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Rear Wheel Hub
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,723
Likes: 11
From: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada
Rear Wheel Hub
I'm trying to remove my rear wheel hub but the nut won't budge. I got one side off easily, but the other is on way to tight. I've sprayed WD-40 on it and used about a 4 foot long ratchet for leverage but it won't move. Any ideas on how to get this thing off? Could somthing be wrong causing it to be so tight. I checked my FSM and it states to tighten the nut to 164lbs. The nut is torqued way more then 164lbs!! Should I be worrying about this? Thanks!
Last edited by jimmers; Apr 2, 2007 at 11:45 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
WD-40 is a "Water Displacement" formula really not too good at helping to loosen nuts/bolts. Try "PB Blaster", spray it on and let it sit over night then loosen. This should work, especially with a 4 foot helper bar to give you additional leverage.
If that doesn't work, then you have a problem. You will have to cut it off. Use a cut off wheel to slice it in a couple of places and then a cold chisel to see if you can split the nut.
If that doesn't work, then you have a problem. You will have to cut it off. Use a cut off wheel to slice it in a couple of places and then a cold chisel to see if you can split the nut.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 15,344
Likes: 4,009
From: Texas
I'm trying to remove my rear wheel hub but the nut won't budge. I got one side off easily, but the other is on way to tight. I've sprayed WD-40on it and used about a 4 foot long ratchet for leverage but it won't move. Any ideas on how to get this thing off? Could somthing be wrong causing it to be so tight. I checked my FSM and it states to tighten the nut to 164lbs. The nut is torqued way more then 164lbs!! Should I be worrying about this? Thanks!
Not to be rude, but you are untightening and not tightening? Assuming you're twisting in the correct direction...Age and rust will do that. Might want to try a different penetrant vs WD40. Other than that....more leverage.
I had one that took a breaker bar plus a 6' steel pipe to pop it free.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,723
Likes: 11
From: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada
WD-40 is a "Water Displacement" formula really not too good at helping to loosen nuts/bolts. Try "PB Blaster", spray it on and let it sit over night then loosen. This should work, especially with a 4 foot helper bar to give you additional leverage.
If that doesn't work, then you have a problem. You will have to cut it off. Use a cut off wheel to slice it in a couple of places and then a cold chisel to see if you can split the nut.
If that doesn't work, then you have a problem. You will have to cut it off. Use a cut off wheel to slice it in a couple of places and then a cold chisel to see if you can split the nut.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 638
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
I ended up having to use my impact wrench and my dad biting into the socket with a Rigid pipe wrench on the socket w/ a 3 foot cheater bar. It actually popped off REALLY fast doing it that way after breaking two breaker bars on it w/ previous attempts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,858
Likes: 7
From: Santa Maria CA
Why struggle? Do this.
Even if they charge you a few dollars it's worth it. You're not struggling anymore.
Just get it to a local tire shop and have one of their workers quickly loosen it with an air gun. Have them tighten it back on enough to get you home. Then resume your work. On my other car, I struggled trying to break loose an extremely tight hub nut on one side. I think it gets this tight because of the direction of the threads. That's the reason bicycles have left hand threads on the pedal cranks. I had a 7 foot steel beam cranking over a 3 foot breaker bar and still wouldn't budge. Tried PB Blaster, tapping with a hammer etc. Nothing worked. The breaker bar was bending at an extreme amount. I said "Fk this" and gave up. Drove to the nearest tire shop. The guy took it off in about half a second with an air gun and for free. I felt like an idiot for not doing that sooner.
Last edited by 86PACER; Apr 3, 2007 at 03:39 AM.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,723
Likes: 11
From: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,598
Likes: 0
From: indianapolis indiana
i just did this whole job using a 60 dollar electric impact wrench from j c whitley. no sweet at all.....except fred beans sending the bearing for my 05 not my 90.....them trying to fix my mistake that wasn't a mistake....lol! i got the axel bolt and all six flang bolts with this method. made it very EASY FOR A JOB THAT GM WANTED 1800.00 TO DO!
