I'm having trouble removing my wheel hub nut

[adammethner05]

I'm currently removing the transmission in my 1997 Eclipse RS so I can replace the clutch, and I'm to the point where I have to remove the wheel hub nut to remove drive axle from the car. The problem is, the darn thing just won't come loose . I've sprayed tons of PB blaster on it to try to eat through the rust and whatnot, and the other day I managed to crack the head of my Craftsman breaker bar almost in half trying to loosen it (using a piece of pipe for leverage of course), not to mention slightly bending the 1" thick crowbar I was using to keep my wheel from turning. I've read the guides on 2gnt.com and I've searched on here and I can't find anybody else who has had that much trouble. Is there any possible way at all that it could be reverse threaded? I've never seen any information anywhere suggesting this, but everywhere I look also says it's a 32mm and mine is only a 30mm. Or should I just bust out the torch and heat that mother up and see if it'll turn that way? Any help would be greatly appreciated, I miss driving my baby.

 

[ZiggysDSM]

impact gun, get a good air impact gun it will either break it loose or break it off either way youll be able to get it out

 

[Locke]

The factory axle nut is 32mm. It is not left-hand thread.

Try an impact wrench, as mentioned. If you cannot get one, use a short 1/2" breaker bar and beat the hell out of it with a hammer - aside from BPM, you can put much more impact energy into it this way. Don't try it with a long breaker bar, the length of the bar will just aborb the energy of the impact.

Have you considered removing the lateral and compression arms, and swinging the knuckle with axle attached up and out of the way?

 

[99gst_racer]

Acetylene torch.

I spent one night battling an axle nut, and after breaking two 1/2" breaker bars, I called Dan. He brought over an acetylene torch, hit it with heat for 20-30 seconds, and the nut came off with little effort after that.

Call around - I'm sure you know someone local who has one or knows someone who does.

 

[Jeff99GS]

Yeah a torch and Impact gun work wonders...But watch you don't get it TOO Hot cause you can damage the wheel bearings.

Are you close to the Cleveland area? I have a BIG Impact gun you can borrow. It will take it off in 2 seconds flat!

 

[adammethner05]

Thanks a lot everybody for the fast replies. I don't have an air compressor in the garage where my car is, but I think I can find a small one that would suit me well. I think I'll go that route first, then if that doesn't work I'll just try to remove the lateral and compression arms like Locke suggested. I have a torch that was included in the bajillion tools that I inherited from my father, but I've never used a torch in my life so that's a last resort for me.

Jeff, I'm about 2 hours east of Cleveland so that'd be out of the question at the time, although I greatly appreciate the offer.

Anyways, I'll call around and see what I can come up with, and I'll let everybody know how it goes. Thanks everybody

 

[Jeff99GS]

Thanks a lot everybody for the fast replies. I don't have an air compressor in the garage where my car is, but I think I can find a small one that would suit me well. I think I'll go that route first, then if that doesn't work I'll just try to remove the lateral and compression arms like Locke suggested. I have a torch that was included in the bajillion tools that I inherited from my father, but I've never used a torch in my life so that's a last resort for me.

Jeff, I'm about 2 hours east of Cleveland so that'd be out of the question at the time, although I greatly appreciate the offer.

Anyways, I'll call around and see what I can come up with, and I'll let everybody know how it goes. Thanks everybody

Are you out near yankee Lake, Brookfield Ohio?...I go out there every other friday for Truck Night in My Jeep. I have a Mobile Air compressor in the Jeep With air tools haha.
If you guys think DSM's break A LOT Try driving an 18 year old jeep with 200,000 miles. I have more tools in the Jeep than I do in my Garage .

 

[adammethner05]

I just realized what I typed I put East instead of West. I'm actually 2 hours west of Cleveland, by Toledo and Lake Erie and all that good stuff. And yeah man I couldn't even imagine the amount of tools I'd have to cart around in my DSMs if they had 200,000 miles on them. They're bad enough with 137k and 157k miles on them

 

[housegsx]

Acetylene torch.

Yep, use a torch. If you don't have access to acetylene go to Home Depot/Lowes and get a Mapp gas torch.

 

[adammethner05]

I think some sort of torch is turning out to be the way to go. I got ahold of a guy today and got his air compressor and slapped my impact gun on it and it did absolutely nothing. I'll have to run to Lowes and get one of those little portable torch deals, if all else fails I'll drive to my other garage and break out the big guy.

I checked the Lowe's site for torches, and there was a small selection. There's a few different kits, such as a jet torch and a plumbers torch, and I'm not sure which one to pick up. I don't know much about torches at all, so if anybody could check out the link and throw me some input on what would be best out of these I'd be very pleased.

Tools

Thanks again everybody

 

[bullettdsm]

If you can drive it, bring it to a local garage or tire changing place. I know you tried air yourself, but I find that the big boy compressors at most shops work wonders.

MB

 

[Jeff99GS]

Sometimes you need a combo of the torch and the impact gun.

 

[adammethner05]

Well I went to my other garage and snagged a couple of those little torches that my dad had lying around, and went to town on that thing today. And I got nowhere. I can't even get any of the other bolts loose either to swing it up and out of the way, it's ridiculous. I think Mark hit the nail on the head with taking it to a shop of some kind and having them take that apart for me. That would mean putting the motor mounts back in and 2 tires back on, not much work compared to the bs I'm going through with this wheel assembly.

Quick question: Do you guys think I should replace my rotors while the shop has it all torn down? They don't have any deep lines or indentations or anything, but would it be worth it to just replace them now when I have the chance? I could always wait until I stick the 8.6:1 comp built motor I just bought in, but that'll be after I buy all of my turbo components, which so far I have none, so it'll probably be a while.