Not likely in my opinion. Be very very very very careful with your jackstands. I do not like the side to side method at all.

 

I didn't like it either! I was amazed at how much lifting it needs to get it up. I was just worried about using the engine to lift the car. Is this the recommended method?

 

I didn't see a procedure for adjusting in the manual? My torque wrench only goes to 100ft lbs anyway. Is the recommended fix to try and tighten the play out as the manual seems to suggest replacement? They're not noisy.

 

I can't say for sure that your problem is the hub/bearing/axle nut. It just seems like it is, given what you describe as darty and scary handling. I still say the rear wheel is steering the car.

The Bentley manual gives the proper torque for that nut. I just don't recall off the top of my head.
Here is the correct socket and wrench to tighten it, and just for laughs I'll post a pic of the tool I have to replace the rear bearings.

 

The manual states 217 - 231 ft lbs. I definitely don't have that! If the tire swap does nothing I'll leave it to the pros. . . . get him to check the wheel bearings and alignment.

 

There you go, that's what you should do. I am sure they can check the torque on that nut just for good measure. Good luck!!

 

An impact wrench is not the right way to tighten the axle nut...so keep an eye on your tire guys. If you weigh, say 150#, on a 24" breaker bar, well that 300 ft/lbs of torgue under your weight. a BIG torgue wrench is reccommended, the breaker bar is the next best(all with a buddy/wife unit holding the brake pedal)...an impact wrech will not do the job regardless of how much torque the wrench is supposed to make.
I think your on your way here, thanks to rusnak for the "in the field" diagnosis.

 

I agree, an impact wrench will NOT get it tight enough. If the nut is not tightened to spec, the bearing will not last.

I ended up not using the breaker bar, but instead put the car on the ground, and stood on the wrench handle, with the socket inserted through the center hole in the wheel. There was no obvious flex in the wrench or socket. It's nice to have at least one Wright socket wrench.

 

That hub nut should have a cotter pin to retain it too. I agree it could be the nut. It seems that if the bearing was that trashed, it would be audible while driving?

 

If the nut is loose, then the hub will wobble, causing scary handling, then with continued driving the bearing will soon fail.

Course, he won't know until someone checks it.

 

Ok, here's the bad news, which coincidently is really probably the best news. I sherked my responsibilities and took the wheels in to have the tires swapped. It wasn't free despite having 4 tires fitted to my Honda (they were tirerack tires after all).

No sooner do I pull out of the drive and it's obvious, the symptoms are reversed! Under power it now pulls left and on lift off goes to the right! It must surely be one of the rear tires, right?

 

Haha! I gotta ask - did you put air in your tires? And they ARE the same size?

 

Excuse me, I think "someone" already mentioned that when they suggested it was a tire issue.

If Gabe didn't have limited slip, he may not have noticed this issue.

 

There was a change. I believe 86. They had an updated axle/hub configuration that used a large thick washer and a lock nut: the kind you punch a section of the nut flange into a keyway. IIRC. It's one of those little details that make an 86 kinda nice - Carrera axles with a 915.
It makes a nice upgrade to the early cars because you get the axles with the metal caps over the CV joint, as we all know is a plus if we are on our backs in the garage.
Again, this is from memory - but it stands out insomuch that I recall back dating some track cars. Maybe something new for Ruby!?

 

I just got off the phone with tirerack and suggested I would wear the $43 for the first install and $37 for the second if they take them back and credit me the cost of the tires. The woman was very helpful and agreed to a refund and free shipping on 2 new ones. I'm done with KUHMO's, does anybody have any recommendations as to what works well on an '88 3.2?