killa31

Hey everyone, thanks in advance for any and all help. I've recently been trying to replace my clutch, and I've been having an extremely rough time with the 32 mm nut that holds on the axle to the (sorry if it's the wrong nomenclature). I bought a breaker bar thinking it would suffice but even with standing on it, and jumping up and down on it it hasn't budged, so I went to Lowes and bought a cheap kobalt air wrench thinking that would do the trick, but alas it wouldn't budge. Does anyone have any tips or tricks to getting this thing off?

tony_2018

Take a pic of your axle nut.

mk378

I'm not sure about the Si, but on other models you don't have to remove the axle nut(s) to remove transmission from the car. On the left side, just pop the axle free of the transmission and it will slide out when you move the transmission to the right. On the right side, undo the lower ball joint and swing the knuckle (with axle attached) out to get the axle out of the transmission, then push the axle down and back out of the way.

Also for clutch replacement save yourself a lot of grief with the "bitch pin" and just set the transmission on the ground with the shift rod still attached. You do need to unbolt the fixed "reaction rod" that goes back to the shift lever.

If at some time you do need to remove an axle nut, bend out the locking tab before trying to loosen the nut. Then it is just a matter of torque. They are normal right-hand threaded on both sides. If you're using a breaker bar you can take the center cap out of the wheel and put the car on the ground to hold everything still, then reach the nut through the hole in the wheel.

killa31

Are u saying I've been turning the nut completely the wrong way? I've been trying to loosen it like how you would a normal nut ie " lefty loose right tighty"
Thanks for the tips though that will help out alot!

mk378

Loosen like a normal nut. Turn it counter clockwise.

tony_2018

Well he has to remove the axle from the tranny in order to remove the transmission...

mk378

Yes but you don't have to take the axles out of the wheel hubs to do that.

tony_2018

Sigh.... if he's having this hard of a time with just the axle nut what else would go on under there

killa31

OK i have been just making sure

killa31

What do you mean?

2x0

Are you doing it with the car on the ground and just the center cap removed from the wheel?

Get a bigger breaker bar. I have a few different lengths of maybe 1.0"-1.25" steel pipe that I use, just slide them over the handle of my 1/2" drive ratchet and stand on it. The longest one is about 3ft. I figure with my weight I can apply up to 600lb-ft of sustained torque. It hasn't failed me yet. If it did, I would grab a 4ft one.

civic402lx

he meant, you will run into a boat load of problem if you cant even get the axle nut off.

tony_2018

yeah like other **** getting stuck too. If there is rust and its causing the axle nut to not come off than you might run into other issues under there. You can probably pop the upper control arm off, secure it with a bungy cord to keep it from leaning outward and causing the brake line to stretch and break off, pop the axle from the tranny. You'll have to get another bungy cord onto the axle or else risk having it hitting you in the face down there.

rfmerrill

Is this car one of the ones where you stake the axle nut into place? If so, might come off easier if you un-stake it.

(post a picture of your axle nut)

killa31

Ok I got it off with some anti seize oil. I went to Oreillys to get another breaker bar with a long pipe. The breaker bar from Oreiley snapped at the ratchet insert point so I used the breaker bar that I thought was going to snap at first but it worked with the pipe!
Now before I get this thing completly out of the engine bay, is there anything else I should do within the tranny or around it since all of these parts are out. Im thinking maybe replacing one of the axles, that seems to be creaky when I turn, and one of the boots on the passenger side (cant think of the part name, its not the axle its the other part with a boot that controls steering) has came off and is leaking some fluid

tony_2018

anything you haven't replaced, do it now.

2x0

- Rear main seal
- Flywheel, or at least resurface it

purgat0ry

iTrader: (3)

Throw out bearing
the stupid little bearing in the flywheel
Change the fluid in the transmission while you're at it.
Service any of the suspension bits that require it while that corner of the car is disassembled
Inspect motor mounts, chances are they're worn.
Inspect Transmission mount
Yes seriously, inspect the tortion mount on the frame that the stupid long *** bolt/bar goes into, those ******* wear worse than the thighs on your girlfriends jeans.
Inspect starter
Change your air filter (the box is off already, **** it)
Change cap, button, and wires (Again, they're likely off already anyway or are mostly off)
Check oil pan gasket, it's easy as **** to replace with the transmission off.

I could go on with suggestions.

2x0

New clutch kit should hopefully come with new throwout bearing, and a flywheel should come with the pilot bearing. But yeah if not, replace those.