Yamaha drive axle nut

[Calebf]

I have had a 2016 Yamaha drive for a couple months. A month in I heard the tinny noise coming from driver side rear wheel. Read the forums on it and looked at the axle nut. It was completely loose. I tightened it up, by hand and backed off a little to get the cotter pin through. It did ok for a while then started with the noise again. I checked it and it wasn’t loose so I read some forums on it and set the torque wrench to a little over 70. If I have it that tight I can roll it back a foot and it sounds like an old door creaking, or grinding. I loosened it up and put it on hand tight and I get zero noise. I’m guessing it was on hand tight when I bought it, not hearing anything, then it hit loose and started making the noise. From what I read hand tight isn’t right for it. Any thoughts on what I should try or check on if it gets worse when it’s tightened?

[cgtech]

Never, ever back a nut back off to fit a cotter pin. And if any "buddy" told you that, ignore the rest of whatever else they say. The instructions are "torque to spec" then tighten further if needed to allow a split pin to be placed. Let's just start there first.

Would you ever take the advice of tighten a wheel lug nut, then "back it off"? I sure hope for your family, probably not.

Stuff like this is why the spec has a "range of acceptable values".

[Calebf]

Thanks, I understand that much now. Will take it off and check both sides. Front ones did not even have cotter pins in them.

[Calebf]

Could the hub be starting to strip. Not sure if the castle nut tightness could make a diff on the hub grinding. When it was tightened up and grinding really sounded like it came right from the wheel.

[cgtech]

Well, inspect the splines on the hub & axle shaft. If they're damaged, itll be evident.

[Calebf]

Took both sides off, the spline looks a little worn but both sides look about the same. Tightened everything up and still get occasional creaking noise now when I brake. Before it made the noise when I was coasting. Any way to check if brakes are going out?

[Calebf]

Read a little on transaxle oil. My cart is 2016 so I’m going to change it anyway. Any chance bad or low oil could cause the noise when braking?

[cgtech]

Check the "tube" between the hub & the bearing, if it can spin at all (even the slightest amount), there's still hub problems. After that, I might be thinking bearing. But, I hate to suggest that to anyone. Changing the bearing isnt "too hard", but disturbing the seal can make a new leak, and the seal is a "S*** ton" of a job for noobs. (A job that really sucks to "walk you through" via keyboard & typing). Not "super hard work & tools no one has", but a lot of labor & axle comes out to get split in half. (With one particular spot that can destroy a couple sockets getting it done)

[Calebf]

No, the tube would not move.

[Calebf]

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Here are pics, I didn’t have any ref to go off of.