hubs keep coming loose!

[81 clark racing]

both my rear wheel hubs on my 03 400ex keep coming loose. i have torqued the hub nut and replaced the cottorpin many times. anybody no how to solve this? i have stock rear hubs and axel

[powderider87]

huh, thats strange... do you ride real hard? the only thing that i could think of is thread locker...

[400exrider707]

Did you apply grease to the splines like you are supposed to? Also put the pin in the hole that is really tight, not the easy one that it slips right in.;)


Although some on here have used thread locker, it is not supposed to be used. Plus the hubs generally loosen up even though the nut remains tight.

[REDRIDDER]

i would like to know why everyone thinks putting grease on your hub splines will tighten your hubs, can someone elaborate tell me how grease will tighten a hub i don't see the logic behind this its only grease, what will grease keep my keep lug nuts tight too,im not saying its not true i personally don't see how grease will tighten your hubs cause its not like it hardens up and takes up slack it will always remain a lubricant .please some one tell me the answer I'm sure theirs others out their that are thinking the same thing grease will tighten a hub?

[QuadJunkies]

Its probbably time to replace the hubs then if you keep tighting them and they wont stay tight. I had to do that on mine last year .

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by REDRIDDER
i would like to know why everyone thinks putting grease on your hub splines will tighten your hubs, can someone elaborate tell me how grease will tighten a hub i don't see the logic behind this its only grease, what will grease keep my keep lug nuts tight too,im not saying its not true i personally don't see how grease will tighten your hubs cause its not like it hardens up and takes up slack it will always remain a lubricant .please some one tell me the answer I'm sure theirs others out their that are thinking the same thing grease will tighten a hub?

Its not to keep them tight, its preventative maintenance to keep them from wearing out and loosening up all the time like yours are now doing. It is right in the manual to keep them greased.

[KB Motorsports]

if you get some tape and wrap it around the axle splines; then push the hub on the axle it should stay tight for a while and that could save you some time before you need to new hubs....
the tape trick is something i learned in the past with my 400ex.. those hubs wouldn't stay tight...

[REDRIDDER]

400exrider707 I'm saying every time someone says my hubs are lose someones response is to put grease on.I remember that's what Colby at c&d said to someone when they kept saying their hubs were coming lose also said to use alot of grease to make sure it would stay on when you slide the hub back on,so if your hubs are lose you tighten them they don't stay buy new ones but usually everyone's first response is put grease on them you know what im saying 400exrider707 i know that you do that as a maitenence thing but it just tired of hearing oh just put grease on them like it will cure the looseness problem that's what i was trying to say i guess in my first post,400exrider707 their not my hubs their 81 Clark racings.

[svahle]

I believe the point with greasing the splines is to lubricate the two surfaces (hubs and splines). The lubricant reduces the friction and thereby reduces the amount of wear between the hubs and the splines. I believe that many hubs become loose initially not from the hub nut loosening, but because of the wear between the hub and the axle splines. Once this wear occurs, the hub becomes loose, and finally the hub nut becomes loose. So, the grease helps prevent wear between the axle splines and the hubs which in turn helps prevent the hub and hub nut from becoming loose.

The problem with recommending grease for a loose hub is that the damage may already be done. While it may slow the wear between the hub and the axle splines, enough wear may have already occurred such that the hub and hub nut will never stay tight. Hopefully when this occurs most of the wear is too the hub and not the axle. If this is the case, new hubs may fix the problem. If the wear is to the axle, a new hub won't fix the problem.

Just my thoughts.

[smr]

Remove the hubs completely and clean all grease. Apply loc-tite to the splines (not the threads and nut) and install hubs. Let set for 24 hours.

I do this to all my quads and I have been racing cross country for many years. I have had the hub nut come off and the loc-tite still hold the hub on.

The only down side, when you remove the hubs you will need a heat source.

[JOEX]

I had the problem of a hub coming loose and after tightening it a few times to the proper torque (101 ft lbs) I read the manual and it said grease should be applied to the splines. Once I did that they didn't come loose again.:)

What I thought the reason for the grease was (my theory anyway) was to fill the gaps between the hub and axle since I doubt there's a zero clearance spec in there. So the grease acts kinda like hydraulics, you can't compress a liquid. But if the splines get worn greasing and torqueing become less effective.

[81 clark racing]

ya i have put grease and then torqued them a few times now. stay niice and tight for 4 or 5 rides then becomes loose again. how do i tell if my axel is worn out or the hub? also if i have to get new hubs what the best kind to get?