Axle Nut

[Bohdan]

Greetings,

Upon removing the axle nut, I have read that the E-brake needs to be on and wheels chocked. Would it be advisable to have it in gear too? Mighty obliged.

[63ziggy]

Not sure of recommendation

I would not think you would want in gear. I would think that would put unnecessary strain.

my tranny was out when I pulled my rear end axles apart etc. I had no problem breaking them free.

[kubelmann]

The rear axle nut should be installed with big torque (217 foot pounds) This requires at least that much resistance on the axle to allow the nut to come free. Here are a list of easy ways to load the rear axle shaft to make removing the 36 mm nut easy.

Parking the car up-hill or down-hill with the front wheels tucked into the curb...

Gravity will now work for you as you loosen the nut against gravity. Using this tip, you would have to get the wheel and the entire weight of the car to roll uphill. (not likely...) This method is not the safest as it does require the inherantly unsafe parking of a car on hill.

Setting the Ebrake pushes one of the rear brake shoes against the drum. This creates minor resistance agains the tool removing the nut. This method can work, especially if the nut has been removed in past decade or so.

Put the car in reverse gear. This loads the axle with the combined resistance of the gears int he transmission the clutch plate assembly and the engine’s compression.... Stronger than the Ebrake method. But still usually works when the nut has been removed the distant past...
There are a few different special tools (Torque Meister, Torque Dude and others) for removing this nut that increase torque advantage... I use a 5’ military track breaker bar hooked into the end eyelet of my 18” long 1960 P-600 Ford Parcel Delivery Truck’s 1 1/2” forged steel lug wrench... My badd ass set-up has removed and installed 100s of rear VW axle nuts ~ first time every time... I have never had a stuck 36 mm rear nut since 1972..

[cecil]

Get a TorqueMeister from Kimco. No need to have breaks on, in gear, etc.
Works on axle nuts, flywheel and the kitchen sink!

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I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented....I forgot where I was going with this
I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus."

[Bohdan]

Thanks guys. After pb blaster for two days, it came off quite easy Mighty obliged fellow vw'ers

[Semper_Dad]

TorqueMeister is great. Definitely more civilized than a breaker bar. I've only used mine about 4 times but loans it out plenty of time in exchange for liquid refreshments.
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