front wheel bearings

Since the front spindle nut is not torqued at all, yes it will back off if not mechanically restrained. Your brake rotor will retain the wheel (for a while) when the nut backs off, but the noise is incredible (happened in a Mangusta I had been driving & was at the time a passenger). Early nuts are designed to be used only once, while later ones have a conventional castle shape combined with a factory-drilled spindle.