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Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:52 pm

how the heck do you get that thing off? I just tried for 30-40 minutes. had a four foot pipe on the ratchet. had the front wheel blocked and was still moving the van backwards (I have a gravel driveway). hit it with PB Blaster too,multiple times. what is the correct size socket to use on it? I have a
1 13/16 socket which I know is not right. (the guy I bought the van from gave me this monster ratchet and socket. at the time I thought " I'll never need that thing" it must weigh 10-15 lbs and was used for semi's or heavy equipment.) just the passenger side is stuck,the drivers side came off easy. well not easy,but it came off. may have to take it to the tire shop in the morning to have them loosen it for me. I'm going to install new rear brakes in the morning if I can get the dang thing off of there.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=377844

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:02 pm

You don't "need" to take off the rear hub to do the brakes but it does make it easier. Just a FYI.

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:12 pm

If your bound and determined to get that hub nut off, do yourself a big favor and tsake it to a truck shop and have them break it loose with a 3/4" or 1" impact.

Run them back down to get it home, and then run them off by hand.

It'll knock off all of the snot on the threads and make the job a bunch easier.(But you still don't HAVE to remove the hub to do a rear brake job.)

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:20 pm

Get it hot and use some wax.

Thank you,

David

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:24 pm

syncrodoka wrote: You don't "need" to take off the rear hub to do the brakes but it does make it easier. Just a FYI.
I didn't think it needed to be off to do the brakes. I need it off to check the wheel bearings,I was thinking about re-packing them as well as doing the brakes. is there a good way to check them to see if they need done?

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:26 pm

camerahunter wrote: Get it hot and use some wax.
forgive my ignorance,but what's the wax for?

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:27 pm

Heat is the ticket--your right.

I omit that thought here because it seems nobody seems to want to invest in the correct torch equipment.

Propane & Map Gas ( alone ) isn't going to do squat to get that nut hot enough to spin off of that axle.

If you had a map gas & oxygen mixer--it'd work good.

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:30 pm

The wax will get sucked between the nut & the axle to help break it loose.

Anyway you look at it, you have to get the stub axle outa there to inspect & repack the bearings.

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:31 pm

Terry Kay wrote: Heat is the ticket--your right.

I omit that thought here because it seems nobody seems to want to invest in the correct torch equipment.

Propane & Map Gas ( alone ) isn't going to do squat to get that nut hot enough to spin off of that axle.

If you had a map gas & oxygen mixer--it'd work good.

no torch. just a a little propane thingy from Harbor Freight,a glorified cigarette lighter really. I only use it to light my cigars and start the burn pile.

Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:46 pm

I had a stuck O2 sensor a while back and found the wax tip on here. I knew about it from years ago but forgot all about it. You don't need to get it real hot, the wax will get in there fine. It's worth a try.
Also striking the wrench/racket hard and fast might break it loose. Not too hard though or you could bust something.
One thing I had to do to get my old brake calipers off my 1971 Ford F250 that had never been off is put the breaking bar on and use a 8ft 2x4 wedged under the end of the bar and pull up on the board. 1st one broke, flipped i tall side up and down instead of flat and they came right off.

Thank you,

David

Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:16 am

Use a longer cheater bar!

Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:30 am

block the fronts/ or someone with the foot on the brakes to keep it from rolling, a nice fence post/ 46mm socket & breaker bar. walk it counter clockwise.

Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:42 am

Terry Kay wrote: Heat is the ticket--your right.

I omit that thought here because it seems nobody seems to want to invest in the correct torch equipment.

Propane & Map Gas ( alone ) isn't going to do squat to get that nut hot enough to spin off of that axle.

That is such bogus nonsense and that's why you get disagreement every time you say it. Mapp gas will get that nut glowing brightly it will just take a fair amount longer than oxy-acetylene. If you posted a poll asking how many folks who had used propane or Mapp gas had had success with removing stuck fasteners, the overwhelming response would be positive. In fact YOU, Terrence, are the only person I know of who has supposedly used Mapp gas on stuck fasteners without success. That says much more about you than it does the heat source. Granted oxy-acetylene will work faster and perhaps easier, but to say that propane or Mapp gas will not do anything is completely absurd.

Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:23 am

If you dont have an impact and 46mm socket then get yourself an "axle nut removal" tool they sell them at the Depot for $7.95

http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=5747

Its a hunk of iron that you whack with a 5lb sledge. It works better than a breaker bar for getting the nut off. Its torqued to like 350 ft/lbs per bently.

Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:24 am

Give a look see at the pic with the wrenches on the nuts

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...p;start=20

I have only had one nut that i had to use Mapp gas on to get loose. I, like Andrew lib use mapp or propane. The machine repair shop i used to work at used it to loosen every thing from nuts to stuck bearings. I would avoid acl/trorch if you can.

good luck.

jcl

Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:37 am

If anyone is curious on how to get an accurate torque on assembly without a torque wrench that goes that high, the answer is simple. Divide the torque spec in ft lbs by your weight in lbs and place a mark on the cheater pipe that many feet from the fulcrum (nut). Then orient the cheater so that pressure is placed on it with it horizontal. Stand on the cheater at the mark (no hands). For example if the torque spec is 369 ft. lbs and you weight 170 lbs, then 369/170 = 2.17 feet. convert .17 feet to inches and you get 2.04. So, place your mark 2 feet two inches from the center of the nut. With the bar horizontal, that is actually a more accurate torque than one can achieve with any version of torque wrench, provided the the force of your weight is applied accurately to the mark.

Andrew

Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:40 am

phatveedub wrote: Use a longer cheater bar!
the one I have is 4 feet long.

Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:42 am

I used the EMPI tool and a hammer:

Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:01 am

I have done it three different ways, and each requires it's own degree of persistence. Block the wheels well, and keep the rear end on the ground so the van doesn't move.

Easiest way is with a big ass impact wrench. Maybe cost prohibitive if your just starting out, or don't have an air compressor.

I like the 46mm socket with a 5-foot long cheater bar becuase it doesn't fall off the nut very easily. Stand on the bar as close to the end as you can, hold on to the side of the van (at the rain gutter) and start bouncing. This has always worked for me. Get a friend on there with you if it won't give way.

Next is that wacker tool. Put pressure with a breaker bar and/or cheater bar and hit it hard. Try not to hit your van. After a several wacks it should give.

There's no salt or rust where I live, so maybe you have extenuating circumstances, but one of these three methods has always worked for me.

I always forget about the wax method, but I've heard good things...

good luck

Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:09 am

You can also jack the van up, install the socket and bar so that it is resting against the ground in the correct direction and slowly lower the van. The weight of the van will bust it loose. With any high torque fastener, there is always a considerable risk of injury if tools slip or break. Use good judgement.

Andrew