spindle nut keeps breaking breaker bars

[jaemil369]

I've went through 3 now. I've used half a can of wd-40. So I have access to an air gun Wednesday, will this be safe? I need to keep my passenger side but replacing drivers cause of auto to manual swap. Any help or suggestions is appreciated

[Tippey764]

There is nothing unsafe about using air tools on your car

Why else do you think real shops use them all the time?

[Leung]

use something better than WD40, i don't think that has the power to penetrate rust. I have personally had good results with Liquid Wrench. Maybe apply heat to the nut to get it to expand a little.

Worst comes to worst, you could always cut off the spindle nut and get a new one, who cares if you damage the threads on the driver side axle because just like you said you're going to replace it with a manual one.

[Jarrett]

Did you unstable the nut? It's not normally a big deal but sometimes people stake the hell out of those nuts when putting them back on.

[thepowderblue]

Are you talking about the axle nut?
The only way I have ever used is a impact.

[Leung]

Are you talking about the axle nut?
The only way I have ever used is a impact.

same. My craftsman air compressor and the impact gun that came with it zips it off like it was nothing. In the past i have seen my father use a breaker bar with like a 5 foot pipe to break it loose.

[Jarrett]

Also, this may be moot since you're too the point of breaking breaker bars but when I remove an axle nut I stick a #3 Phillips screwdriver into one of the games of the rotor so that it catches on the caliper bracket. Doing that coupled with someone pressing the brakes will ensure the rotor from spinning.

[danf20bcb7]

either mac ,matco or strapon breaker bar should do the trick, i prefer mac or matco mainly cause snap on is overpriced 1 step better than craftsman junk. my 36" matco never let me down. not sure if your using a cheap bar or not.

[Tippey764]

Also, this may be moot since you're too the point of breaking breaker bars but when I remove an axle nut I stick a #3 Phillips screwdriver into one of the games of the rotor so that it catches on the caliper bracket. Doing that coupled with someone pressing the brakes will ensure the rotor from spinning.

You're supposed to remove the axle nut before you lift up the car or even remove the wheel.

[thepowderblue]

Use heat. Get that mothereffer red hot and try.

[mtnbikaah]

I've used just a 1/2" ratchet with a 5 foot pipe instead of a breaker bar, less movement. Have yet to break a Craftsman 1/2" ratchet. I've never actually used air or impact on an axle nut.

[danf20bcb7]

I've used just a 1/2" ratchet with a 5 foot pipe instead of a breaker bar, less movement. Have yet to break a Craftsman 1/2" ratchet. I've never actually used air or impact on an axle nut.

lol i snapped 3 brand new 1/2 craftsman ratchets taking off the 19 mill crank bolt. thats when i decided to invest in my tools a little more.

[HardInThePaint]

Yeah I'm not sure why you used WD-40... PB Blaster or like dude said Liquid Wrench would probably be best. And if you have access to an impact then that would probably be ideal though I've always just used a breaker bar.

Also, this may be moot since you're too the point of breaking breaker bars but when I remove an axle nut I stick a #3 Phillips screwdriver into one of the games of the rotor so that it catches on the caliper bracket. Doing that coupled with someone pressing the brakes will ensure the rotor from spinning.

Lol, Jarrett why would you do that its a WHOLE lot easier to just remove the nut with the wheel still on the ground.

You're supposed to remove the axle nut before you lift up the car or even remove the wheel.

Lol, word.

[Jarrett]

Two reasons:

Most of the time I'm removing axle nuts is at the junkyard where the wheels are off and the car is in the air.

Also, I'd rather load the shaft of the screwdriver and the rotor than I would stress the axle shaft which in turn stresses the transmission. I'm not saying its not acceptable by any means. Only that I think my way is better for the reasons I gave.

[blk93]

ive used the long flathead technique when my car was off the ground

and on, big ass breaker bar and stand on it. lol.