Stripped CV Bolt, Best approach to remove it? Options

[rwilner]

I was removing my half shafts to clean and repack my CV joints and replace the CV boots. Nothing wrong with them, more of a "while I'm in there" type of thing.

Well, the PO (or his mechanic) replaced the triple-square bolts with allen / inhex bolts, and stripped them while installing or attempting to remove them. Has anyone had any luck getting a stripped bolt out of the wheel side CV without removing the castle nut on the hub?

PO handiwork:

[McMark]

Pulling the stub shaft isn't always horrible. You should try that first. Could be you spend 10 minutes and it pops right out.

[mgphoto]

Remove the castle nut it is much easier than trying to fit a tool into the swing arm.
Mike

[rwilner]

OK. Have not done this before -- any tips? (what size is the nut? looks like I will need to buy a new, big socket)

[RJMII]

Hey, I thought you were going to drive your car last weekend. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

IIRC it's a 30mm.

[RJMII]

Here we go:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/9...conversion2.htm

There are a few good tips on there.

[rwilner]

Hey, I thought you were going to drive your car last weekend. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

IIRC it's a 30mm.

holy crap. I think i'll need a 3' cheater bar. Good thing I have some black iron pipe left over from my house addition.

Too much salt on the road to drive it yet here in lovely Boston. I did start and run it to make sure my Optima didn't give up the ghost during hibernation!

That counts, right...?

[MarkV]

I would try one of these before I removed the stub.








I had to use an impact to get the castle nut off my stub axle. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[GeorgeRud]

A good long pipe on the end of a breaker bar will work for the castle nut, even if you have to bounce on it. A good penetrating oil is also your friend, let it sit overnight.

I'd agree that it's easier to remove the axle stub and simply remove the cv bolt while it's easy to get at.

[McMark]

I've had castle nuts and stubs that were MAJOR PITA. But I've also had them come apart quickly and easily. No sense in fretting before it's necessary. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[charliew]

Try to use the emergency brake as much as you can to avoid the stress on the tranny. A impact works a lot better than a cheater.

[rwilner]

Try to use the emergency brake as much as you can to avoid the stress on the tranny. A impact works a lot better than a cheater.

Thanks for the tip. I was also going to depress the brake and lock it in place with a 2x4.

[r_towle]

Take off the castle nut.
I use air and a cheater bar both...
Impact gun beats on it for a while and loosens things, then the cheater bar will get it loose...always does.

Car on the ground.. in gear, e-brake on, wedges under the tires if needed to stop them from rotating.

Remember, when you have removed the stub axle, you never set the weight of the car back on that open bearing (bearing without the stub axle in place) of you could wreck the bearing.

So, while you are getting the CV joint off, keep the car on jack stands.
Once you remove the cv joint, you can put the stub axle piece back in, tighten up the castle nut as much as you can to suck the axle in place...tap, tighten, tap tighten...
So long as that bearing has the stub axle in place, you can then set it back down.

if all you are doing is fixing the CV joints, leave it in the air and put it back the same way you took it out...with the CV attached...its a whole lot easier to get to the CV bolt heads in a vice versus in the car.

I have a whole bunch of tools to get it apart if you get frustrated.
Here most of the weekend.

Get your own socket and breaker bar...and be careful, I have broken a few of them with a pipe on them...

The rest of the tools you can borrow (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


RIch

[rwilner]

Take off the castle nut.
I use air and a cheater bar both...
Impact gun beats on it for a while and loosens things, then the cheater bar will get it loose...always does.

Car on the ground.. in gear, e-brake on, wedges under the tires if needed to stop them from rotating.

Remember, when you have removed the stub axle, you never set the weight of the car back on that open bearing (bearing without the stub axle in place) of you could wreck the bearing.

So, while you are getting the CV joint off, keep the car on jack stands.
Once you remove the cv joint, you can put the stub axle piece back in, tighten up the castle nut as much as you can to suck the axle in place...tap, tighten, tap tighten...
So long as that bearing has the stub axle in place, you can then set it back down.

if all you are doing is fixing the CV joints, leave it in the air and put it back the same way you took it out...with the CV attached...its a whole lot easier to get to the CV bolt heads in a vice versus in the car.

I have a whole bunch of tools to get it apart if you get frustrated.
Here most of the weekend.

Get your own socket and breaker bar...and be careful, I have broken a few of them with a pipe on them...

The rest of the tools you can borrow (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


RIch

Rich
To clarify sequence of events
1) put wheels on and get car on ground
2) loosen castle nut
3) raise car
4) remove castle nut, unbolt CV @ trans flange, remove halfshaft (with both CVs and stub axle attached)
5) remove CV from stub axle
6) do CV stuff
7) re-bolt CV to stub axle
8) reinstall half shaft and tighten castle nut (mostly)
9) lower car
10) snug up castle nut
11) drive away

[underthetire]

I'd be a little concerned about those bolts. Silver is usually not the 12.9. whatever grade. Those are usually the softer ones. Black oxide socket head cap screws would be fine.

[rwilner]

I'd be a little concerned about those bolts. Silver is usually not the 12.9. whatever grade. Those are usually the softer ones. Black oxide socket head cap screws would be fine.

I'm going to replace them with the proper triple-square ones and schnorr washers, I got them from pelican -- all ready to go.

[r_towle]

Yes, proper sequence.

After you remove the nut and remove the inner CV joint...(this is just my method)
I use a small 2*4 block or a really short 4*4 block and hit the stub axle with a BFH...
Its in there...and it does not fall out.

Rich

[rwilner]

Yes, proper sequence.

After you remove the nut and remove the inner CV joint...(this is just my method)
I use a small 2*4 block or a really short 4*4 block and hit the stub axle with a BFH...
Its in there...and it does not fall out.

Rich

Thanks Rich. Every time I go to Sears I've been looking for an excuse to buy a big a$$ breaker bar. Looks like I finally found it!

Sat night is girls night out for the wife, looks like it's Beers and Breaker Bars for me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/whack_3.gif)

[r_towle]

a 3/4 inch drive breaker bar and 30mm socket.
I have broken 2 half inch breaker bars over the years on these nuts...beetles have the same nut.
The little stub piece snaps off in the handle...and its exciting when you are jumping up and down on a 6 foot pipe.

Before you go shopping, spray PB blaster on that nut.

Like Mark said...I have had more than a few just come right off with the impact gun and I tapped the axle out...5 minutes.
I have also had 3 hours ones....

Get craftsman...returnable if broken.

RIch

[tradisrad]

I have always been under the impression that the wheel bearing can be ruined when the stub axel is removed. Am I wrong?

Why not try a bolt extractor first? Either an i.d. or o.d. extractor or both. While I have not used one on a CV (and the location is not ideal) I was pleased at how well it worked.