Is the castellated nut on the rear axle a normal or reverse threaded nut? I can't get mine loose. I applied the handbrake and left the transimission in gear and then applied a large breaker bar and cannot get it loose even after 1/2 hour of soaking it with penetrating solvent.

Normal threads. Maybe you need a bigger breaker bar? Seriously though, those nuts can be amazingly hard to remove. Try the solvent for a couple of days. If you can't move it, maybe try some heat on the nut. Someone may want to chime in whether heat would be bad for that area. I don't think so but you never know.

Spoke

they are normal nuts. pulled the cotter pin?

they are torqued to over 200 ft lbs.... and will require some grunt to remove.

i have good luck with impacts....

and a regular socket will shatter.....with an impact.....

I think I may need to let it soke for a few days. I even put a 4 foot long pipe on the end of my rachet and it wouldn't move. I started to overcome the handbrake and move the wheel with that. I was hoping to get it out today to inspect my CV joints and wheel bearing, but that is looking like it may need to wait. Thanks for the reply.

John

I had to use a 4 foot cheater on the end of a 18 inch breaker bar! I also used a steel bar propped between 2 lug bolts to keep the wheel from turning as i JUMPED on the 4 ft bar! There is a chance those things havent been off for decades, AND the torque spec is pretty large for them as I recall!.

Mark's diagram is what I did.

Just be careful.

The above methods are good. If you have a inpact air wrench it will have to have at least 400 lbs of torque to move the nut. Factory torque for the axle nut is 240 ft lbs.

When that nut lets go you could be in for a wild ride. So keep you hands were you can brace yourself for impact. And I use a 1/2" breaker bar, 3" extention w/ a 6' piece of pipe. Just makes it easer, Good luck.

If the engine is still in the car....put the wheel back on, drop it back to the pavement and use a cheater bar/pipe on the 3/4 inch breaker bar and socket.....put the bar at 9 o'clock, both hands on the top or targa bar and jump on the cheater/breaker bar....if your too light...get one of your beer guzzling friends....should go C R A C K and break loose.

Can you believe I just broke my 1/2 inch drive rachet trying to get that thing of. I snapped it right where the socket attaches. Guess Sears is replacing that one. Now I have to get another and try again. I think I will resort to an impact wrench. I just need to borrow it or buy one.

thats why they invented breaker bars....

shouldnt be using a ratchet....

I know but I got too lazy to go to the basement and now I am paying for it.

Ditto, you will break rachets easily - use a breaker bar with a 4 ft. pipe over it. By keeping the bar fairly horizontal, you can place all your weight on the end of the bar and get quite a lot of torque on the nut. When it lets go, you will only drop down the 10 - 12 inches. Once loose, they come off easily, but be sure you have removed the cotter pin.

When I did it, the drivers side went easily once I figured out all the angles. When I did the passenger side, I almost pulled the car off the jack stands (no front suspension , and no interior, so it was very light in the front). Almost had a heart attack when the nose of the car headed for the garage ceiling! I was so lucky that it didn't slide backwards off of the rear jack stands!!! I finally managed without launching the car by getting someone to sit in the front trunk.

The drawing Mark put up is it. I would say don't -jump- on the cheater bar though. Just get a really long and rigid bar, and some good heavy weight at the end. Jumping on it could have some er...painfull repurcussions... Not to mention concussions...

Oh yeah, that ratchet is not the tool of choice. Always use a breaker bar. Sears will -always- replace those (BTDT), and they are sometimes hesitant to replace ratchet drivers (BTDT too). Basically, anything with moving parts may not be covered by sears....

-Josh2

The safest bet is a impact gun. Ask me how I know??

Okay... tell us? Was the body damage yours or the cars?

-Josh2

Well I just got my ratchet replaced by Sears. That was too easy. I also bought a little bigger breaker bar than I had. Now we will see what I can do. Finding a 30mm impact socket right now is my problem with using an impact wrench. I can borrow the wrench from my father but I don't have a big enough socket and there is no store close enough to get one immediately.

Actually it was the garage door. Luckily it was in very poor shape and it was going to be replaced anyways or thats what I keep telling myself!

Harbor Freight has a complete set of IMPACT sockets in 1/2" for under $20. The size ranges from 10mm-36mm. You can beat the hell out of them and they do not break like Sears.

You want to inspect the CV joints?

Go around to the underside of the car, inside of the wheel, by the transaxle. The CVs cannot be accessed by taking off the castellated nut, they are attached to both ends of the half shaft axles...you need the CV joint joint for the 12 point bolts.

The good news is, if you have tools big enough to remove that nut, you can remove anything on the car.
In the past, I've done what others have said here: plenty of "loose nut", some heat, a good breaker bar with an extension tube, and another bar between lug bolts to keep the wheel from turning.
The forces involved are large, but it will work.






p.s. confirm the cotter pin is out.

Yes the cotter pin is out. I want to remove the whole axle because I want to check the CV's and the wheel bearing which I have to remove the nut to do the disassembly required to get to the bearing. I have a new set of axles with CV's coming to me at the end of the week so I am just going to replace the axle. Thanks for the inspection suggestion though.

Thank you for all the suggestions. I final was able to get thing loose with the breaker bar with a 4 foot pipe on the end. Now to get the rest done.

Oh yah, don't forget the cotter pin

Mine were easy with my harbour freight impact wench. It didn't cost a lot either, and I get to feel like a little F1 team when popping my wheels on and off

First off....NEVER use a 1/2 drive on anything that big.....second never remove a suspension piece that has huge nut on it that you will eventually need to take off.....prior planning prevents piss poor performance....

Now....you don't REALLY need a socket.....a big ass pipe wrench or crescent will work in a pinch....with a cheater bar.....not the recommended way but will work in a pinch.

Hmm. What happens if you don't tighten that nut all the way. I put mine on and it only went on hand tight. probably around 80 pounds of torque.

I will get little loose and prolly toast the bearing. The cotter pin will most likely keep it on....but I've seen them shear off and get close to losing the wheel.

Once on a dipshit surfer VW bus....the maroon left the cotter pin hanging out...he says.....

I used my cheater bar to tighten it. I used my weght, and figured the prper length lever arm to torque it to 200 lb-ft... 80 ain't gonna do it...

-Josh2