ok, i've snapped two 1/2" drive craftsmen ratchets trying to get this thing off. i've never had one give me this kind of trouble....i've tryed a 4 ft. cheater pipe on it with all my weight and then some, it's gotta be around 800-1000 lb.ft. of torque. and yes, i've already bent out the tab that is knocked into the half shaft divot. i've tried penetrating oil, propane torch.....i'm out of ideas. the only thing thats pissing me off now is the thought of buying a new half shaft because i'll probably have to cut the whole end off. btw, the reason i need this off is because i need to replace two of the wheel studs.

 

You can pay a tire changing place like $25 to loosen that 32mm nut with their impact wrench and then just snug it tight so you can drive the car back home.
that's what I would do.

 

you use rachets to open this...that's a no no. Use a breaker bar. Loan it from AutoZone for $20 and return it to get your money back.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FSBxtreme &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you use rachets to open this...that's a no no. Use a breaker bar. Loan it from AutoZone for $20 and return it to get your money back. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I bought a breaker bar from autozone and it broke. Snapped. Doing the same job as you.

I would just borrow an impact gun. This one autozone employee loaned me the electric impact gun, and it took it off. Like 15 or so of burst of the impact gun broke it loose. Electric gun had 100 ft-lbs. If I had a compress air gun, SO MUCH easier.

 

Torque doesn't really matter...its how its applied. You've got to get an impact and jar it loose in spurts.

I REALLY want to get Snap-On's battery powered impact guns... As with all things Snap-On though...they're ridiculously expensive.

 

I am suprised that the craftsman bars broke on you. I used a craftsman 1/2 breaker bar, and a five foot galvanized steel pipe to break off my crankshaft pulley bolt. And those are notorious for being the hardest bolt to break lose?! Were you using a ratchet or a breaker bar? You should never use a rathcet for high torque applications. If this was the issue do what The-Kid said and grab a breaker bar. I would just buy it. You will use it a lot more than you think, so the 25-35 bucks are worth it. Hit it with penetrating blaster, let it soak, and repeat a few times. Let it sit for a while and wrench away.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jspd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am suprised that the craftsman bars broke on you. I used a craftsman 1/2 breaker bar, and a five foot galvanized steel pipe to break off my crankshaft pulley bolt. And those are notorious for being the hardest bolt to break lose?! Were you using a ratchet or a breaker bar? You should never use a rathcet for high torque applications. If this was the issue do what The-Kid said and grab a breaker bar. I would just buy it. You will use it a lot more than you think, so the 25-35 bucks are worth it. Hit it with penetrating blaster, let it soak, and repeat a few times. Let it sit for a while and wrench away.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i;ve broken 5 crapsman breaker bars in a row trying to loossen a stuck axle nut. finally took apart the kncukle and brought it home to zip it off withmy impact gun

i couldnt bring the car home cuz the axle snapped, ehnce why iw as trying to get the nut off in the first place

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by AccordEX1991 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You can pay a tire changing place like $25 to loosen that 32mm nut with their impact wrench and then just snug it tight so you can drive the car back home.
that's what I would do.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Its 36mm, and I doubt that a strictly tire place would have a 36mm socket lying around since no lugs are 36mm.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Schmitey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Torque doesn't really matter...its how its applied. You've got to get an impact and jar it loose in spurts.

I REALLY want to get Snap-On's battery powered impact guns... As with all things Snap-On though...they're ridiculously expensive.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a 3/8" and 1/2" snap on cordless impact gun, and it will not remove that nut, I know, I tried to do it on my car at home, same as the op. I had to pop out the axel from the trans and take the whole knuckel to work and use my IR 2135TI impact gun.
On the same note, snap on is not ridiculously expensive, if is if you only do occasional work at home or w/e, but if you make your living with tools, its a must. Yes it costs more money, but it is MUCH better quality stuff. Alot of people argue that craftsman is just as good because it has life time warrenty, but who has time to run to the closest sears during a working day to warrnty some crap tool?

ETA: I dont want to turn this into a snap-on/Mac Vs Craftsman/can pro debate. Lets just give this guy some good advise

 

I really also need help with this problem on a 94 Accord. I cannot for the life of me get this nut off and in the process separated the half shaft. I have bent the tabs up, heated it with Oxy-Actylene, yelled at it, used a 3/4 drive 800 ft/lb 150psi Impact Gun on it, yelled at it AGAIN, hit it with a hammer, I think you catch my drift. Please give me some ideas to get this off. I am working on this car as a side job for a friend and it is starting to turn into a hassle. I have every tool imaginable at my discretion. I am a farm mechanic and work on 60 year old tractors that give me less hassle.

 

it will come off with an impact gun pretty easily provided you have a good air supply. I use my Ingersoll Rand 2135TI at work, and it takes them off with ease. My guess is your compressor cant handel that gun, or your air line is too small, because if you heated it it would even come off by hand, I know this from experience. 3/4" drive air tools need extreme ammounts of SCFM to get them to work. They usuially require a 1/2" ID air hose MINIMUM. If you dont have the CFM to back it up, PSI means nothing

 

you are probably right about the air supply. I think the compressor can handle it, but the hose may be too small. I am not sure of the size. So, if I heat it up and somehow prevent the hub from spinning, I should be able to get it off by hand? I have a 3/4 breaker bar. Next question. I am pretty sure that once you separate the innards of a half shaft, it is junk, no? I would really love a response, like nah, you can put it back together.

Thanks for the help!

 

if you put a bar between the studs and let it rest on the ground it will stop it from turning. You COULD put the axel back together, but it very tricky. you have to line up all three trunions (sp?) and they are a tapered fit, so its a PITA to get it back together. I would suggest if you can replace the whole shaft, do it.

 

Have somebody hold the brake while you try to get the nut off.

 

This happened to me.

I used a torch. Ended up melting the threads on the axle and had to replace it.