Aloysius

Hey Folks, my first post here. i'm doing a little rehab on my 83 928AT, replacing shredded axle boots and i can't get one of the 32mm axle nuts off. The other one (right side) came off **slowly** as it appeared to have some nasty thread-lock on there. The left side won't budge. I thought it might have been threaded opposite or something but it doesn't look like it. I've already broken one breaker bar putting about 400 ft/lbs of torque on it. anyone got a hot tip? do i need to by a torch? TIA for your help; I'm thankful to have this kind of community around!

SharkSkin

This ought to do it -- just don't use a cheapo chrome socket!

Tampa 928s

You may want to take it to a local shop with large air tools or a truck repair shop. Have them loosen it then tighten enough to dive home. Remember you need to torque it to about 330 Ft pounds so a return trip to a truck shop with a torque wrench may be in order.

Lizard928

I like my 500+ ft lbs impact gun for this job!

Shark Attack

I just hung on mine for a long time with my 250ft# impact. it took a good 5-8 min. But eventually it saw things my way

Harbor freight has a 4' torque wrench. I have one. That was my next tool if the impact didnt work

WICruiser

I had one that was very tight also - 3/4 inch drive breaker bar with about a 4 foot pipe broke it loose. I took it to a local Ag dealer to have the nuts torqued when I was done.

Tony

Dave911G

An impact wrench is definitely the best way to go, but if that's impractical for some reason (like no air) you can try the poor mans impact wrench. A nice breaker bar struck with a sledge hammer works much better than a slow pull with your arms.

Rob Edwards

3/4" socket set /breaker bar combo from HF:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=5494


Then just put your jack under the breaker bar with a 3" extension and the 32 mm socket, and pump the jack slowly. Gives way nice and slow, just like Tony says.

Then, you still have the 3/4" socket set for turning the engine during TB R&R's.

belgiumbarry

now just hold the nut and turn the car....

PS sorry guys, don't know if i may make a joke here...

JHowell37

A few things to remember with impact guns. Remember to set the parking brake. The impact gun relies on repeated hammering to loosen the nut. If you don't set the parking brake, all of that hammering energy gets sent to the axle and rotor and just shakes them.

Most air hoses have a 3/8" I.D. Most people use 1/4" quick connect fittings at the ends of the hoses and on the tools. Each one is a bottleneck and drastically curtails the amount of airflow going to the tool. It doesn't seem like much of a difference but the tool's performance will increase dramatically by using the slightly larger fittings.

BPG_Austin

I just did this on my car. I tried the old 32 mm wrench and jack combo.. With enough force from the jack the wrench will twist off the nut and shoot off the car. The wrench did not sit deep enough on the nut because the rotor was in the way. I also tried a 4ft breaker bar (3/4 drive neckdown to 1/2") and snapped the neckdown immediately as it wasn't an impact unit. This, I hope, would have worked otherwise. I ended up impacting it off (took 3 tries with my small 150lb compressor). they broke at 140 psi and a little patience. Best of luck.

Ben

Aloysius

WOW! So, in the 4 pages of 'read this before your first post' with the cute little OU gal, there should be a tip not to post and go to bed even with the most erudite question because you'll get 10 answers right away! Thank you all for the advice. i'm in a 'no-air' situation, car on 4 jacks, and with the global credit crunch the pneumatic impact wrench is outside of my funding mechanism at the moment.

Tried the floor-jack-on-the-wrench approach and succeeded in compressing the suspension and lifting the car off the jack.... wait for it..... wait for it..... nothing. Then went to the socket (good one), 1/2" drive with a 3' cheater and it gave way after my 180lbs stood on it (really) for about 10 seconds - this is the right side. Buoyant with success, mosey-ed over to the left side, stood on the cheater and promptly broke the 1/2" drive breaker just like BPG_Austin did at the neck-down. BTW, i've been using penetrating oil to saturate overnight and goin' for it in the morning.

I was a bicycle wrench for about 10 years; there's something about standing on a 3' long cheater, on a breaker bar, and watching it all deflect about 6" with nothing happening that makes me nervous. Anyhoo, will keep trying with all your advice - maybe i need to go 3/4 drive breaker (w/ socket), longer cheater bar, pour a beer and sit on it awhile... :-) From experience i know they do eventually release with this approach. Curious, no propane torch (any pyromaniacs out there?) recommendations? Nuthin' better than heating up fuel lines with propane to really make you feel alive!!...

Cheers, and thank you all again. -Paul

'You've got serious thrill issues, dude' - Crush

Aloysius

And a quick one to Belgium Barry - love that one! I saw a post a while back from a guy in Lisbon (?) asking whether or not the rennlist thought his car was totaled after backing into a street bollard / post; totally ripped the RR suspension out (if i recall correctly). the poster said he was only going max 20 mph, one poster asked - how fast was the post going?? Ha, ha. Does make you wonder! cheers, -Paul

dr bob

The 400+ lbs of breakaway torque is way beyond what 1/2" bars are designed to handle. In my collection of tools is a 3/4" drive adapter that accepts a crossbar. So add in a 4'+ demolition bar that slides in, and they loosen butter-smooth.

Most rental places around here have the larger tools available to rent for relatively cheap. I'm not a fan of using impacts on that rear nut unless I have someone to stand on the brakes. Otherwise you are hammering on the ***** in the CV joints and on the ring and pinion, plus any trans parts that happen to be attached. I have a hefty 3/4" impact, but prefer the long bar for this task.

Good luck!