axel nut removal

[import racer]

ok guys i have to get my axel nut off so i can remove shock,so i can weld up some holes in the wheel well.the idiot that had the car before me broke the pinch bolt.so i need to get the nut off to remove things out of my way to work on it.i don't have an impact gun or compressor.tried a piece of pipe on my breaker bar but it didn't budge and i broke my bar.does anyone have any ideas.

[cygnus x-1]

Those things are a bitch. I had to cut one off with a dremel. Otherwise get a huge 3/4" drive breaker bar and socket.

C|

[russiankid]

What if you got a big breaker bar and jammed it against the concrete and slowly backed the car up in reverse?

[mykwikcoupe]

Those things are a bitch. I had to cut one off with a dremel. Otherwise get a huge 3/4" drive breaker bar and socket.

C|

this is what I had to do after shearing many 1/2 ratchets and bars, soockets and even my impact gun failed eventually. Craftsman 32mm socket and 3/4 in breaker bar was like 50 bucks. Make sure to find a sturdy piece of 6 ft pipe. I put my pipe parallel to the ground and bounced on it till it gave way. Took almost a week to get the passenger side off. All the others Ive done are super easy though

[hewofmatt]

I just did an hour or so ago. I had someone push the brake pedal while having a half inch breaker bar and socket on the axle nut. I then took a floor jack and placed it under the breaker bar and jacked that nut off. It was still difficult to do, but it did work.

[turabaka]

Yeah those are a pain in the ass to get off. I used my dad's 3/4" drive torque wrench that he uses for tightening bolts in structural steel buildings. It's about 3 or 4 feet long. Works perfectly.

[markmdz89hatch]

Yeah those are a pain in the ass to get off. I used my dad's 3/4" drive torque wrench that he uses for tightening bolts in structural steel buildings. It's about 3 or 4 feet long. Works perfectly.

That's one hell of a way to do it.

It's weird because some of the 3G's I've owned, I was able to just loosen it off with a 1/2" breaker bar. Others, not so much. Like Cygnus, I had to resort to a dremmel and carbide wheel to cut mine off once. Then I did what Mike (mykwik) did, and went out and got a 3/4" drive socket and breaker bar. My 3/4" bar is 44" long, and so far I have yet to find anything (on a vehicle) that I couldn't break with just the bar. That thing is my friend.

The best part though is yet to come. If the axle nut was this hard to remove, chances are you're going to end up spinning the head off the lower pinch-fork bolt. That's a bitch to get out once that happens. If that happens though, report back and I can show you a trick my dad showed me like 7 years ago when I did the same thing.

[2oodoor]

first make sure you get the lock tab bent back round again.
... and remember lefty loosy, righty tighty
I take them off with a cordless impact if the 1/2 inch breaker bar with 3 ft. cheater pipe doesnt work. On bugs it is super hard too, I use a 3/4 drive breaker bar and a six foot iron pipe on those ( and some PB blaster of course)

[import racer]

thanks guys i try those ideas and the pinch bolt head is already broke off,was like that when i got it.so any help with would be appreciated.

[russiankid]

When my brother had my car we tried breaker bars and cheater bars. Since he worked at Pepboys he had one of the guys in the shop use their impact gun to get it off. So maybe pay a shop $20 to break them loose for you. I payed a shop $20 to get my crankshaft pulley bolt loose. :thumbup:

[cygnus x-1]

thanks guys i try those ideas and the pinch bolt head is already broke off,was like that when i got it.so any help with would be appreciated.

Do you mean the pinch bolt that clamps the fork to the shock or the bolt that attaches the fork to the lower control arm? I wouldn't drive it that way. If it comes apart while your driving you're going to have a bad time.

For that pinch bolt you can drive a screwdriver or cold chisel into the gap to open the clamp and remove it from the shock. Once out you will need to drill out the bolt and retap the threads. Honestly, if this were mine I would just go to the junkyard and find another fork that doesn't have the bolt snapped off. Much easier than screwing around trying to get the bolt out and retapping.

For the fork to control arm bolt, you will probably have to cut it out. Use a sawzall with a longish metal cutting blade. Cut through the bolt in the space between the fork and control arm. You will definitely need to replace the control arm bushing after doing this though. The bushing sucks to do as well. The easiest way is to take the arm to a shop and have them press in the new bushing. If you have a hydraulic press you can do it yourself, but it's painful.


Can you tell I've done all this before? :D

C|

[markmdz89hatch]

cygnus is right, but the trick I'm speaking of is pretty cool and has worked for me a few times so far with no trouble. Of course, it's damn easy if you can just replace the whole pinch-fork and lower control arm and scrap what's on there now. But I'm willing to get you'll have similar troubles getting the other bolt out of the lca to take the whole damn thing off.

I gotta do a search and see if I can find my old post about how to remove it... if not, I'll just explain it quickly. back in 10.

EDIT: Ok, so short and sweet... ...just snap or cut the head off the bolt if it's not already snapped off (although it sounds like it is). Back the nut off the other end. Now go get yourself a whole pile of washers that will fit over the bolt, or better yet a bunch of washers and a few spacers that'll fit over the bolt if you can get your hands on some. Now pile up the washers until only 4 courses of threads are showing, then thread the nut back on. Now bust out that breaker bar and 14mm socket, and tighten the nut. In effect what you're doing is pulling the bolt through the bushing. You'll need to go only about 1/2"-3/4" then, take the nut off, and pile up more washers. Keep repeating this until you get it out. Don't forget to soak the whole bolt down with PB blaster while you're doing this. As long as you take your time, you'll end up with only needing a new bolt, and won't have to replace any bushings, etc. Do yourself a favor though and order a brand new bolt and nut from Honda (www.hondaautomotiveparts.com) and slop the flutes full of never-seize before reinstalling. I have a diagram of this somewhere, and will post it when i find it.

