I broke my 1/2" breaker bar on this job so I bought a 3/4" bar and 1 3/16" socket. With a piece of roll cage tubing over the breaker bar I stood on it at least 2 feet from the nut.

I used another halfshaft to resist the rotational force after bending a 3/4" steel round bar with a pipe extension.
Estimated removal torque: 450-500 ft-lbs.

Chris

What's the story with that car? The strip isn't right but......................

I had to do something similar with mine. I didn't break my 1/2" breaker bar but I'm surprised I didn't. I used some old galvanized pipe for a cheater.

Dave

Well,

Try penetrating oil. Squirt. Tap it with a hammer to help the oil work in. Go have lunch. Squirt in more oil. Tap with a hammer. Try with the wrench. If no budge, squirt, tap, come back the next day and it will come off.

The other way would be to use a torch to heat the metal around it, but I don't know if there is anyhting fragile in there that you don't want to be heating.

Zach

I use this. Its a 4/1 gear reducer 3/4"drive that goes between the breaker bar and the socket. 100ftlb in equals 400ftlb out. Makes it easy to to torque to the right spec when reinstalling.


Bob

QUOTE (Vacca Rabite @ Mar 22 2006, 09:24 AM)

Well, Try penetrating oil. Squirt. Tap it with a hammer to help the oil work in. Go have lunch. Squirt in more oil. Tap with a hammer. Try with the wrench. If no budge, squirt, tap, come back the next day and it will come off. The other way would be to use a torch to heat the metal around it, but I don't know if there is anyhting fragile in there that you don't want to be heating. Zach

BTDT! I broke the 1/2" bar after oil, etc. and while the nut was hot.
This was the toughest one I have ever encountered. All the parts are fine though, and everything else came off like usual.

I broke a no-name 1/2" breaker bar with a 5' galvanized pipe cheater when I tried to remove an axle nut. I don't have any 3/4" tools and didn't really want to start a collection, so I went to Sears and bought a new 1/2" breaker bar knowing they would replace it if it broke. But it held up and the axle nut broke loose with a bang!

BTW, Just last week I returned two small Craftsman flat blade screw drivers because the blades had twisted and deformed under moderate torque and they were replaced without question. That was good, but I'm a bit annoyed that the blades distorted. The most recent one was while removing a set screw from a leaky hose spigot vacuum breaker. Instead, I used a small cheap Stanley screwdriver to remove the screw. What's up with that?

QUOTE (BIGKAT_83 @ Mar 22 2006, 06:28 AM)

I use this. Its a 4/1 gear reducer 3/4"drive that goes between the breaker bar and the socket. 100ftlb in equals 400ftlb out. Makes it easy to to torque to the right spec when reinstalling. Bob

Bob, Where did you buy that wrench? I've never seen one before. Expensive?

QUOTE (DNHunt @ Mar 22 2006, 09:07 AM)

What's the story with that car? The strip isn't right but......................

I don't follow you Dave,
This is the LE I posted pics of a couple months ago.
All the suspension is now removed and in the process of restoration. The RAT 2270 will be ready in a few more weeks.

QUOTE

I broke a no-name 1/2" breaker bar

All my tools are Craftsman. I only felt a little bit guilty replacing the 1/2" bar under warranty while purchasing the 3/4" bar at the same time.

I use a great big impact gun to remove them. You are right, it can take a lot of torque to break those loose.

I was wondering if it was an LE. Cool. I love my 2270. The car feels like I think it was meant to from the factory. The best way I can decribe it is the car is very capable. I can't say it's scary but from 2000 to 3500 it feels like my old stock 2 liter after that it is something entirely different. I'm sure the LE will be a lot of fun.

Dave

QUOTE (maf914 @ Mar 22 2006, 10:32 AM)

QUOTE (BIGKAT_83 @ Mar 22 2006, 06:28 AM) I use this. Its a 4/1 gear reducer 3/4"drive that goes between the breaker bar and the socket. 100ftlb in equals 400ftlb out. Makes it easy to to torque to the right spec when reinstalling. Bob Bob, Where did you buy that wrench? I've never seen one before. Expensive?

I got it at a salvage sale with some other tools. Its made by the X-4 corp. I got it at a steal after looking at these prices.

Torque multiplier

Bob

i've wondered if Kymco's Torque Meister ( flywheel gland/vw axle nut removal tool) would work on our cars. the claim is you can remove a vw fw gland nut with a 3/8" ratchet. i've seen write ups using the kymco tool to remove axle nuts in HotVWs. not cheap by any means, but if it works you should be able to remove a stub axle nut with the control arm off the car.

k

I have what you need. 20 years ago a guy at a porsche/vw/audi shop said "get a 3/4 breaker bar, a 3/4 inch socket as close as you can get and about a 6 foot long piece of black iron pipe big enought to fit over the handle of the breaker bar. With the wheels on the car and the car on the ground, in gear and with the emergency brake on, put the socket over the nut, the breaker bar into the socket, rotate the handle to either 3 o'clock, or 9 o'clock, and climb up on the end of the braker bar. Hang onto something and jump until it comes loose. If you are not hanging on you will fall on your a--!. Once they come loose, jack the car up and remove the wheels....

They are torqued to 450 pounds, and with a little corrosion, it may take 600 or 700 pounds to break them loose. I'm afraid that if you do this on jackstands, you might knock the car off of the stands and onto yourself. Also with the car on jackstands I do not think you will be able to hold the axle still, and with what you have rigged, you could hurt yourself.

i removed both of mine with one of those cheap @ss harbor freight electric 1/2" impacts.

surprise, surprise....

Hi

I have a 3/4 gun thats good to 600, and if that don't work, I got a 1" at the shop. Out here, you can rent them by the hour, but you need a compressor...depending whats been removed from your car, it might be your only solution to do it in place, besides removing the whole corner.
Man I hope it works out for you

+Karma
Later

Good, I now know where to send my problem children. There is one nut I have never been able to break free.

QUOTE (flesburg @ Mar 22 2006, 07:03 PM)

They are torqued to 450 pounds, and with a little corrosion, it may take 600 or 700 pounds to break them loose. I'm afraid that if you do this on jackstands, you might knock the car off of the stands and onto yourself. Also with the car on jackstands I do not think you will be able to hold the axle still, and with what you have rigged, you could hurt yourself.

Factory spec is 217-253 ft-lbs according to the Hanes Manual I have.
I had no trouble with the setup I used. Before this I have never had significant trouble using my 1/2" breaker, and I've never broken a 1/2" breaker bar prior to this job.

i had a nut i coun't crack one time this summer.

i ended up using a cold chisel in one of the notches on the nut, aimed towards the loosening direction, and a single jack sledge hammer (4 lb.)

one big blow and the nut came right off like no one's business.

kinda' like a red neck impact gun only better. LOL

a freind of my son has a beetle.

We broke a 1/2 inch one (never did that before)
We bent a 3/4 inch one....unbelievable
We took it to a truck shop (big diesel trucks)
He pulled out a huge airgun...no problemo for him

The 1/2 was understandable.

The 3/4 breaker should not have bent...it must have been faulty..we returned it and did not get another one..the sales guy agreed..something was up if we bent it...

it bent , or twisted the end that goes into the socket...not the bar...
And yes, we had a really long cheater bar, car on the ground and all...

Rich

link lacking. here you go.

k