Off-Topic: Axle nut removal (Dodge Intrepid)

[vanagon40]

I have a 1/2" drive, 34mm socket to remove the front axle nut.  So far I have broken my Snap-On 3/4" to 1/2" adapter and my Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar.

The suggestions I have read on the web are use a long pipe (been there, done that) and take it to someone with an impact wrench.

Question: What if I put about 300 to 400 foot-pounds torque on the socket and then whack it head on a few times with a heavy hammer?  Sound like a good idea or good way to break the socket or wrench?

[hubcapsc]

I have a 1/2" drive, 34mm socket to remove the front axle nut.  So far I have broken my Snap-On 3/4" to 1/2" adapter and my Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar.

The suggestions I have read on the web are use a long pipe (been there, done that) and take it to someone with an impact wrench.

Question: What if I put about 300 to 400 foot-pounds torque on the socket and then whack it head on a few times with a heavy hammer?  Sound like a good idea or good way to break the socket or wrench?

I don't know nothin about no Dodge Intrepid... but I did turn the lugwrench for our 1960 Pontiac into a pretzel before
I noticed the "L" stamped on the end of all the lugs on one side...

-Mike

[alph]

Just out of curiosity, is it a left hand turn thread?

try tightening it instead.

[Jeff K]

Just out of curiosity, is it a left hand turn thread?

try tightening it instead.

Based on this picture I'd say it is right hand thread.

[JerryB]

Take it to your friendly tire store that does semi tires.Have them hit it with their 3/4 in impact .

[Mickey Runie]

Not sure if it's right or left hand threaded, ....but you did take the cotter pin out, didn't you?  I've seen them rusted, or busted off and not noticable before. 

[vanagon40]

Right hand thread, no cotter pin or keeper.

[Mickey Runie]

If you have the time, it sounds like you might apply some penetrating oil, and let it soak overnight, repeat, and hit it again another day.

Sometimes, it helps to throw something around the garage and swear too.   

It's OK to let your family see the tirade, but I'd be sure no neighbors were within eyesight or ear shot before you let it loose.  But maybe that just makes me feel better.  It might not work for you.

[NITRO]

I had an Intrepid that I drove to well over 200,000 miles and never had to take the axle nut off. What are you doing to the car?

[vanagon40]

I had an Intrepid that I drove to well over 200,000 miles and never had to take the axle nut off. What are you doing to the car?

Replace right front wheel bearing.  Car has about 145K miles.

[vanagon40]

But what about the whacking it with a hammer idea?  Has anyone ever had success trying this?

[Daniel Meyer]

But what about the whacking it with a hammer idea?  Has anyone ever had success trying this?

Yes. I've done it, and it works.

I put about 1000 foot pounds on it...set the end of the 3/4 breaker bar on a jack-stand and put the weight of the truck on it till it started to show a bend...



Whacked it on the end of the socket with a 5 pound sledge and "POP".

The entire driveway shook...but I got that friggen nut off...

http://lifeisaroad.com/stories/2004/11/07/shafted.html

[Dogg]

It only has about 180 ft lbs of torque onit. BUT, You shoudl really just take it somewhere or to someone who has a good 1/2 in. drive impact. thats all it needs. itll come right off. hitting it with a hammer may work but, it also may be dangerous. Ive seen chrome sockets shatter because of just that....just be careful.

[vanagon40]

Daniel Meyer

That is the information I'm looking for.

My son just drove the car back to the University three hours away, so the next chance I will have at fixing this it Thanksgiving.  But I am glad to know that at least one person found that whacking it with a hammer was a viable solution.

[vanagon40]

PS to Daniel Meyer:

Was it only one whack?  As with all things, I hate to just beat the hell out of it.

But it did seam to me that if an "impact" wrench was the solution, I could make my own impact wrench with constant torque and a hammer.

[RoadKill]

So is he gonna drive it 3hrs home with a bad wheel bearing ?  ???   

