make it. No auto parts stores can tell me which one i need for my vehicle, not even a couple infiniti service locations. I'm just curious, is it a particular size with a specific number of pins? I know I'll see what i'm dealing with this weekend, but just want to be prepared.

[NISTECH]

the tool we have is from Kent moore, the company that supplies nissan tools to us. It was just sent to us. I dont believe they offer it to the GP. Its just a bar with 2 adjustable pins bolted into it that slide in slots on the bar for universal use. The hub nut only has 2 holes in it.

[cbcrippler]

kool, i gotcha. I have only been finding 4 PIN tools available. If it fits, I guess I could grind 2 pins away...anyway that shouldn't be a problem, but I do have a bigger problem...I took a test run of this job to see what i was in for, and to make sure there were no surprises and there was one!!I got the wheel/tire off.I got the hub cap/dust cap off with a screw driver.I got the snap-ring off with a pair of snap-ring pliers.Then i loosened and removed the 6 - 13mm nuts on the part of the hub directly around the spindle, but inside of the lug nut screws.But with the nuts off I couldn't remove the plate to see the locknut washer and socket!! It was like stuck, is this normal? I don't think it has hever been removed, should I just keep prying and working it or what??!!

[NISTECH]

yeah its normal to have it get stuck on. try hitting it along its out side edge with a hammer as you rotate the rotor. just hit it where the plate meets the hub at an out ward angle till it works loose. I have a special bearing cap remover I got from snap-on to grab in the groove where the oring is and work it back and forth till it pops off. It is the oring inside that is holding it in place, much like the one that was holding the dust cap on.

Also when you go to remove the tiny phills screws holding the retainer plate on be 100% sure your phillps screw driver has a good bite in the slots of the screw. If it doesnt it is very easy to strip the head of that screw.

[cbcrippler]

thanks,I did start to work around it, and it was moving a little bit, but not much.I just figured I should stop and get a 2nd opinion before screwing something up. Also, 1 of those 6 nuts on the drive flange(if that's the correct term) (the part that's stuck) was stuck to the screw or thread, and it came out as 1 piece. I guess it's not a big deal, I'm still able to tighten it back up and use it as 1 piece.

[NISTECH]

yes that too is not all that uncommon just thread it back in like a bolt.

[cbcrippler]

yup, a little work got the flange off pretty easy. I got my first look at the locknot and it's washer, got the washer off with 2 paperclips. and I had a 4pin socket that i cut 2 pins off of, that I am going to try to use for the locknut. It's hard to understand something until i get to that step and actually do it or see it

the phill screws came off pretty easy...

[cbcrippler]

still haven't been able to get to this job yet. combination of being busy and bad weather. anyway, when i have the front wheels up off of the ground, and of course no parking brake applied or brake applied. How easy or hard should it be to spin the wheels? How much should they spin... AND is the locknut the only thing that determines this resistance? I was just thinking about knowing this before finally getting a chance to do this job. so when i'm done and get everything back together i know what's good.

[NISTECH]

the grease will provide a bit of drag but other wise it should spin pretty free.

[cbcrippler]

OK NISTECH. I finally had time, and got the job done. Everything feels good, there was no play in the rotors/wheels, but they rolled smooth. I repacked all bearings, after removing the old grease from Everything. Now, I am pretty paranoid and nervous about stuff, and I keep thinking about things that I have already done. Anyway, the only thing I am not sure if i did correctly was apply enough grease to the parts other than the bearings. The bearings were fully packed, but i lightly greased the spindle, and the area inside the hub(i guess this is the area between the races?) Basically, I greased everything that was greased before cleaning, but it wasn't excessive. The only part that i'm not sure if i put enough grease back into is that area inside the hub where there was a circular pocket. Now that I have it all done, I'm starting to think that i did not put as much new grease in that area as there was old grease. But i did definitely lightly grease it. Is this going to be ok? or not? am i explaining the part welll enough?thanks for you help as always!

[cbcrippler]

Also, forgot to mention that it was very difficult to pull off and put the rotor with hub back on to the spindle With everything removed first properly of course. Almost like the seal was getting hung up on something.