axle lock nut

[siggy konowaluk]

I was readin that the stock lock nuts on the 400ex are terrible and that if there loose at all it will make your whole back end loose. so I looked at mine and it was a little loose and that could be why I have a little play in the back end? but I tried tightening it but it's hard to move. what can I use to make it easier to loosen?

[slightlybent47]

a pipe wrench will work, I use a giant pair of channel locks.
And yes it will make it wobble around a bit.

[siggy konowaluk]

ok I was inbetween those two. just wasn't sure. thanks for the help

[quadmanw]

and if you can get the leverage with the pipewrench put a long pipe over the wrench.

[clemsonteg]

would the nut being loose cause the brake rotor to have a little play in it?

[slightlybent47]

No I don’t think so. The caliper is on a plate on the side of the swing arm and there is a little nipple that sticks out of the swing arm and it will have a little play in it. Mine did that from day one, you can kinda wiggle it but it’s still solidly mounted. Normal!!

Oh wait you said break disk, yeah it might make the disk a little lose.

[racer 557]

check the sirclip i believe is what its called its located between swingarm and rotor mine broke off the carrier and had same problem they said what caused it was the bearings were bad (both sides) just my 2 cents tho correct me if im wrong though

[bigbad400]

cant go wrong with the modquad locking axle nut. i havent had mine come loose yet. they have setscrews to lock them in place.

[jdog75]

the best way to get it off is to cut it off and buy an aftermarket one. Mine came loose while i was riding right after i tightened it ten minutes before and i didnt have a tool to tighten it, ten minutes later i didnt have a left carrier bearing. And yes having a loose locknut will make your rotor have play. Mine did and when i tightened it it was tight also. I would recommend the durablue locknut its around $70 $75 on motosport, its billet and has a bolt to lock it in place. jmo

[slightlybent47]

I have a lone star lock nut on mine and it comes loose every time I ride it.
I did drill some set screw holes in it and taped it out and put some screws in it and that helped keep it tight.
The stock lock nut won’t fit the Durable axel I have. It won’t push the axel tight.
I never had a stock nut come lose on me, if you use the lock nut it should stay tight.

[siggy konowaluk]

Originally posted by slightlybent47
No I don’t think so. The caliper is on a plate on the side of the swing arm and there is a little nipple that sticks out of the swing arm and it will have a little play in it. Mine did that from day one, you can kinda wiggle it but it’s still solidly mounted. Normal!!

Oh wait you said break disk, yeah it might make the disk a little lose.


yeah it wiggles a little so i thought it was loose. ill probobly look into getting a new lock nut whenever i get the money. thanks for all the help guys!

[MtnEX]

Which way do you turn what?

I was going to check and see if mine would tighten more....

[fishnfergie]

You need to turn the slim nut down first, which will loosen it just a little. Then to tighten the axle you need to turn the wide nut up which will then tighten the axle. Once that is done you need to tighten the locknut back up really tight so it will not come loose again. Like Really tight...

It may be hard to get the lock nut loose in the first place, use a really big pipe wrench. And it helps to Have some one hold the brake through out this whole process...

[honda400ex2003]

g force sells the right set of wrenches for the axle nut for like 19 dollars or something if you plan to mess with it a bunch. they are worth it just to have around for that price. they have a notch for a 1/2 in and 3/8 inch made into it to use whatever you have. you can then use a breaker bar and torque wrench to make sure it is properly tightened down. i think tightening mine too tight is what made it fail in the first place. my threads got stripped on the ends causing it to get loose once it would get tight. i torqued it down to the proper specs when i did my last bearing change with a new axle nut assembly that was a stock setup, added some red loctite and have not had a problem since with mine. steve

[slightlybent47]

Yeah the pipe wrench can gouge up the nut pretty good if it’s real tight. And it wont look as good. Mine looks like it went through a meat grinder.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by fishnfergie
You need to turn the slim nut down first, which will loosen it just a little. Then to tighten the axle you need to turn the wide nut up which will then tighten the axle. Once that is done you need to tighten the locknut back up really tight so it will not come loose again. Like Really tight...

It may be hard to get the lock nut loose in the first place, use a really big pipe wrench. And it helps to Have some one hold the brake through out this whole process...

Thanks... I really appreciate that.

I'll give it a turn when I get my shop finished up.

[clemsonteg]

I went out and wiggled mind and saw that the threaded sleeve is actually wiggling some so I am guessing that my locknut is loose. Hopefully I will get some time over the holiday to mess with it. Does the threaded sleeve slide onto splines or what? I was trying to figure out what would hold it in place other than the pressure between the rotor and the large lock nut

[slightlybent47]

Here is a link to a thread that shows you how to do the rear axel.


400ex axle locknut removal -> http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=313721


Bearing Carrier Removale->http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=359350

If it’s more then a few years old it’s time to re pack the bearings. Or if you ride in a lot of mud it needs to be done every year.

[atv fan 28]

i know this sounds stupid but i read if you wrap your axle lock nut with black tape it will help it from loosening up! when i got my 250R it was done this way and i wondered what was up with it! after some research i found alot of people do this.

[clemsonteg]

Originally posted by slightlybent47
Here is a link to a thread that shows you how to do the rear axel.


400ex axle locknut removal -> http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=313721


Bearing Carrier Removale->http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=359350

If it’s more then a few years old it’s time to re pack the bearings. Or if you ride in a lot of mud it needs to be done every year.

Thanks for posting. It says to turn the nut counter clockwise, but from which side are you standing/facing in order to determine counterclockwise?

[F-16Guy]

The sleeve that the nut rides on has left hand threads. The nut tightens the whole assembly by moving out against the circlip. When looking down at the top of the nut, you would turn it clockwise to tighten just like a regular nut, but the nut will move out against the circlip instead of in toward the bearing carrier.

The stock nut assembly can be reused if you clean it and the threaded sleeve very well with a wire brush and some solvent (carb cleaner, MEK, etc.). When you re-assemble, use medium or red Loc-Tite liberally on the nut and sleeve and tighten the nut as tight as you can get it. The key to Loc-Tite on the axle nut is getting the threads clean and getting all of the old thread locking compound off before reassembly. You also need to let it cure for a day or two before you ride it again. There is a lot of torque exerted on the axle, and if the Loc-Tite isn't completely cured, the nut could work loose. I have several years on my stock lock nut installed on my G-Force axle and it's still tight.