Difficulties installing & torquing rear drum - Help!

[Capt Kirk]

Maybe I'm missing something in this thread? Why not clean the threads really well, lubricate and run the appropriate die down the threads slowly, back and forth, until it
threads freely by hand. Get the correct axle nut and washer and tighten to the specified torque? If it holds, it holds...if it doesn't the it's axle time. The drum appears to have survived a violent history...the axle may have been a recipient of some of that violence as well. You know...how you use to screw the nut on to protect the threads and beat the shaft with a BFH. Am I missing something?

[34fordy]

I have a set of Little Giant dies which are adjustable--I would back the dies off considerably and thread the assembly onto the axle--Then I would tighten the dies to the axle and clean the threads from inside outward--Possibly in 2 or 3 steps--This way the threads would be true--Then use a nut that you know is good--If you can not get to torque spec without failure it would be time for axle replacement I believe--Don

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by Capt Kirk

Maybe I'm missing something in this thread? Why not clean the threads really well, lubricate and run the appropriate die down the threads slowly, back and forth, until it
threads freely by hand. Get the correct axle nut and washer and tighten to the specified torque? If it holds, it holds...if it doesn't the it's axle time. The drum appears to have survived a violent history...the axle may have been a recipient of some of that violence as well. You know...how you use to screw the nut on to protect the threads and beat the shaft with a BFH. Am I missing something?

Good question. The reason you don't want to run a cutting die on it is because it has already been cut once, and to cut it again would remove material that should rightfully be straightened out, not cut out. I'd rather ruin a couple of new nuts straightening out the axle threads than to recut those threads. A previous post advised to split a new nut, assemble on the axle, clamp it tight, and run it back off. this is good, and there is also a tool available to do the same thing.