idosubaru Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 My friends 97 legacy needs an axle replaced. I removed the axle nut over the summer to replace his hub. I didn't do anything spectacular when reinstalling it...i've installed many dozens of axle nuts before. So he shows up at my place the other day to do a simple axle swap on that same side and the axle nut won't budge. Hit it with 900 ft-lb heavy duty 3/4" impact gun. I thought maybe the gun or air supply was funky so tried by hand. 3/4" socket set with 3 feet of pipe and me jumping up and down on the end. Ended up hitting it with a torch. Got it a little hot but then ran out of gas. Never moved. Something isn't right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 i had this problem once. i resorted to a breaker bar and a whole length of subaru exhaust pipe. this worked after all else failed(including heat) the video Subaru Alliance #33 "Impossible Axle Nut" details the same scenario. You may have seen this but i'll post it for posterity. the higher ups at Blaster Chemical saw this video and sent me a case of free product i suggest you try this method and see if it works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 i think if you try this you will need, new tools, new fender, new hub? and an ambulance ride.... there is always the "bump the starter" method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 i think if you try this you will need, new tools, new fender, new hub? and an ambulance ride.... there is always the "bump the starter" method. Well, you could also do that with the wheel on and push/drive the car fwds or backwards. Just enough to get it started, don't put weight on the bearings with the nut loose... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 My friends 97 legacy needs an axle replaced. I removed the axle nut over the summer to replace his hub. I didn't do anything spectacular when reinstalling it...i've installed many dozens of axle nuts before. So he shows up at my place the other day to do a simple axle swap on that same side and the axle nut won't budge. Hit it with 900 ft-lb heavy duty 3/4" impact gun. I thought maybe the gun or air supply was funky so tried by hand. 3/4" socket set with 3 feet of pipe and me jumping up and down on the end. Ended up hitting it with a torch. Got it a little hot but then ran out of gas. Never moved. Something isn't right? Sure you were turning it the right way? (dave ducks) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Sure you were turning it the right way?great question, i screw up plenty of things. that's the easiest way to learn! i'm positive. i checked, double, triple...etc checked. hit it with the 900 Ft lb impact socket for like 2 freaking minutes straight with a fully pressurized tank. Something is cracked up. if 2 minutes of 900 ft/lbs of impact don't get it off i'm not sure what will. at 200 pounds i'll need....minimum of 5 feet of pipe to get to 1,000 pounds (of non-impact)....this is getting ugly. i'm willing to bet driving foward won't touch it - at 1,000 pounds it's just going to lift up the wheel or do something nuts like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 LOOOOOONG breaker bar, with a long pope. it's the only way! slow steady torque instead of quick sharp torque. in the instances an impact has failed, a breaker bar has saved the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNY_Dave Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 LOOOOOONG breaker bar, with a long pope. it's the only way! slow steady torque instead of quick sharp torque. in the instances an impact has failed, a breaker bar has saved the day A breaker bar can indeed beat an impact if the nut (and what it is holding) can vibrate even just a little. It could be the impact with the tire on and the tire on the ground could be better than using the brakes. Most popes are about 5ft10, where to get a long one? Also, where does the handle from the breaker bar go? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wardssix Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Must have picked up, eh? I agree with the super long pipe and rolling it. Bad news is if it did pick up it'll be a biotch the whole way off. goog luck bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 the threads must have gotten damaged on install. Probably the nut. Split the nut with a die-grinder and chisel. Even if you get it to turn it will most likely just spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Time for the blue-wrench I would say. Heat and lots of it. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 how do you split one with a chisel or cut it off quick with the limited access inside the recess of the hub? that sounds like the way to go. i don't have any 5+ foot long pipe and breaking the nut sounds cathartic. he lives 3 hours away so i'm trying to help him but it's not real convenient. he's coming up Sunday though, which i knew of a sure way to work it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Time for the blue-wrench I would say. Heat and lots of it. GD i don't have any good equipment like that. maybe i'll just weld on it for a few minutes :lol:. doubt the little use i'd have is worth the purchase but how much would a good torch cost? i mean roughly...like $10....$100....