Apparatus for preloading a bearing

1. A lock nut system comprising:

a nut having interior threads, a circumferentially aligned slot, an outer surface axially closest to said slot, an inner shoulder extending around an entire circumference of said nut, said shoulder spaced from said outer surface, said slot located axially between said shoulder and said outer surface;

said nut threadably engageable with a threaded shaft;

said keeper having a projection which fits within a slot of said shaft to engage the shaft;

a retaining member formed separate from the keeper and the nut, the retaining member receivable within the circumferentially aligned slot of the nut to engage the nut, and a portion of the retaining member extends into a cavity within the keeper when the retaining member engages the keeper; and

wherein the nut is lockable onto the shaft when the projection of the keeper is fit within the slot of the shaft, the retaining member engages the nut and the portion of the retaining member extends into the cavity within the keeper;

wherein said shoulder abuts and supports said keeper when said nut threadably engages the threaded shaft and said keeper engages the shaft;

wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member and inhibits rotational and axial movement of the nut relative to said shaft.

2. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits axial movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member.

3. The lock nut system of claim 2 wherein the retaining member is more flexible than the keeper.

4. The lock nut system of claim 3 wherein the retaining member comprises at least one leg configured to be received within the slot.

5. The lock nut system of claim 4 wherein the at least one leg comprises two legs elastically deformable to allow the retaining member to be engaged to the nut by inserting the two legs in the slot.

6. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member comprises at least one leg configured to be received within the slot.

7. The lock nut system of claim 6 wherein the at least one leg comprises two legs elastically deformable to allow the retaining member to be engaged to the nut by inserting the two legs in the slot.

8. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the cavity comprises a second slot.

9. The lock nut system of claim 8 wherein the second slot extends between opposite edges of the keeper.

10. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the keeper is non-circular.

11. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member is more flexible than the keeper.

12. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the recess extends axially within the shaft.

13. The lock nut system of claim 1 wherein the retaining member is formed of a material different than the keeper.

14. A lock nut system comprising:

a nut having interior threads, a circumferentially aligned slot, an outer surface axially closest to said slot, an inner shoulder extending around an entire circumference of said nut and abutting and supporting a keeper, said shoulder spaced from said outer surface, said slot located axially between said shoulder and said outer surface;

said nut threadably engaged with a threaded shaft;

said keeper having a projection fit within a slot of said shaft to engage the shaft;

a retaining member formed separate from the keeper and the nut, the retaining member received within a circumferentially aligned slot of the nut to engage the nut, and a portion of the retaining member engaging the keeper by extending into a cavity within the keeper; and

wherein the nut is locked onto the shaft by the projection of the keeper being fit within the slot of the shaft and the retaining member engaging the nut and the portion of the retaining member extending into the cavity within the keeper;

wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member and inhibits rotational and axial movement of the nut relative to said shaft.

15. The lock nut system of claim 14 wherein when said retaining member is engaged to the keeper, the retaining member inhibits axial movement of the keeper relative to the retaining member.