Controlled position axle nut system and method to preload tapered roller bearings

A method of providing a preload compressive condition on an axle comprising the steps of:

• providing an axle having roller bearings mounted thereon, said axle having an end portion, said end portion having threads thereon of a predetermined pitch which include outboard thread faces and inboard thread faces;
• placing an inner member having threads thereon of a predetermined pitch on said end portion of said axle;
• establishing a compressive preload on said bearings by rotating said inner member against said bearings;
• placing an intermediate member on said end portion of said axle, said intermediate member being fixed against rotation with respect to the end portion of said axle;
• moving said intermediate member into engagement with said inner member;
• placing an outer member on the end portion;
• moving said outer member into engagement with said intermediate member, said outer member defining a spacing between said outer member and said bearings which is provided by said inner and intermediate members;
• retaining said inner member against retrograde axial movement while retaining the compressive preload condition on said bearings by rotating said inner member in an opposite direction to which said inner member was initially rotated with respect to the axle by engaging said inner member thread with said inboard thread faces of the axle threads so that said inner member becomes tightly immovable with respect to the intermediate and outer members while retaining the compressive preload condition on said bearings.

A method of providing a preload compressive condition on an axle comprising the steps of:

• providing an axle having inner and outer roller bearings mounted thereon, said axle having an end portion, said end portion having threads thereon of a predetermined pitch which includes outboard threads and inboard threads;
• placing inner means on the end portion of said axle, said inner means comprising a nut having threads thereon of a predetermined pitch and a member fixed against rotation relative to said end portion of said axle;
• establishing a compressive preload on said outer roller bearing by moving said inner means against said outer roller bearing to apply a predetermined amount of thrust force against said outer roller bearing, said nut being moved by rotating said nut in a first direction;
• placing a lock member on said end portion for securing said inner means on said axle by moving said lock member into an abutting position with said inner means without increasing the compressive preload on said outer roller bearings;
• and
• rotating said nut in a second direction opposite to said first direction with sufficient torque to cause a jammed condition of said nut within said assembly.