MX-3.com

Replacing burnt out clutch and am at the point of trying to remove the axle nut but when i try the driveaxle turns even though it is in gear??? Is this normal because of the burnt out clutch and if so then whats the best way to get the nut off as it probably is going to need a lot of force so how does one do it? Please help me if you have done this before.

Yeah...an impact gun will help. Also, have you got the emergency brake on. Just because the car's in gear, it doesn't mean it won't move. You could also have somebody apply the brakes while you're turning the wrench.

front end is raised up, ebrake is on, car is in first and it spins freely as i try turn the nut as if it was in neutral. So am just worried if thats normal or not. the clutch is comepletly gone so is that why it spins? And having someone press on brakes will work? Thanks for your time

Well the axle won't spin with the brakes on. That's what the brakes are for.

lol yeah i realized how that sounded after i posted it...sorry just a little flustered as im getting worried i bit off more than i can chew here. Sorry but just to ask again, is it normal for it to spin freely while in gear because there is no clutch left or is it a sign of bigger problems?

richyrich wrote:lol yeah i realized how that sounded after i posted it...sorry just a little flustered as im getting worried i bit off more than i can chew here. Sorry but just to ask again, is it normal for it to spin freely while in gear because there is no clutch left or is it a sign of bigger problems?

I don't know much about transmissions, but the purpose of the clutch is to smoothly transition the transmission from gear to gear. You can still shift the transmission without the clutch in, for example when the car is shut off, and you simply put the shifter into gear without touching the clutch. You can also do the same while you're driving, but you need to do it at the proper engine speeds for each gear.

Therefore, no I don't think the burnt out clutch has anything to do with the axle spinning. As I said before, you can still rotate the axle when the car is in gear and the engine is off. Think about when you push start your car, the engine isn't running, but the car is moving in gear.

You're doing fine, just focus on getting those axle nuts off, and take it a step at a time. As long as you don't need your car to be driveable right away.

Walkthrough

http://forums.probetalk.com/showthread.php?t=1701166624

Yes the wheel will spin freely in gear - its because of the differential - if you look at the other wheel it will be spinning in the opposite direction.....

If you stop the other wheel from spinning - then the wheel you are working on wont spin.

Pull off the wheel and unstake the axle bolt or remove cotter pin - whatever holds the axle nut in place. Then put the wheel back on with the center cap out so you have access to the axle nut. Lower the car to the ground. Put your socket on the axle nut with a breaker bar and slip a sturdy pipe on the breaker bar to extend the breaker bar and give you leverage. You will loosen that axle nut. A heavy duty impact wrench driven by electricity or air will make the job easier, but 4' of pipe will also work.

Your clutch is what attaches the transmission to the engine. So if your clutch is shot you may not get the resistance of engine compression. Also emergency brakes only are for the rear brakes - no effect on front brakes. You need an assistant to holding the brake pedal down if you want to remove the axle nut while the front of the car is raised off the ground.

I <3 air guns. lol

STeve-O

davmac wrote:Pull off the wheel and unstake the axle bolt or remove cotter pin - whatever holds the axle nut in place. Then put the wheel back on with the center cap out so you have access to the axle nut. Lower the car to the ground. Put your socket on the axle nut with a breaker bar and slip a sturdy pipe on the breaker bar to extend the breaker bar and give you leverage. You will loosen that axle nut. A heavy duty impact wrench driven by electricity or air will make the job easier, but 4' of pipe will also work.

Your clutch is what attaches the transmission to the engine. So if your clutch is shot you may not get the resistance of engine compression. Also emergency brakes only are for the rear brakes - no effect on front brakes. You need an assistant to holding the brake pedal down if you want to remove the axle nut while the front of the car is raised off the ground.

The point of using the emergency brake is to have more resistance to the car moving when on the ground. As I said, he should have somebody apply the hydraulic brakes.

the emergency brake only applies to the rear brakes and have no affect on the front brakes - so i dont see what good having the emergency brake on would do when trying to remove the front axle nuts - the only way to remove the axle nut is with an impact wrench - as was stated.

zzzoomx3 wrote:the emergency brake only applies to the rear brakes and have no affect on the front brakes - so i dont see what good having the emergency brake on would do when trying to remove the front axle nuts - the only way to remove the axle nut is with an impact wrench - as was stated.

33mm socket, breaker br, and girlfriend pressing the brakes as hard as she can is How I did it.

zzzoomx3 wrote:the emergency brake only applies to the rear brakes and have no affect on the front brakes - so i dont see what good having the emergency brake on would do when trying to remove the front axle nuts - the only way to remove the axle nut is with an impact wrench - as was stated.

I was talking about when the car is on the ground, and in gear, or park, the emergency brake locks up the rear wheels, which helps to resist movement of the car. Come on, it's not that difficult of a concept to understand. Please read all preceeding posts and understand what is being said before correcting me. Also, I'm the one who first stated to use an impact wrench, or to apply the hydraulic brakes, so please don't tell me what's what.

P.S. An impact wrench is also not the ONLY way to remove the nut by the way.

I agree... I have never used an impact wrench on my axle nuts... I use good old physics (leverage) to break my nuts...