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Thread: Rear Hub/Axle Collar nut failure on e36?!?!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    USA
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    My Cars
    1994 BMW 325i

    Rear Hub/Axle Collar nut failure on e36?!?!

    Calling on all e36/e46 teams for advice. We're ran at Lemons Barber Race this weekend - had a blast but had two identical failures, 1 that ended our Saturday run and 1 that ended Sunday.


    Both Left and Right wheels broke off. We believe hub failure but can't determine root cause necessarily because of the catastrophic failure and subsequent damage.


    Wondering if teams have experience hub failure or axle collar nut failure (we did visually inspect prior to race and the nuts on both sides were dimpled in. We had also installed the hubs as replacements, everything torqued correctly. Newest one was about 3 years old. Both have been through about 6-8 Lemons/Chump races. Never had failures like this before. Both lower control arms, trailing arms, half shafts had all been replaced so nothing "old and crusty" under there.


    Any ideas? Also open to suggestions on how to reinforce, strengthen, and any pre-race prep or checklist teams go through for their suspension as they prep their e36.


    Thanks!
    Tom Butler, Raleigh, NC
    B&W Racing, 1994 BMW 325i Cat in the Hat Theme

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    USA
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    3
    My Cars
    1994 BMW 325i
    I've cross-posted this in champcar - here are answers to the questions and recommendations that have come out in thread.


    Lug bolts are fine - they stayed intact on wheel as rotor fell apart.
    We're going to start a replacement of hubs after 5 races to be proactive.
    I like the idea of the paint stick across nut and dimple to see if it has moved or backed off.
    I can confirm we torqued to spec, 184ft lbs on both sides.hub_failure.jpg
    Axles seemed fine and were new-ish, 3-4 races. End of spines now slightly damaged due to hub failure.
    Good idea to check the three rear differential bushings hold the differential to the subframe. That might have caused some slop in the rear causing undue stress to the sides.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
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    hiss by my window
    Threads look buggered too.
    seems to me the nut backed off* or the threads were bad. You mentioned new(ish) axles and I see zero rust on the stub, aftermarket Chinesium perhaps?
    *Wheel rotation would support on one side but not both sides. My thoughts are bad axle/nut threads or improper tightening, not a bearing failure. I see no galling on any of the balls shown in the photo.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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