Tlaloc75

I've pulled all the control arms, pulled the rear shock and nearly have the a-arm out. Now I'm looking at what its going to take to get the subframe out.

In doing so, I've discovered that I need to pull my axle and my parking brake cables. Not bad news, since I want to replace the axles anyway, but not I've got to figure out the best way to do it.

Question for the experts: Do I need to mount all my control arms back on the car in order to support the wheel carrier well enough to break the axle nut free?

I did some calculations and it looks like a 2.5' breaker bar with my weight would get me the required 360 ft/lbs or a 2' bar with some bouncing. If you've broken this nut free, what size breaker bar did you end up using? I don't have any air tools, so I'm gonna have to do this with leverage.

OverBoosted28

I know when I did my front (same torque value), I put about 30" of 1" galv. pipe on end of breaker bar, wedge blocks to stop tire from spinning, and then got it.

Tlaloc75

I'm looking at adding 4' of bar to the end of my wrench, so hopefully that will do it. My problem is I have the control arms and shock already off the car so I'm worried there won't be enough support on the wheel carrier to allow me to loosen the nut. Car is up on jack stands on all four corners so, I'm trying to figure out what (if anything) I need to put back together in order to allow me to torque that nut.

Did you reuse the axle nut or get new ones?

How did you re-tighten?

trophy

It is alot harder to do without the hub supported because of the torque required to break the nut free. i have has success once with a high end (snapon) rattle gun and a big compressor. Unfortunately, you need to support it and then be able to stop it turning, easiest is car on ground, and a big lever.

the manual says replace the nut each time, i have had mine off 3 times and have not replaced the nut. I am about to do the bearings and studs again and this time i will be replacing the nuts.

Tlaloc75

I got the a-arm stabilized and then slowly added torque and the axle nut freed up nicely, so I'm all set! I was worried, but the 4' pipe extension made it easy.

I ordered new axles and new nuts, so they are on the way.

Thanks!

Tlaloc75

New problem. I can't seem to get the axle out of the hub. Disconnected transmission side, no problem but the outer won't come out. I started by banging on it with a rubber mallet. It may have moved a little, but then it stopped.

I borrowed an axle puller and slide hammer from local auto part store but that got me nowhere as well. Not sure if I'm using it correctly...

I've sprayed a little PB Blaster around the stub and now I'm waiting and thinking. Any ideas?

trophy

Chances are the bearing has some corrosion where it mates with the stub axle (Where the wheel studs are), I used a puller to push out the axle, when you then pull out the stub axle you will break apart the bearing in doing so.

trophy

Put the arms of the puller so they grab on the stub axle and then the screw part of the puller will push on the axle.

Tlaloc75

The puller I have access to looks like this: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...FRC1wAodGvMP2g

I tried tightening it up, but had trouble getting enough purchase on the screw part to add a lot of pressure, then I eased up since I wasn't sure I was doing it right. I tried using the slide hammer part to bang on it a bit as well and it didn't want to budge.

Do you think this type of puller will work or should I look for one more like what's in your picture.

If its going to destroy the bearing, I may be better off driving to a shop (once I button it all up again) so they can press the bearing in for me. Do you have a press you used for this?

trophy

The 2/3 arm part of that puller may work, size will be the issue as it needs to grab either side of the stub about 150mm diameter, and for pullers to work efficiently the arms should be as straight as possible not at large angles as the feet on the end will slip off what you are trying to pull against.

I have a press at home, as I have the entire hub carrier out of the car it was easy to just to put it in the press to remove. There are tools you can rent to pull out the bearing.

The other option is to put the axle nut back almost all the way on and pound on it with a BFH and a drift of some kind,m this will leave the stub axle in place and not pull the bearing apart. Only if you are replacing the nut anyway.

Tlaloc75

Thanks so much for your help and advice Steven.

I do have new nuts on the way, so I can sacrifice the current one.

There's something I don't understand though. Why would the puller impact the bearing and the BFH will not? As far as I can tell the physics are the same, pushing the stub as hard as possible out of the carrier. The puller arms are attached to the hub with the lug nuts, so they seem pretty stable I think. Maybe there is a risk of pulling too hard on the hub studs?

One thing I'm realizing is that given the amount of force I need to put on the stub, I should get the carrier re-attached to the car if I'm going to bang on it with a hammer. Currently its sitting on a block, completely detached from car except for the brake line, which I've left attached.

KeninBlaine

I just came across this thread. I don't understand why the subframe can't be removed more easily. I damaged my SF in September, and after getting a replacement for it, MikeJ and I removed it fairly easily without pulling axles etc. We just disconnected suspension components and removed the bolts securing the SF to the car.

Edit: Apologies, as I see there are numerous subframe components, and mine was the subframe crossmember. I can now see the added complexity of removing the other outer components.

trophy

When you are using a BFH you are only interacting with the axle (trying to push it out of the stub axle) When you are using a puller you are interacting on both pieces, pulling on the stub axle and pushing on the axle.

Pulling on the hub will not be an issue, they are super strong, you will more likely break the puller before doing anything to the stub axle.

Tlaloc75

Lots of detail here: http://www.jackals-forge.com/lotus/9...suspension.htm

Since the axle and parking brake cable go through the hole in the side panel (which is the official name for the subframe apparently), you need to pull both in order to get the side panel out. You can disconnect axle just at the transmission side, which is really easy, and then pull the side panel out that way. That's what I'd be doing myself, but as it so happens I need new axles. Both the boots are torn on both axles and have been that way for a while so the CVs are contaminated with dirt. Inner CV is rebuildable, outer is not, so I'm left with a full axle replacement as part of this job. Nice to be doing it all at once.

How did you damage your side panel?

Tlaloc75

Ok thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear. I've got a new tool that attaches to the studs and pushes directly on the tip of the axle, so I think I may be able to get this sucker out today. Wish me luck!