How tight should the nut be on the trailer wheel bearings???I was always told to tighten it as tight as possible,then back off till the cotter key hole lines up for the castle nut.....Just put new bearings,cups and seals in,and want to see if the way I'm doing it is correct...
Thanks
Steve

Everybody seems to have thier own way of doing things. I was taught from automotive school as follows;
After packing bearing, tighten very snug while spining wheel and back off 1 point of the 6 point nut. Never had a problem and did them on tractor trailers all the way to boat trailers.

That's how I did mine yesterday evening.

It's a feel thing, I do mine kinda the way everybody else said but you want to tow it around and warm them up after you do it, then jack it up and make sure you don't have any play in them. With a bearing it not better to tight then loose, it has to be right. Really as loose as the can be without play.

Steve, that's pretty much how Crazyhorse and I did mine back in March. New races, bearings, seals---It needed it! Kinda how "Lapse of Reason" has described. How'd yours look when you got it all apart? How many miles on the bearings did you have on them? Gettin' ready for the big pull for the northern run eh?

Steve,
You're half right! Tighten the bearing nut fairly tight and spin the wheel. This will allow the bearing to seat. Back the nut off til loose, and re-tighten snug only (a little more than finger tight) Tighten to next slot/hole line up. this keeps a slight pressure on the bearing to keep the rollers flat on the race surface. Hope you have bearing buddies installed - they're a bearings best friend!
Frank

Remember Its not how many miles are them. Its how many times have they been under water. Always a good idea to remove the bearing buddy and check for water.