The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

So I have axle nuts for wheel pants, but with the 800s on her the wheel pants are are carefully boxed up and put away, but I would like to put some hub caps on her. I bought the economy ones from Aircraft Spruce and have sanded and polished them. I found the plain castle nuts, but is there a specific torque setting or range they should be tightened to? I would assume its a range with having to line up holes for the cotter pin?

Finger tight. If you make them too tight the wheel bearings will bind up, too loose and there will be play in the bearings. Turn them until you feel the wheel start to drag then loosen until the cotter pin holes align and the dragging goes away.

Thank you John. I figure even though shes a painted gal i can give her a couple pieces of jewlery, two mirror shined hubcaps and a spinner

You might have to bend the cotter pin sort of like a banana to get it through both holes, or you can use two shorter cotter pins?

Make sure you tighten them down far enough to ensure everything is seated properly and there is no side-to-side play, (grab the wheel at 3:00 and 9:00 and try to rock it,) then loosen just enough so they aren't binding up.