[cygnus x-1]

^^^^^ That is a good idea if it won't come out any other way. As long as the nut/bolt doesn't strip out in the process.

C|

[import racer]

is the nut on the control arm to fork tacked in place or not?

[markmdz89hatch]

is the nut on the control arm to fork tacked in place or not?

I like it, I like it a lot! Hands a beer to the guy for possibly winning this one. :idea:

Good point, if the head of the bolt has been broken off all this time, there's a damn good chance someone just hit it with a tack weld to keep everything in place.

[cygnus x-1]

is the nut on the control arm to fork tacked in place or not?


It's not supposed to be but... you never know until you look.

C|

[Dr_Snooz]

I fought a crankshaft pulley bolt for a day and a half before giving it up. I went to Harbor Freight and bought a 600 ft-lb impact gun and a pancake compressor. I think all told it was $200. With the new tools, I had the bolt off in less than a second. It was the best money I ever spent.

[hewofmatt]

Whoa, i was just trying to get my damper fork to lower arm bolt off. It's definitely been tacked in place. The nut came right off, but the bolt just stayed there after i beat the crap out of it with a hammer. so i broke the head and tried the nut and washers trick to pull it out and it stripped. I can see where it's been welded now.

Should I just put everything back together? I was taking it off because i wanted to put new shocks in, but the old ones are still ok.

The real question is: will it be safe?

[A18A]

I fought a crankshaft pulley bolt for a day and a half before giving it up. I went to Harbor Freight and bought a 600 ft-lb impact gun and a pancake compressor. I think all told it was $200. With the new tools, I had the bolt off in less than a second. It was the best money I ever spent.

i just put on a breaker bar & a pole over it, & a long ass rod in the pole, had like 2 meters leverage, that made it piss easy to undo it :D

[ghettogeddy]

Whoa, i was just trying to get my damper fork to lower arm bolt off. It's definitely been tacked in place. The nut came right off, but the bolt just stayed there after i beat the crap out of it with a hammer. so i broke the head and tried the nut and washers trick to pull it out and it stripped. I can see where it's been welded now.

Should I just put everything back together? I was taking it off because i wanted to put new shocks in, but the old ones are still ok.

The real question is: will it be safe?

take soem pics if i were you i would replace everything or drill the old bolt out
you can alwas cut the weld as well

[markmdz89hatch]

Whoa, i was just trying to get my damper fork to lower arm bolt off. It's definitely been tacked in place. The nut came right off, but the bolt just stayed there after i beat the crap out of it with a hammer. so i broke the head and tried the nut and washers trick to pull it out and it stripped. I can see where it's been welded now.

Should I just put everything back together? I was taking it off because i wanted to put new shocks in, but the old ones are still ok.

The real question is: will it be safe?


I wouldn't drive on it. Although the weld was so strong it caused the bolt threads to strip, I don't like it. Although it's very minimal, that bolt is supposed to rotate freely in the bushing on the lower control arm (lca), and with it welded in place, you're actually twisting the bushing instead. If I were you, I would do one of two things. ...either use a reciprocating saw and cut the bolt in between the fork and lca bushing so you can get the fork off without damaging it, and then get the old bushing pressed out, and a new one pressed in. Then just buy a new bolt and nut from Honda and you're in business.

The only other option is to hit up a PnP and pull the whole lca/fork assembly (as long as that lower fork bolt is workable). Regardless of which option you pick, I would glob a bunch of never-seize or caliper grease, or some lubricant that won't break down easily and reassemble everything.

[markmdz89hatch]

i just put on a breaker bar & a pole over it, & a long ass rod in the pole, had like 2 meters leverage, that made it piss easy to undo it :D

One of my most recent prize possessions is my 42" Long 3/4" drive breaker bar. This along with a 3/4" drive 32mm 6-point socket, and my stats are still: Breaker bar: undefeated, AxleNut: busted. Hell last time I pulled the axle nuts, I forgot to bang out the divit in the end of the nut before loosening and had no trouble breaking it free.

[2oodoor]

Like Mark said, just go to the junk yard and pull either the bolt or the whole fork.No worries and be done with it.
I just did this out in the junkyard my self yesterday, yes it was a tough one but the cheater bar won. The bolt has ridges in the middle shank, these get corroded because it makes a cavity for dirt and moisture which can make it seize somewhat. I don't understand really why someone would tack weld it :huh:

[markmdz89hatch]

Like Mark said, just go to the junk yard and pull either the bolt or the whole fork.No worries and be done with it.
I just did this out in the junkyard my self yesterday, yes it was a tough one but the cheater bar won. The bolt has ridges in the middle shank, these get corroded because it makes a cavity for dirt and moisture which can make it seize somewhat. I don't understand really why someone would tack weld it :huh:


My guess is some cheap shop took it in for an axle replacement or something like that, which required removal of the lower fork, ended up snapping the head off the bolt, and just tacked it in order to avoid having to do it right due to the expense/time involved. That's a straight up half-assed job right there.

[A18A]

if that's so, then at least something was done about it, leaving it would of been even worse :ugh:

[hewofmatt]

Wow, gentlemen. Thanks for the responses, I think I've partially stolen this thread. I sawed that bolt off today, and I'm going to the junk yards in the morning. I know they have at least four 88 3geez there. I think I'll just get a bolt and fork( I sawed the fork too.. because I'm stupid.) I'll have the bushing pressed out/in at the shop depending if there's a good looking lower arm at the junk yard. Who knows, I may end up buying a parts car.