Axle/driveshaft Nut [Merged 7-8] nuts remove removal

[95talontsi]

Taking out the front axles driveshaft or whatever there called, the 32 mm nut on the brake hub, I need to break it loose, I looked at the book it's torqued at like 144-188 ft holy #@%#@%#@%#@%, plus its rusty and the whole axle moves how the hell do you break it loose?? Please help got to get this tranny out

 

[Turbo Guru]

Have someone step on the brakes and use an impact wrench or super long breaker bar.

 

[GoFastTSI]

Impact wrench and PLENTY of Liquid Wrench set overnight first.

 

[Turbo Guru]

Originally posted by GoFastTSI
Impact wrench and PLENTY of Liquid Wrench set overnight first.

Thanks, I forgot the liquid wrench/ PB Blaster suggestion. Soak it and let it sit for a while, overnight if possible.

Joe

 

[halik]

I talked to the people at the dealership and they told me those things are torqued at 250lb/ft (!!!) Has anyone taken the xle nuts off?

 

[cornbread]

The guys at the dealer are total tards just use a barker bar and it should come right off. The part you should worry about is getting the damn axel out the hub.

 

[1bad1g]

front or rear? i just did my rear ones this weekend when i changed the rear diff out. i had to use a 4 foot breaker bar to pop mine loose. they WERE dam tight. but doable nonetheless. have fun.

AC

 

[halik]

doing both,
im changing the pads and rotors over the weekend so i figured i replace the nuts as well (they're rusted like a mofo). Where can i get the wrench or whatever to losen em? Im gonna have to look at the shop manual - am i supposed to screw em off, or do they opo off like the rotors?

 

[machgsx]

The axle nut is a pita. I started mine over the weekend. I couldn't even get the axle nut off standing and basically jumping on the breaker bar. Had to take it to my neighbor to use his impact wrench, and even that took a while. Good luck on it. Hope you don't have as much of a problem as I did.

 

[DongeR]

screw them off with a breaker bar and the tires still mounted. you need a HELL OF a lot of torque to remove them. Sometimes its just best to leave it there until you need to replace the axle.

DongeR

 

[askpoc]

I just did mine, and I just soaked them over night in wd-40. The next day I had my friend hold down the brakes( we had the car on jackstands, and the wheels off) and the bolt cameof pretty easy by just stepping on the breaker bar. If you dont need to change out your driveshaft just leave them, till you do.

 

[91MitsEclipseNT]

i dont know if youve figured out how to get the nut off but if you have the book it shows you a picture of where and how to put the breaker bar or long ass screw diver in it to keep it from not moving.

 

[BUCK]

Impact (Air or Electric) - 1/2 drive - 32 MM Deep Well IMPACT Socket - Use the brakes to keep it from moving - anything else (like that screwdriver B/S) may screw up the rotor - Then get a propane torch because if you thought getting the Nut off was a bi*** wait till you try & drive the shaft out of the Hub - you MAY be buying a new CV Shaft - Just stand the torch on the ground & rotate the Hub occasionally - then spray the center with liquid Wrench & beat hell out of the Nut with a 2 Pound Sledge - use the old Nut to protect the shaft threads, Good Luck...

 

[xcelr8n]

ok these things suck!!!!
Ive broken 2 breaker bars, a half ince wratchet, and bent a 4 foot pipe!
I soaked it in penetrating oils, heated it red hot, reafed on it so hard etc etc.
it will not come out.
so how thew hell am I suppossed to get this thing loose??
:thumbdown

edit... oh ya we also had a air compressor and gun, didnt work

 

[philipkrotch]

well, you eliminated all possible options already, so just keep wrenching on it....i just use a big 1.5 inch pipe about 3 feet long on a 1/2 inch drive and it gets it everytime.

