The "piece of metal where the socket goes" is the locking tab from the spider washer. Bend that tab out and then you can unscrew the nut and inspect the hub bearings for wear and damage. Off the top of my head, I think to tighten to spec you torque the nut to 50 ft-lb while rotating the hub, then back off 1/8 turn and look for a tab that can bend down into a groove to lock it in place.
oh i see. also, The physical appearance being the same as before(my gpa and his usage prob as a wood trailer overloaded and no atttention to lugs or just "sent it"
I was using unbalanced tires but I noticed the bearing got real noisy, but not uh-oh noisy when the wheel was on the hub. Also, my lug nuts have various wearing on the tapers and one lug nut is not even a standard lug nut but it evidently was close because it is now and has been there for a while lol.
based on the studs looking a little not true, the axle shaft bolt holes being a little smushed looking, and the bearing which is prob not worse than when i started using but its something I will prob address when fluid change if I can find them on my parts shelf which is actually probably likely. I dont know about the threads or the "true ness" of everything but Im sure even a new bearing with proper loading would be better than a possibly-off-true one thats not loosey goosey. if its true than cool. The studs are bent outward in various places, which means that the whole drum prob could use an exhcnage... if I am lucky i would have an old good studs one laying around or may find a cheap good one just to allow the lug nuts(would just get 8 more from the coffee cans) to seat the wheel properly to the not bent or warped or etc which with a balanced tire Im sure would be last time need address.
If my trucks are the same and not bad like that one, I would just steal the one currently soaking in brake fluid when I fix rear brakes! the tires im putting on are smaller and also balanced we will see if a little smaller HT is a big diff to a bigger AT
ATM I will just operate as the tires, wheels, hubs, and care with them lead to the isssue. other side is ok.
