bad day (what size socket for rear axle shaft nut.)

[TopOfTheLine89]

Well today my left rear axle shaft decided to come loose while i was on the highway. Luckily i broke down not far from a parts store where i bought a set of metric allen wrenches and was able to bolt back up my axle and drive it home. Missed a final exam for math.

Anyway i have a new axle ordered from a parts store that i am getting tomorrow for $125. I just wondered what size socket to buy for the axle shaft nut.

Don't really care about breaking down or missing the exam but 125 dollars is a hard hit considering i was just about to start my turbo build this weekend and still need a few things.

[erik325i]

Anyway i have a new axle ordered from a parts store that i am getting tomorrow for $125. I just wondered what size socket to buy for the axle shaft nut.

I think you need a 30mm, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, Don't get a cheap aftermarket axle. They are shitty and you will just end up having to replace it again later.

I bought an aftermarket axle one time for my m3 because hey, you can't go wrong a $100 axle, right? It is skinnier, the bearings are smaller, the quality of the bearing race surfaces are shitty, and they didn't even come packed with grease. After I packed the CV joint with grease, it still failed just rolling my car in and out of the shop a few times. It would bind up and eventually the whole joint fell apart.

I ended up replacing that one with a used stock axle from a member of this forum.

Erik

[TexasTerp]

If you still have time to cancel that order I can pull the rear axle from my parts car. Everything should be in good shape I'll give it to you for much less than $125, say $40 plus shipping?

[thedeal]

If you still have time to cancel that order I can pull the rear axle from my parts car. Everything should be in good shape I'll give it to you for much less than $125, say $40 plus shipping?

Jump on THAT! And yes, it's 30mm

[TopOfTheLine89]

too late to cancel, ill check and see if it has a warranty. and thanks for telling me the socket size.

[87Blue325iC]

Yeah - you kinda jumped the gun on that order. Used OEM axles are all over ebay and you probably could have posted here and had one quick - like the one sitting in my garage less than an hour's drive away from you that I'd have been happy to let go for $40.

[guibo09]

socket is 32 mm.

[TopOfTheLine89]

socket is 32 mm.

Socket was a 30mm as said by others. The new axle is fine for now and just as thick as the stock one. Found out the axle wasn't even the problem all though the old one was a bit loose. Front wheel was coming loose somehow. I just didn't suspect something so simple considering it started happening only after the axle incident.

All is well know even though i spent 160 on unnecessary parts and tools.

[guibo09]

thats weird cuz mine was 32mm. i dont even own a 30mm socket.

im holding the nut in my hand and measuring it with a vernier, 32mm. did it change over the years?

[whiltebeitel]

I need an axle, if anyone's selling! :)

[thedeal]

thats weird cuz mine was 32mm. i dont even own a 30mm socket.

im holding the nut in my hand and measuring it with a vernier, 32mm. did it change over the years?

I too am holding the axle nut in my hand and my calipers say 30!!! weird!

[SpecM]

its a 30mm

[erik325i]

thats weird cuz mine was 32mm. i dont even own a 30mm socket.

im holding the nut in my hand and measuring it with a vernier, 32mm. did it change over the years?

Has your axle ever been replaced? The shitty aftermarket one I bought came with a 32mm nut.

[guibo09]

Has your axle ever been replaced? The shitty aftermarket one I bought came with a 32mm nut.

no definitely not. i have original bmw axles. really weird. we are talking about the large nut on the rear axles held in with the retainer plate?

[guibo09]

alright, i just checked again, turns out the original nut i got is in fact 30mm. it was just so rusted that a 32mm took it off fine. the new nut i measured is a 32mm, but it's for a subaru.