size of drive axle nut? - need to buy socket

[rwh11385]

I need to Loosen the drive axle nut, but don't have a socket that fits, what size is it?

[rs4pro3]

Ground down 30mm just like Tranny output flange.

[rwh11385]

"ground down" ??

clueless, but am brave enough to venture a guess the outside diameter needs to be filed down? to make it smaller so it can fit??? or something

[James Crivellone]

"ground down" ??

clueless, but am brave enough to venture a guess the outside diameter needs to be filed down? to make it smaller so it can fit??? or something

yep

[rwh11385]

cool. can you explain how, and with what? thanks :D

[nando]

I think it depends on the socket.. the one I have didn't need ground down, fits just fine inside the hub.

[nando]

actually, aren't you just swapping diffs? you don't need to remove the driveshafts from the hub to do that..

[rwh11385]

to remove the subframe and replace all the bushings, yeah. more than just diff. :)

[rs4pro3]

I just did the same thing, I didn't remove them. i wanted to but I stripped one of the bolts going into the diff, so I'll replace them latter. I did it on christmas day and was getting tired.

[nando]

to remove the subframe and replace all the bushings, yeah. more than just diff. :)

you still don't need to remove the halfshafts.. I did the CV boots without touching the hub nuts!

just unbolt them from the diff, it's easy and they'll just drop down. you can also drop the whole subframe/diff/trailing arm assembly as one unit and then take it apart away from the car where it's easier.. at least that's what I did. less crawling around on the ground that way ;)

[rwh11385]

well I was just going off of BEN technical article. fuck yeah!

so I don't need the breaker bar and 30mm socket I just bought.....and tried to use? :evil: oh well.

[AdamF 88iS]

Yea just leave the shafts in the hubs, and remove the trailing arms with them still in there all as one piece.

[nando]

well I was just going off of BEN technical article. fuck yeah!

so I don't need the breaker bar and 30mm socket I just bought.....and tried to use? :evil: oh well.

haha, I'm thinking of all the poor E30 owners out there who've used the same article and are removing their rear driveshafts for no reason! misinformation rules!

yeah, the only time you should ever have to remove the rear nuts is to change your wheel bearings. and even then, that's not something I would want to tackle on my own anyway (without the factory wheel bearing tool at least).

[rwh11385]

misinformation........?


:roll: that's surely an e30 first.......

[Ryan Stewart]

dont blame BEN, even the Bentley says to remove the driveshafts while working on the subframe. I think their intent was to protect the CVs from accidental damage.

I did th whole subframe without pulling those also.