 

[Mack]

What size breaker are you using....1/2? Bigger the better in this case.
Did you take the cotter pin out?
Might just be rusted solid like my axle was to my hub :thumbdown

 

[BUCK]

Rent a 1/2 Drive Electric Impact - get a deep well Impact Socket - & have a helper put foot on Brake.

 

[miguels3000]

Damn, crazy idea and extreme but if you have the car lifted on jacks you can probobly put the wrench on have the car lowered a bit close to the ground turn the car on and slowly let the clutch in as the wrech is being held in place by the floor let the car do the work....but you said youve already bent and broken the wrenches,

 

[G_S_X]

Take the center cap out of your rim... Put the wheel on [ can be loose on the lugs ], take cotter pin out... let the car drop so the rim doesnt spin , get a 36mm or whatever it is and put it on a 1/2 breaker, then get pipes to add leverage. Easy as that.

 

[realhp=turbo]

Its even easier than that. If you got air tools then you might have something like a die grinder or a dremel. Hook it up with the cutter wheel and cut that fu(k3r off. Ofcourse, you dont want to deform it too badly cause your not gonna go all the way to the threads. Damn close though. Throw the socket back on it then and turn it off. The new nut kit per side averages something like 4 to 7 dollars. Includes the nut the washer and the cotter pin. Everyone always trys and trys and breaks tools left and right. Its torqed down to almost 200 ft/lbs. Then driven on, twisting force, and heated with braking conditions. Its not comin off. You must pursuade it. Do it like this and you'll find life infinatly easier.
mike

 

[99gst_racer]

I'm in the process of pulling the engine and tranny out of my 90 TSI AWD and I have everything disconnected and ready to go except for one thing. The driver's side axle nut. We've tried everything - we used penetrating lube, my impact wrench, and a torch. And we still broke 3 breaker bars yesterday. The damn thing will not budge. I really don't want to pull the whole knuckle if I don't have to....... Any other ideas?

 

[DSM90AWD]

You're talking that 32mm jobbie?

My formula is 1/2" breaker bar with length of pipe around handle. With friend applying the brakes, gradually apply your weight to the pipe with your foot.

If really f-ing stuck, can cut always cut it off

 

[weith1111]

I'm in the process of pulling the engine and tranny out of my 90 TSI AWD and I have everything disconnected and ready to go except for one thing. The driver's side axle nut. We've tried everything - we used penetrating lube, my impact wrench, and a torch. And we still broke 3 breaker bars yesterday. The damn thing will not budge. I really don't want to pull the whole knuckle if I don't have to....... Any other ideas?

Grind any areas that could be the seized culprit. Many a times I've had a bolt that wouldn't come out, so I was just going to drill it out, as soon as the head was 90% gone the bolt would just come right out.

Otherwise weld something even larger on the nut, like a bar or pipe or something.

Wish you were local, I love getting stubborn nuts and bolts loose, it's such good medicine for anger!

Good luck!

 

[akdsmer]

Rent a 3/4" Air gun and get the reducer to 1/2". This of course, will only work with a good air supply and large diameter hose. 3/8" air hose need not apply!

 

[sherwinz28]

You're talking that 32mm jobbie?

My formula is 1/2" breaker bar with length of pipe around handle. With friend applying the brakes, gradually apply your weight to the pipe with your foot.

If really f-ing stuck, can cut always cut it off

I did the same thing...I applied PB blaster over 2 days everyday in the morning before I went to work...still didnt work. I went to Home Depot and bought a ~3 ft pipe. Put the wheels back on the car dropped it down...make sure cotter pin is off obviously. I put a wedge by the front and back tire to make sure car doesnt move much. I then put all my power into the breakerbar/slash pipe extension and said if anything breaks screw it. It finally broke loose after making some strange screeching noise. Or you could do what this guy did and take a dremel and cut around the back to get the rust free. My way seemed to work and after all that work the axles came out of the hub pretty easily with a slight tap with a rubber mallet.

http://www.plymouthlaser.com/axles.htm