Wheel bearing question - snap ring and washer

[BettyBurb]

Yesterday I did the passenger side and let the bearings soak overnite, today I reinstalled the passenger side. When I dissassembled the passenger side a couple of things I noticed

1) the lock nut was only on finger tight. but there was no play in the bearings, so I guess the adjusting nut held ok.

2) the snap ring on the shaft held in a "washer", it had the convex side facing outward whick makes sense.

Now today I find the washer on the driver side with the concave side facing out.

Which is the correct way for the washer to be installed ???

Also what is the purpose of this snap ring and washer???

 

[Langosta39]

I have only worked on a Dana 60, I don't know what you are working on BUT...
The lock nut shouldn't be finger tight I don't think.
The only snap ring on my axle shaft is on the very end and seems to keep the axle shaft from sliding too far into the axle housing. I don't have washers behind my snap rings.

 

[BettyBurb]

I agree the locknut should be torqued to 150 lbs according to chiltons manual. Now that I am thinking about it, about 6 months ago one of my hubs, it sounded like the passenger side clunked a few times when I was making a u-turn, I am thinking it could be related to the loose locknut.

I figured out that the washer needed to be installed convex side out. However did the bearings last time must have put it in backwards and not torqued either locknut very much. The Driver side locknut was not on very tight either.