Patent ID: 8316530

Claim:
A system for use in positioning a lock nut and providing a load on a bearing mounted to a shaft, the system comprising: a preload apparatus configured to provide a compressive load to the bearing, said preload apparatus releasably connectable to the shaft and having an aligning arm configured to engage a slot of the shaft to align said preload apparatus relative to the shaft and extend past a proximal end of the shaft into the slot when said preload apparatus connects to the shaft; a lock nut engageable with the shaft and having a plurality of engaging teeth configured to engage a plurality of keeper teeth of a keeper, said keeper having a radially inner side configured to engage the shaft slot of the shaft to inhibit rotational movement of said nut relative to the shaft when said plurality of engaging teeth engages said plurality of keeper teeth and said radially inner side engages the shaft; and said nut comprising an outer surface having a plurality of markings corresponding to a plurality of roots of said plurality of engaging teeth to allow a user to selectively rotate the nut relative to said aligning arm to an engaging position to allow engagement of said plurality of engaging teeth with said plurality of keeper teeth when said preload apparatus is released from the shaft such that said radially inner side engages said slot of said shaft, said plurality of markings radially offset from said plurality of roots and located such that said plurality of roots and said plurality of markings are simultaneously visible to a user.