I I have 06 Arctic Cat 650. Front left wheel came off while driving. Cotter pin sheared off and castle nut spun off. Repaired , next trip out after 50 km same wheel came off. Anyone have any idea why
Castle nut is usually backed by a washer that is keyed to the stub axle either by a flat on the threaded part of the axle or by a groove or in rare examples by a splined shoulder.
These are merely precautions because a healthy bearing assembly should roll smoothly without any turning of the inner on the shaft and if this is so there is no or minimal turning force exerted on the washer, nut and cotter...
Assuming it is a typical hub with a pair of taper roller bearings, the most common reason why a turning force is exerted on the outer bearing inner race is over-tightening - there is a general and incorrect belief this type of bearing should be adjusted so there is no detectable free play.
Where the hub also carries a brake rotor, it will become warm or even hot in use and expand and that expansion will be at a greater rate than the axle and so will have the effect of tightening the bearing, often with the predictable result of bearing damage, the bearing turning on the shaft and perhaps even losing the nut, etc.
The correct method of adjustment is not to feel the free play by rocking the wheel - some of what is felt is the clearance between the bearing and shaft. The correct method is by measuring the hub end-float with a dial gauge, though tightening the nut finger tight and unscrewing it by one castellation before fitting the cotter serves most applications and is far less than that recommended by the bearing manufacturer. You will of course need a new washer.
After losing the wheel twice I would suspect both the bearings and the stub axle will have sustained some damage...
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