[Dogg]

the wheel bearing isnt going to fall out. it is a sealed bearing, actually an inner and outer in one race.

itll just make alot of noise.  but, if you want to whack it with a hammer, its on you. I do this for a living and Ive seen stupid people do stupid things and get hurt for it. just my 2 cents....

[vanagon40]

So is he gonna drive it 3hrs home with a bad wheel bearing ?  ???   

No, he's gonna drive it three hours back to school, probably a hundred miles or so while at school, and then three hours back home with the bad wheel bearing.

[R J]

busting sockets.

Damn. I thought that was what those big ole heavy black ones were for, impact wrenches.

Ya need a good powerful impact, Ingersol Rand has a super heavy duty.

If the above combination won't break it loose, then give Daniel's suggestion a try.

We have had a couple of stubborn ones at the shop and we have tried that method of Daniel's along with some heat on the head of the nut.  Oh yeah, use lots of skunk pee, that be penetrating juice.

Haven't failed to break one loose as of this writing.   Now watch, today we will get one.   LOL................

[ArmyValker]

I'd second the notion to just find someone with a doggone 1/2" impact gun. All you'd need to do is drive up, have someone hit it, then torque it back down and you'd be able to get it next time pretty easy.

[Daniel Meyer]

PS to Daniel Meyer:

Was it only one whack?  As with all things, I hate to just beat the hell out of it.

But it did seam to me that if an "impact" wrench was the solution, I could make my own impact wrench with constant torque and a hammer.

Impact wrenches help a LOT...in a LOT of situations...you must have the impact rated sockets and extensions or they can just suck up the impacts/torque.

Mine was only one or two whacks. My 1/2" impact gun wouldn't break it loose (and it's perfectly capable of twisting off lugs). I couldn't source a 3/4 impact gun and probably wouldn't have had the air to run it at home anyway.

The 3/4" breaker bar was $25. The 3/4" impact gun was several hundred. The socket costs the same either way. (I DO buy good sockets.

On bursting the socket...yeah, I've done a few...cheap crappy ones...and the only real potential for injury was when it let go and I had the end of the breaker bar (I was putting my "all" into it and went flying). I also fell off a cliff into a rock pit (fortunately full of water) once when the big-rig 4-way I was using to remove the lugs on the front tire of a dump truck split the socket. "POP" Wheeeeee! "SPLASH". Putting my "all" into that one too.

A socket that would break with what I did there, would have broken with an impact gun that was capable of removing that nut as well. Like I said, the 1/2" gun wouldn't do it.

The nut was only supposed to have 220 foot pounds on it...

[Jeff K]

PS to Daniel Meyer:


The nut was only supposed to have 220 foot pounds on it...

Yeah, my 1/2" gun wouldn't remove the nut on my F150. I had to use a breaker bar and 4' of pipe.

[ThreeAces97]

I know this may be contrary to public opinion, but I used a torch on mine.   Got that bugger a light orange color, hit the socket (with breaker bar) with a 3 pound dead blow hammer and she came right off.   If it wasn't for the fact that I was doing this to replace the race and bearings I never would have used the torch.

[Duey]

Not an Intepid but a dodge pu 4x4. Same idea. 3/4 socket and breaker. with a 6" cheater pipe and a 320 guy standing on the end of the pipe.. Only had to jump up and down on it 2 times. LOL
To get the hub off (after the nut) we took all 4 bolts holding it in place ( backside) installed 2 upper ones about 4 threads. put deep socket with another one inside it so it just fits on the head of the bolt. Start on front. Turn steering far right while making sure the socket makes contact against stucture.. Repeat on rear.. If you look in a good manual it shows and actual tool made by dodge to do it this way with pictures...
Replace entire hub is the easiest since the 2 pieces are pressed together with the bearings inside. $250 each for 2005 Dodge 1500 Lifetime warrenty... cheaper was available..
Clean up rust in hole and slide hub back on.. Torque nut.. etc.. Mine was 250 ft lb..

[Dogg]

ok, well my 1/2 inch impact makes almost 1200 ft lbs of torque. Its an IR thunder gun. at 170 psi(thats our shop pressure) it screams. if it wont take it off, itll break it off.

I can fix it from there.