Author Topic: front axle nut (Read 3854 times)

6011 · « **on:** June 19, 2007, 05:49:18 pm »

I am trying to bust the axle nut of my parts car so i can use the good axle in my good car. All of heavy me jumping on a 3/4" drive breaker bar with a snipe on it is only spinning the wheel against a good wheel chalk. I tried the nut on my good car and it loosened no prob. I tried smacking the end of the axle with a brass drift. I did not think to use penetrating lube until just before I started so maybe it will soak in by tomorrow. Any ideas?

Also, the Bentley manual states that you shouldn't move a car with no axle in because it will "quickly ruin the bearings." That would make sense if the car had and inner and outer tapered roller bearing but I thought the MK2 jettas have unit bearings so it shouldn't matter. The book also says "remove the dust cap" as the first step before removing the nut. I know that taper bearing front ends use a dust cap but the MK2 doesn't have one. Is the book wrong?

subsonic · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2007, 06:52:40 pm »

"You can move the world with a big enough lever"
My personel favorite is the breaker with a 3 foot pipe on the end

, that and my 225 pounds standing on the end of it.

RabbitJockey · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2007, 08:16:57 pm »

Quote from: subsonic

"You can move the world with a big enough lever"
My personel favorite is the breaker with a 3 foot pipe on the end , that and my 225 pounds standing on the end of it.

haha yeah but make sure you use a craftsmen with the 3 foot pipe so you can go get another

burn_your_money · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:36:30 pm »

I had to use a 8 foot cheater bar on my one parts car, my girlfriend was stepping on the brakes as hard as she could and I was literally jumping on the bar. It was on there good :shock: I did shear my 6" extension clean in half doing that.

It's true, rolling them around with the axle nut not tightened or with the CV out will ruin the bearing.

I think the dust cap they are refering to is the little plastic center cap like on snowflakes

jtanguay · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:29:35 pm »

i had the same problem on my parts car. had a 4 foot extension and it took a lot of force to crack the nut off.

one option would be to use penetrating oil and a torch...

Jetta Fan · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:09:12 am »

Flammable penetrating oil and a torch? Great combination. :lol:

Just kidding jtanguay.

The penetrating oil should help, but you might have to be patient and apply more today to let it soak overnight again.

If that doesn't work, mix the aforementioned flammable penetrating oil and the torch and stand back. :twisted:

bevboyy · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:32:14 am »

Get a hold of a 3/4 drive ratchet and use an 4 ft extension pipe. It will come off..

jtanguay · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2007, 09:42:48 am »

Quote from: "Jetta Fan"

Flammable penetrating oil and a torch? Great combination. :lol:

Just kidding jtanguay.

The penetrating oil should help, but you might have to be patient and apply more today to let it soak overnight again.

If that doesn't work, mix the aforementioned flammable penetrating oil and the torch and stand back. :twisted:

:lol: i always use the flammable penetrating oil.. it will burn, but definitely not as hot as the torch!!! it won't blow up in your face unless your a goof and spray for a few minutes... worked wonders at getting my rear lower shock bolts out!

Darth Garry · « **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:49:45 pm »

Big drive socket, penetrating oil, long breaker bar. It'll come off. If not, time to get a new car.

Or some flammable penetrating oil and a torch

Garry

burn_your_money · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2007, 10:02:48 pm »

If you are going with the flammable penetrating oil and a torch please videotape it :lol:

6011 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2007, 10:19:36 pm »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did finally get it off after using about 4' of lever on the 3/4" drive socket. I had to jump fast on it not just bounce. Unfortunatly, the boot was separated where it fastens to the axle so I decided to just order a rebuilt unit. I still don't understand why the unit bearing will be damaged without the axle but maybe it will make sense when I take it all apart.

As for the flamable penitrating lube, I do that all the time. It usually only smokes a lot. I just figured that heat would ruin the axle and bearings.

jtanguay · « **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2007, 10:40:13 pm »

Quote from: "6011"

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did finally get it off after using about 4' of lever on the 3/4" drive socket. I had to jump fast on it not just bounce. Unfortunatly, the boot was separated where it fastens to the axle so I decided to just order a rebuilt unit. I still don't understand why the unit bearing will be damaged without the axle but maybe it will make sense when I take it all apart.

As for the flamable penitrating lube, I do that all the time. It usually only smokes a lot. I just figured that heat would ruin the axle and bearings.

heat might do something if you're holding the torch to it for a few minutes... but just enough to let the axle nut expand to let some lube get in there shouldn't hurt it at all... didn't you say it was a parts car??? i would never re-use a bearing from a parts car :lol: sitting for so long they're probably no good anyways.