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Pooh..... ....ain't 'nuttin' sacred about 450ft/bs torque on the 8N's rear axlenut. 400 or 500ft/lbs still in the ballpark. While most people can lift 100-150lbs, most peoples arm muscles kinda poop-out at 100lbs. You doubt? Try holding just 50lbs straight out from yer shoulder. This is why you need at least a 4ft cheater bar to tighten yer rear axlenut. Howsomevers; I'd remove the nut for a visual inspection of the threads, (both axleshaft and axlenut) Tire ain't gonnna fall off, you done proved it stays on with loose nut. The 1.25-18 thread rearaxle is very hard thread, and difficult to strip ...but... can be worn by loose nut. Yer 1-7/8" hex rearnut threads are softer than the rearaxle and can be stripped. Check closely. It should have a snap-ring innna groove to keep it locked inplace once tightened to about 450ft/lbs. Piece of bailin' wire will work. Now heres the deal, yer rearaxle has a "tapered spline" that yer rear hub is tighened against. The rearaxle has shoulder that prevents you from completely snugging the taper together as tight as it should be. So what you really need to do besides tightening yer rear axlenut to 450ft/lbs is to check for rearhub spline wear by grabbing the top of yer reartire and trying to "rock-itt". Iff'n it "clunks" your rearaxle hub is worn. You can also see yer axle washer move against the axlenut as it clunks. This is a common wear item and many 8N's are driven daily with loose hubs. (no matter how tight you tighten the axlenut). The 2-part tapered jamb clamp-nut is far superior to the OEM 1-part axlenut with locking snapring. It locks tighter on worn axleshaft threads. It is NOT a Ford part ($25, cheap)..... ..Dell
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