$10,0000? can i just buy one that'll cut it off!!!:grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp98 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 A good oxy-acetylene outfit is going to run you $200+ and then there are the bottles and weather you want to buy them or lease them. For a weekend you might want to check on a rental shop and see what they have. But I think that the quickest way would be to go on down to your local home improvement dealer and pick up a 10' piece of 1" water pipe. That should give you enough leverage to break something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logic23 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 you cut what you can reach then finish the job with a chisel. You can do the whole thing with a chisel. it doesnt take that long the axle nut are pretty soft metal. keep grinding the chisel to a sharp point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 If you hit it with a propane torch for about a half hour it might start to glow... in one spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 We had a big nut at work that welded itself to the shaft it was on - this thing was massive - the thread was like 3.5" in diameter and the nut was like 6" OD. I don't know how the threads got messed up, but the torque on this bad boy was 1200 Ft/lbs and the shaft it was on was worth about $10k. It came down to having one of our guys spend two and a half days grinding and chiseling on the nut to remove it in peices and save the shaft/thread. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it may come down to chiseling and grinding it off. As for how to grind on it - you will have to go in a diagonal across the nut - almost perpendicular to the shaft but with enough of an angle to cut through the nut on a slant. Thus avoiding the hub as much as possible. Hacksaw blades are flexible as are sawzall blades to a point - some sugestions anyway. If you know someone with a plasma cutter...... you can zap off the bulk of the nut and fracture the remaining thin section. Whatever you do - be prepared for the possiblity that the axle won't survive. Maybe not the hub either. In fact - it might be wise to have a used axle/knuckle assembly ready to go on. Don't forget that if you get the thing hot enough to come apart - should you go that route - the grease in the bearings and possibly the roller cages (plastic versions) could be baked beyond salvage. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 But I think that the quickest way would be to go on down to your local home improvement dealer and pick up a 10' piece of 1" water pipe. That should give you enough leverage to break something. +1 if you are careful, you can take it back after you are done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthe202 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 ... keep grinding the chisel to a sharp point. Just don't let the metal get to hot and loose it's temper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 hmmm, decisions. we're trashing the axle anyway so that's not a concern, we're trying to install a new one. i'll keep my eye out for another hub or plan to chisel it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 If a 5 foot length of exhaust pipe doesn't do the trick, 2 minutes with a good small chisel and 3 pound hammer will. I've split more then a few that way. Really don't need to completely cut the nut. When close to being completely through, use your impact and it will either loosen the nut or complete splitting it. Amazed your 3/4 impact couldn't loosen it but that got me to thinking there is a relationship between the maximum torque an impact will produce and air pressure. Thinking a 900 lb-ft gun will not produce anything close to 900 lb-ft if not powered by a very large compressor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Go John, that was it. That does give me more hope it's not totally hosed. I just looked: 3/4" gun requires 8 SCFM and my compressor is only rated for 4.9 SCFM at the same psi. Still surprised it (and everything else i tried - hand tools, 3 foot pipe, etc) didn't work, but that makes much more sense. Thanks John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 (edited) CFM of the compressor has nothing to do with the air delivery of the tank+hose when the tank is fully charged. The compressor isn't even running and likely has a shut-down set point of 120 psi+. All guns that I'm aware of are rated at regulated 90 psi. There might be a restriction in the regulator or hose.... GD Edited January 23, 2010 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankosolder2 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 The length of hose can be a big factor. I agree with GD- the limiting factor is not the compressor unless it has to run continuously while you're using the impact wrench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 The length of hose can be a big factor. Really? I need someone to come over and teach me this stuff, I had no clue! GD what are you doing next weekend!? The hose is really long probably 50 feet. I like being able to take it all the way out my garage into the driveway to work on something. So I can try short hose and have a 10 foot pipe on hand. As tight as this joker is I would think the tire will just spin though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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