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How would you go about getting this rusted axle nut off? (thelemmy.club)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) by to c/cars@lemmy.world
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The wheel hub on this corner hasn't be replaced in at least half a dozen years, so there's been no reason for the axle to come out. I've got a torn CV boot, and this car isn't really worth the $500 CAD for an axle replacement *at the shop

I've tried 1/2" drive tools, a shitty second hand mastercaft air gun, a 24" breaker bar, and a propane torch that seems to have fuel flow issues. and penetrant, of course. So far, hasn't budged.

update: thank you everyone for the advice, however I'm calling it. I got too many other unfinished tasks, I'll let this one go to the shop and do some OT this week in the time I'd have been fucking around with it.

I did drill into the rust around the threads and pry the washer collar off (there was no staked material left at all) to remove material and get penetrant in deeper, but this just isn't what I want to be working on right now.

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[–] 34 points 2 days ago* (9 children)

Heat again, and add an extension pipe to the 24" breaker bar for even more leverage.

And remember, you're heating to make the part expand, so don't heat the bolt, heat the nut/threaded socket

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  • [–] 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

    What I had to do once was put a 6 ft. Pipe over the breaker bar so that the end is on the ground, put the car in neutral, then push the car slowly until something breaks. In my case it was the nut that broke loose.

    Alternatively, you could cut a slit through the bolt then hit it until it splits.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 day ago

    I got stuck like that once and then ended up with too much "springiness" to make any progress, even by standing on the extension. I instead opted for a shorter extension and used a floor jack to lift the end. I stayed away from the stuck nut in case the breaker bar suddenly flew off and released its potential energy into my face, but I still have no clue if this was a genius idea or I got very lucky.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 days ago (1 child)

    I’d do that, then blast the inside of the bolt with compressed air just before trying to take it off. Since the bolt has a convenient recess to blast air into without it deflecting and cooling the nut.

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  • [–] -1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

    I'd do like a can of WD-40 soaked for an hour before heating and trying again.

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