Axle nut removal

[rammstein]

I have a Bentley manual, and this is still confusing me. Here are my questions:

1. How large is the axle nut? I ask because I don't have anything that big (I checked last night), and I am going to need buy an impact socket that size after work on my way home, and my wife is gonna have to drive me so I don't want to guess wrong.

2. Do I really need this special pulling tool that they talk about? Don't you just pull out the axle? I don't get it...

In other news, the new axles that I ordered arrived yesterday. They are minty fresh, all shiny and new. I am hoping that all I need to do is use an impact wrench to get off this nut and then pull out old, stick in new, bolt on new nut and bolt to diff and consume beer. Can I do this?

EDIT- I torque the nut 144-155ft.lbs? I don't even think my torque wrench goes that high. Shit.

[Gobig_us]

1. IIRC it's a 30MM

2. Sometimes they like to come out other times they don't. I made a tool simular to what the bentley says to use and I used a 1" piece of steel and it got bent to shit trying to get the axle off. I used my tool, plenty of heat and a BFH to get it off. Good luck!

[drumad]

1. IIRC it's a 30MM

2. Sometimes they like to come out other times they don't. I made a tool simular to what the bentley says to use and I used a 1" piece of steel and it got bent to shit trying to get the axle off. I used my tool, plenty of heat and a BFH to get it off. Good luck!

My driver side came out with a couple whacks of a hammer.

My passenger side required a jaw puller and an impact hitting that puller.

There's a picture on here with someone using a press and still no being able to get it out. so YMMV.

[rammstein]

I'm just confuzzled I guess.. why would I want to PULL it... wouldn't I just want to stick somthing hard in the hole (like a socket) and whack it with a hammer? What am I missing? Or are they just using the word pull when they really mean push? I'm just a very literal man.

[rammstein]

Also, when the Bentley says to install a new lockplate, what are they talking about? The little metal dome over the axle hole? My rear wheels don't even have those.

[tonywonder]

sounds like you need to read the manual a little more closely. the special puller too is for hub and bearing removal and installation.

also the puller for the axle will grab the hub and push the axle through the back. just think about it a bit. it makes sense. you will want to do this if the axle is seized to the hub.
start by using a hammer and a chizel pick. it should come out with some good wacks.

do not use heat. if its stuck use penetrating oil and some patience.

use NEW axle nuts and NEW lockplates (last thing to go in after you reinstall the axle and locks the nut in place). also get anti seize lubricant for the new axle. you will also need a size 8mm allen wrench socket for the part that connects the axle to the differential. have fun. the hardest part is getting the axles out if they are stuck.

[rammstein]

OK- I already have the axles disconnected from the diff- the diff is actually out too so I have lots of room to manuever.

I'll get crazy with the anti-seize. I use that stuff on everything.

I bought new axles and they came with new nuts, but I am not sure about the lock plates. I'll have to look at it when I get home.

EDIT- ok- I looked at the bentley again. I understand what the lockplate is now. Its the plate with the three notches in it under the nut. I just hope that the new axles came with these. Otherwise I'll have to go to the friggen dealer parts department on Saturday.

[rammstein]

I think what confused me was this language from the bentley:

"Installation is the reverse of removal. Lubricate the inner surface of the axle nut with oil. Torque the inner CV jOint internal-hex-head bolts to 58 to 63 Nm (42 to 46 ft. lb.). Torque the axle nut to 195 to 210 Nm ( 144 to 155 ft. lb.) , and install a new lockplate."

The last part seems to imply that you would put the lockplate on after the nut, if you treat the statement as a representation of chronological order.

[jlevie]

The lock plate goes on under the nut. A drift and a sledge will almost always get the axles out of the hub. Getting new ones in can be a challenge and there is a special tool for this. But a through cleaning of the splines in the hub, to the point that they are bright metal, will usually allow the new axles to slide wiouth extreme difficulty.

[rammstein]

Thanks for the help everyone. So I am hoping that the extra space afforded to me by not having the diff installed will assist me in getting these in. I just looked and the axles didn't come with new lockplates, so I am shit out of luck now until I can get to a dealer. Shit.

[rammstein]

Update- well the nut that came with the new axles is 32MM, so I looked all over and bought a 32MM socket. I discovered that Sears and Home Depot don't sell those. You have to go to an Autoparts store. I learned that Home Depot sucks, and Advanced Auto was actually not bad.

Here's the fun part. I got home, and the nuts on the car are 30MM as everyone seemed to think. So now I need to go back out tonight and get a 30MM socket as well. In addition to finding 2 lockplates from the dealer, if they have them. Times like this make leased cars seem attractive. E30 is lucky I like it right now :(

[shiboujin]

I think early model are 30 and late are 32. I'm not entirely sure. I ran into the same issue. I even bought a 31mm for shits and giggles.

[browntown]

Not to throw everything off, but I think the front wheels are 36mm so you'll need another socket if you do those. Here's the lovely part, the hubs dont allow enough room for thick walled impact sockets, soooo go get the crapsman sockets, wear a faceshield and impact on the chrome sockets, return and replace.

[rammstein]

Luckily I am not doing anything to the fronts. This all started when I was changing the differential. Then my right rear shock puked out its oil, and I also saw the worn out CV boots. And so the cascade of shit began.

Sears had nothing for me. The biggest they had was 27MM.

The 32 is in fact the non-impact chrome type, so I will put goggles on and pray. When I go back to autozone tonight for the 30mm though, I am pretty sure they actually had the 30 in impact so I should be ok on that.

Even though I couldn't take the existing nuts off last night, I put the socket in there and spun it around to see how deep I could get it in there, and it left a ring on the lockplate, so I THINK it will fit in there ok- but I see what you mean- there isn't much room for a thick socket, that's for sure.

I think after tonight, if I have any more setbacks I may enlist the sawzall/chopsaw/dynamite. And from what I have read, having the right sockets/parts is just the beginning, so there may be anger for me and lulz for you all in the near future.

It's weird coming to work in the morning in a standard professional environment with blackened, bloodied hands. I should be driving a new car like the rest of these guys. What is wrong with me...

[rammstein]

Update: Armed with a 30MM socket and impact wrench, the nuts came off NO problem. I am officially in love with my impact wrench.

Axle #1 came out with moderate hammering, but then to actually get it off the car I had to push up the trailing arm, because the sway bar was in the way. I assume on a stock car this isn't an issue. Axle #2 did not want to come loose. Torch plus a much angrier style of hammering got it out.

Tonight/tomorrow begins reassembly, and hopefully an end to this chapter.