Replace front axle nut question

If I was only going to replace a front axle nut, and do nothing else, should it be possible to hold the hub in place when applying torque, taking it off and putting the new one on, by using the brakes rather than a crowbar through the lugs? Most of the videos I have seen where this nut comes off it is a by product of some other work, and the braking components are usually not in place when the new nut is installed.

The purpose of this replacement is just to be sure that the torque on that nut is correct.

Background. One of the front axle bearings was replaced on our 2007, and later it was discovered that that wheel is about 10F warmer than all the others when the car is driven. I had a mechanic I trust look over the car and he found that the front brakes (changed at the same time) didn't appear to be greased properly. So he did that, and changed the brake fluid as well (it was quite old). It didn't change anything. Lately I had an email exchange with a fellow who researches energy losses in brakes and bearings and such and he pointed out that if the axle nut was somewhat over torqued it could have put enough force on the new bearing to create that small amount of heat, and he suspected that if that was the case reinstalling the nut with the correct torque might fix the problem. As in he didn't think that small amount of excess torque would have resulted in permanent damage. He also said, essentially, that the replacement bearing perhaps was just not as good as the original, and had more friction intrinsically. Since axle nuts are pretty inexpensive and I have access to all the tools needed to change it (other than a crowbar), it seemed like replacing it was worth the little bit of time it would require.

 

There are videos around where people remove or install the nut through the wheel, with the car sitting flat on the ground. (The center hole cover having been removed.) I worry though that that would screw up the torque value. With all that force on the bottom of the splined part of the CV axle it wouldn't move the same as just the rotor on the hub, which is at most only a couple of pounds of force, this time on the top part of the splined section.