When loosening the rear axle nut to adjust the drive belt tension, why does the manual have you remove the circular clip? On my axle there is a lot of remove room to back off the nut and the circular clip is not even close.

Then, there is this puzzling instruction in the manual - what do they mean by aligning the axle hole and nut slots? I don't follow that. I have have a feeling that is left over from when a cotter pin was used years ago. But, why is the torque given as 92 to 98 ft-lbs and then in step 5 they talk about 65 ft-lbs?

 

Good questions. The cotter pin, castle nut, and lower torque value match up with what my 99 has. In have no idea what this circular clip thing is...

Mine (99, torqued):

 

The later Dynas did not have a pin. They use a circular clip that prevents the axle nut from coming off the axle. It doesn't pervent the nut from backing off and loosing torque, though. I believe step 5 in the manual excerpt I showed is an error and should simply instruct one to reinstall the circular clip, if removed.