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Help! Stuck axle impreza

Featured Replies

so I was not thinking and I was using a flat head screw driver to bend that little indented part of the axle nut and I snapped it off... So now the broken tip is acting like a wedge. And i dont own any ampact guns unfortunetly.

What are you using? Get a big breaker bar, and maybe even a piece of pipe on the end of that and use your weight. Other than that, an impact gun is the way to go.

Get a big hammer and a bigger screwdriver and wail on it. Safety goggles recommended.

Most of the time I don't even bother with the pinch spot I just pull through it with the breaker bar and it shears off or bends out of the way.

  • Author

I ended up callin it quits for today. I may just take it to a local 4x4 shop and see if their impact will get it off.

Just a thought.

 

I picked up an AC Delco 1/2" ELECTRIC impact years ago.

 

Comes in handy sometimes where elec may be inconvenient but air is impossible. Overall it doesn't do too bad of a job for what it is.

 

I wanna say 60 bucks or so a few years ago.

I have never used a impact on axle nuts. Use 1/2" drive socket on a breaker bar, and sometimes add a cheater pipe on the end of the bar for extra leverage

 

impacting is not always the right choice

Yep, I've never un-staked those. A punch is probably the best tool if you want to though.

I just put the breaker bar on the nut and jump on it. It'll come off.

I like the good breaker bar and long pipe too. No need to unstake with that. I have used impact too and that works very well but I saw Subaru said they don't recommend using impact because of possible injury to wheel bearings.

I would likely never tighten anything with my new electric impact. And, I would avoid using it for loosening 'long' bolts as they might snap where steady pressure would loosen them.

 

But for removing the axle nut, it's awesome!

  • Author

I'm pretty sure the reason its stuck on is due to me being dumb and jamming the flat head screw driver in that notched part of the axle. once it snapped off I knew I was in trouble. I did use my 1/2" breaker bar and a 2 foot pipe on that and it didn't budge. A friend I gonna try his impact on it tomorrow I'm really hopping that works. Its funny as soon a I broke the screw driver I found the chisel I was originally looking for... Figures haha.

Well you can always use my giant snap on impact at my work bro. Since ur brother and you will be there tomorrow anyways lol

plenty of PB blaster and a LLOOONNNGGG pipe. The stake wont matter, since if the nut would unscrew, it would unscrew past the stake.

 

This worked for me:

(language warning, loose swear words)

Edited by MilesFox

  • Author

Wow now im really hoping my axle nut is not stuck as bad as that one was. I think I would have mounted that nut on the shop wall as a trophy! Haha

I had a really stuck one once. I put the wheel back on. Put the breaker bar on the axle nut. Put a little skid type thing on the end of the breaker bar and actually drove the car. It sort of lifted the wheel off the ground a bit. Then I stepped on the gas some more and BANG!!! It came loose. It was probably a really stupid way of getting it off. but it worked. heh.

If you need to I can also take it loose for you - if sube101 doesn't hook you up with his impact, etc. I can get it off without using an impact. My jedi powers are strong.....:-p

 

GD

  • 4 months later...
  • Author

I know I'm late on the update but yeah impact guns are the way to go it actually took a few good hit with the impact gun to break the nut lose. So it was not gonna come off with hand tools. Boy do I wish I could afford a whole shop equipped with an air system that can run air tools.... someday I guess haha Thanks for the help everyone.

When I was at the junkyard pulling of a knuckle, I had forgotten my punch and a hammer (who goes to the yard with out a damn hammer?:-\) But all I had to do was crank on the axle nut with the breaker bar and jump up and down on it to plow through the indent.

 

Glad you got it off with air power, though :)

JPX

Wow now im really hoping my axle nut is not stuck as bad as that one was

 

Now you know that all you'll need if it *is* stuck that bad is just a spare exhaust system to use as a cheater bar. ;)

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