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I've gotten most of the suspension yanked from my '92, but am stuck on the front passenger corner currently.
Nothing I have done will free the axle nut from the axle, and I am running out of time to get this done before I have to pull the engine.

So far I knocked the bent portion of the nut free from the slot in the axle, so it *should* spin freely with properly applied torque. No such luck

I used a 24" breaker bar with a 4 foot cheater pipe attached, and only managed to lift the car off of the jackstands.
My impact gun was of no use, and I am debating two options right now:
- Grind the nut on 2 opposing sides and torque it until it snaps and falls off(to spare the threads on the axle)
- Remove the balljoint and tie-rod end, and then pull the axle with the hub still attached

Am I missing another obvious method to remove this?

The car is not currently running, so using the engine to free it is a no-go.

Use a dremel tool and cut the nut. I had trouble with that side as well. 3/4 drive bar with 5' pipe with 260lb+ fat bastard bouncing on the end and no luck. A torch may help cutting is sure fire.

Argh, I was hoping to avoid that.

That's a pretty graphic image you just put in my head Dan, thank you for that!
I don't have a torch at the house right now unfortunately, but I'll cut the damn thing off tomorrow.

How easy is it to damage the threads on the axle itself? I am thinking I should cut most of the way through the nut and then whack it with a hammer and chisel. The axle is less than a year old, and the boots are undamaged, so it should have some life left in it!

Heat and impact gun. Maybe rent a bigger impact gun. I have 230ft/lb one but recently bough 580 ft/lb Craftsman for future.

I had the same problem, pulled the spindle, axle and all and took it to a shop that had some good torches before I got my own. They put it in a vice, heated it up and off it came with one shot from the impact gun.

Hmm, I keep forgetting I bought a new impact gun as well... I have been using one that I borrowed last year, and the guy who loaned it to me isn't returning my calls. Keep forgetting to break mine out and give it a shot.

I'll pick up a torch later this week too, I've been meaning to buy a few others tools and I may as well consolidate the shopping.

I'll give heat + impact a shot first you guys, then I'll do as Redline said if I am unsuccessful. Thank you for the tips!

MrMazda92 wrote:Hmm, I keep forgetting I bought a new impact gun as well... I have been using one that I borrowed last year, and the guy who loaned it to me isn't returning my calls. Keep forgetting to break mine out and give it a shot.

I'll pick up a torch later this week too, I've been meaning to buy a few others tools and I may as well consolidate the shopping.

I'll give heat + impact a shot first you guys, then I'll do as Redline said if I am unsuccessful. Thank you for the tips!

What are you using for an impact? air or electric??

Air, but my own gun is more powerful than my friend's, I just never thought to even check.

MrMazda92 wrote:Air, but my own gun is more powerful than my friend's, I just never thought to even check.

What kind of tank set up are you using... I am asking because some air guns need a lot of air volume and psi to work at peek power... most home brew stuff isn't good enough... I have yet to meet an axle nut that I couldn't get loose with my 1/2" impact gun at work...

i had this problem with my 1991 mx3. I heated up the nut with a joe shmoe torch, then, i lit a camdle and melted candle wax all over it close up ti the nut. Then i put on an 8 foot pipe onto my best breaker bar and it moved like butter.

before that.........

used a half a can of move it for a day, had my 260lb fat a-- jump on the bar and raised the car off the rear jackstands almost hahahaha.

try it

crazycanadian,

I'm using an embarrassingly small pancake compressor, as my "real" compressor caught on fire last year. I usually get 2-3 "shots" of 2 seconds with the impact gun before I need to let it refill already. I'm reppin' the super ghetto airtool setup here

mikeetown,
What did the candle wax add to the equation?? I haven't seen that as a recommendation before, but it's always interesting to learn something new!

I think the theory is the melted wax enters the threads via capillary action, which sets itself up as a lubricant. It seemed to help me too.

I just used a big iron square bar, drilled some holes in it.
Attached to holes to my lugs, and got the nut off.

Thank you marcdh, makes enough sense to me...

WhiteFinish,
Nice! I jammed a prybar against the ground, your method is way more refined, and I'd say safer haha. Prybar slipped and caught my left knee. ;(