check front wheel

Well today I was going to go for a ride and I noticed my front tire was low, the front wheels never been off the bike since last year when I bought it new. I found 2 holes in it from thorns and a nice cut in the tire. I have a spare thorn proof tube and a no flat tire liner I bought to put in there once I had a reason to and nows the time. The cut on the tire is deep but not all the way through and with the tire liner I figured Id be ok with it, the tire still had alot of tread on it and why not reuse it. I was putting the wheel back on and a thought hit me to check the axle and see how loose it spinned or if it was too tight. That axle locking nut was so tight you could barely spin it. I dont know how it lasted this long but I loosened it up just where theres no play and to where it spinned freely and it worked fine. Bearings were still full of grease and seemed fine plus theres no heat coloration to the hub and I think itll be ok. My back wheel I caught early on the 1st flat but the lesson learned is to never rely on a clerk assembling your bike......rrrrrrrrrrr