Pic #1 - that's as far as I could get the nut off.
Pic #2 - where it went back to without the need to be threaded on.

 

Here is what the shaft looked like when I got the nut and hub off.

 

Was the nut not tightened all the way when you took the wheel off?

 

Yeah, that's galled beyond repair... looks like whoever installed the nut cross threaded it. Always important to hand tighten nuts most of the way before engaging impact gun... if it doesn't thread easily by hand, it's probably cross threaded.

 

Yep - it had definately been cross threaded, and most likely way over-torqued at some point. A grinding noise led me to replacing the hub on that side. Hub was actually solid and quiet. I will be keeping it as a backup.
I feel like going to the dealership service center that did my pre-buy inspection (and told me there was nothing wrong with it, and the front end noise was bad tires) and tossing that place into the street.


2 new axles ordered - will be putting those on next week. Anyone done this themselves? Doesnt look like it will be that bad...

 

I was thinking it looked like the nut didn't get dimpled or dimpled enough when put back on. Then it loosened, and banged the axel back and forth stripping the threads.

 

It was seated, but it had to have been crossthreaded when it was put on. I think the stake/dimple was doing the majority of the owrk keeping the nut in place.

 

I was dimpled - moreso than I expected. I had a heck of a time with a hammer and a diamond point chisel getting it opened back up to loosen it. It was just a bothced job all around. Thing is, the hub was in good shape - it was solid and quiet when turned.

 

The end of the axel also looks as though it's been peened with a hammer as someone has tried to knock it out of the hub without the proper LR tool or 3 leg puller. This has probably lead to the cross threading as the nut wouldn't start properly by hand, so they forced it after getting it to 'start'. Now you're dealing with the cockup and forking out for someone else's pig headedness.

Hope that's the end of the cockups you find on your motor.

 

x2 on that. Somebody that did that kind of work on the axle - who knows what else I will find down the road. Maybe I will get lucky and have a deer run out in front of me one of these mornings, and I can upgrade...!