You know what? I hate anything involving the wheel well

[Dark_Rider2k3]

yeah I said it.. screw this area of the car!

okay but in seriousness I am stuck with 2 things:

1. The Axle nut will not come off. I have tried using an impact with no go, and when I go to use a break bar with long pipe to extend it, it just wants to slip off and not break free.. I am trying this, btw, with the car on the ground and the wheels on (and E-brake engaged fully)

2. The tie rod end will not come off. I have tried using a ball joint separator, and no matter how many times i hit it with a hammer, it does not break free....


If I could get these 2 things off, I'd be able to get my damn motor out >_>

[wytbishop]

Pickle forks are for loosers. This is the separator you want.

http://www.samstagsales.com/SirTool/st266h.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have had trouble in the past with hub nuts too. If you know a heavy duty mechanic a 3/4" drive handle with a long breaker bar will do it every time. Is the nut staked really deeply? If you can't remove it the right way, a dremel too with a cut off wheel will do it.

[Daninski]

OK I had a 5' pipe on a 3/4 drive power bar and my fat as*ed friend weighing in at around 290lbs and we finally broke the nut free. Some people cut it with a rotozip. As far as the tie rod end buy a short sledge hammer type hammer with a handle about 12 inches long. Give the tie rod a solid smack straight onto the hub where it goes thru. Don't pound down on the tie rod shaft this won't work. Smack the hub straight on and the tie rod end will drop out.

PS I do like that puller whytbishop

[kakarot135]

That is the same style tie rod end puller that I use and love it.

as for the axle nut, I tried everything, one came off with a 10 foot piece of black iron pipe and two grown men. the other that didn't work so, I used my neighbors snap on cordless impact nd that pulled it right off. Don't sk me how but it worked

[_-Night-Shade-_]

I was able to get the axle nuts off with a 3/4 rachet and my skinny a-- jumping on top of it. You must have some weak impact cause they'll take it off no problem. The tie rod ends should come off too, either way (pickle fork if you don't care about them otherwise use the seperator/puller). That's not even the hard part, have fun getting them off the actual rod if they're seized

[Dark_Rider2k3]

so I tried getting a big pipe around a breaker bar and no go still >_>.

You think it's a bad idea if i were to just cut the axle off? I'm not using these axles again so...

as for the tie rod end.. yeah I'm going to see if I can use the one you guys are showing. That should make the job a lot easier.

and nigh_shade thank god I don't have to go that far. Just need them off the end.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

This may sound odd/dumb but what about cutting them in half? Like... since I'll never be using my ATX axles again, you think I could just cut 'em off? I just had a long a-- pipe on a breaker bar and it wouldn't budge >_>

[Sleeper6]

get yourself a small torch, even the propane ones if you cant get anything hotter and just heat the very tip of the axle nut, keep working it from the edges getting it as hot as you can then try and break it loose while its still warm. Thats the best way to do it if your impact lacks the gusto, not all impacts are alike sadly. So get it as hot as you can and then hit it as quick and hard as you can and it should back right off.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

I wouldn't cut them. Sure it'll let you take out the engine but you're still gonna have to get the other end out of the hub which is what you're having problems with now. My suggestion is get a powerful impact.
Hey just wanna make sure: you've undone that little staked part of the nut with a chisel right? Cause that will stop it from turning if you didn't.

[kakarot135]

night shade,
If he is putting that much force on the axle nut even if it is indented it should still turn. Mine does now. I now loosen and tighten that nut every time I rotate the tires since it took so much to get it off the first time and hopefully I will be going BP in the near future.

If you have any buddies that are mechanics see if they have the snap on cordless impact it is rated at 425 ft-lbs of torque and I have not seen it fail yet. other wise like was posted high heat will expand the metal momentarily and allow you to remove it easier, just make sure if you sprayed any type of PB blaster, etc that the bulk of it is gone or it will flare up.

When you get the axle nut off make sure that you have at least a 24" pry bar to get the inner shaft out of the transmission. it should take a good pop to get them to pop loose. I know that the manual if you get the Passenger side out you put a long screwdriver through the differential and whack it to get the drivers out, not sure on the auto.


Good luck,
Jason

[Dark_Rider2k3]

I wouldn't cut them. Sure it'll let you take out the engine but you're still gonna have to get the other end out of the hub which is what you're having problems with now. My suggestion is get a powerful impact.
Hey just wanna make sure: you've undone that little staked part of the nut with a chisel right? Cause that will stop it from turning if you didn't.

wait what staked part

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Baaaaahahahahaha are you kidding me?

Here, this pic shows it: http://mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php?fil ... /M-006.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also, I bought an electric 240 ft-lbs impact which isn't as strong as air ones and it's still enough to take them off.

[wytbishop]

Pickle forks are for loosers. This is the separator you want.

http://www.samstagsales.com/SirTool/st266h.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have had trouble in the past with hub nuts too. If you know a heavy duty mechanic a 3/4" drive handle with a long breaker bar will do it every time. Is the nut staked really deeply? If you can't remove it the right way, a dremel too with a cut off wheel will do it.

You must read carefully grasshopper.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Baaaaahahahahaha are you kidding me?

Here, this pic shows it: http://mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php?fil ... /M-006.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also, I bought an electric 240 ft-lbs impact which isn't as strong as air ones and it's still enough to take them off.

well.... crap

I feel so dumb for not realizing that....

and yeah I also have an Electric impact.. there is no way for me to have air tools here...

but I seriously bet this does it. The picture from the manual is a bit hard to see, but I get the point. There is crimped portion that needs to be hammered/chiseled out.

Luckily today is also a non-raining day (it's been raining every day this week but yesterday, where I was busy, and today). So I'll go out and do that!

Also yes, I must read more carefully. Thank you master.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Dude honestly if all else fails just dremel that thing off.