Taking apart hubs 87 K20?

[1fine409]

I've worked on several 4wd front axles like this before, but on these late model manual locking hubs, the 4-lug lock nuts behind the first gear pack should be insanely tight, correct? I believe I've heard problems about them actually backing off. I know these hubs have been redone before, just wonder if the previous guy didn't tighten the hell out of them. Couldn't get them broken loose with a 1/2'' ratchet. May try a long punch and hammer tonight. Just making sure I'm not missing anything here.

[LONGHAIR]

The punch and hammer thing just tears up the notches, which makes them harder to deal with when going back together. I would try a longer handled breaker bar first.

I have seen these in all different styles of screwed-up. Cross-threaded, banged-up threads from beating the spindle to remove it, lock pin crushed from being mis-aligned with the lockring, etc...

[Bigdav160]

From the GM service manual:

12. Install the disc and the outer wheel bearing cone to
the spindle. Torque the inner adjusting nut to 50 ft.
lbs. (while rotating hub) to seat the bearings using
Tool J-6893 and Adapter J-23446. Back off the inner
adjusting nut and retorque to 35 ft. lbs. while the
hub is being rotated.
14. Back off the inner adjusting nut again 1/4 turn maximum.
Assemble lockwasher by turning nut to nearest
hole in lockwasher. Install outer lock nut and torque
to 50 ft. lbs. (minimum).
NOTE: Hub assembly should have .001 to .010
inch end play.

That is not insanely tight. In fact it isn't tight at all!