Rear Axle retaining pin

[reisertracing]

I have a problem on my rear axel/nut, when tightened to 120# torque the hole for the safety/retaining pin is mostly covered by the nut. I need a plan or fix to be able to access the hole.
In the Paddock I have heard:
1. drill a new hole further out.
2. grind the nut down to make hole accessable
3. don't need safety pin, wheels torqued correctly won't usually come off and even with a safety pin the wheel is gonna come off if it loosens it will break the pin.(SCCA requires it)
4. Quit being a wimp , drive the damn thing!
5. torque to 140#, axel can take it and 120# is not enough.
6. Enlarge the hole already there , more laterally.
I trust you guys and will follow your recommendations. Is there a way to lengthen the axel without removing it? The front has adjustments.
If I drill new hole, lube the drill bit and what drill bits work?

BTW, thanks in advance,
You guys are a great help and I appreciate the wealth of information this forum presents.
Johhny

[R. Pare]

I'm assuming from what you've posted that you are talking about the rear stub axle.

Your problem is either a non-Citation spec wheel with a too-thick center ( should be 1.25 thick), or a wheel washer that is too thick, or nuts that are too tall compared to what the car was designed for.

If the wheels are the problem, the easiest thing to do is have new washers made that are recessed a bit more in the center.

[reisertracing]

Yes, that is what I meant, rear stub axel.
Will check the washers

[Darren Brown]

Eliminate option 3. Use the pin, I had a drive pin issue which let the wheel nut spin back. The only reason I made it back to the pits and not off the track was the safety pin kept the wheel on.

What size pin are you using? Perhaps if part of the hole is showing you could use a smaller diameter safety pin and no modification to the nut, wheel, of washer would be required.

Darren

[Larry]

I don't know of anything in the GCRs that requires a pin. If anyone knows, please share the paragraph #.

Larry Oliver

[John Robinson II]

Richard, just curious, why wouldn't you remove material from the top of the nut? Sounds like .100 might be all that is needed. Atleast on my swift stub axles there are no threads where the hole for the pin is.

John

[formulasuper]

And there is one more possibility. One time when I installed new brake rotors on my Ralt SuperVee the same problem was found. The flanges on the new rotors were a little thicker than the originals and therefore spaced the wheel further out on the axle.

[R. Pare]

John:

Yes, the nut could be shortened, but I would advise against it as your engaged thread length would be shortened.

[reisertracing]

Where do you get the washers for the wheel nuts? what would be the minimum thickness?

[reisertracing]

What about making the nuts castelated like on a FV? On rear axel nut?
Putting grooves into the outside parts to access the hole?