Thread: How To: Change Yor Axles (Barney style w/ photos)

Really, you could even use a carpenters hammer or whatever you have around. I bet it would be good enough. You shouldn't need a mini-sledge or anything. Although maybe you do. Mine always just come out pretty easily from what I recall.

Tried to work on the car today. I ended up breaking my breaker bar trying to get the axle nut off. Damn axle nut is on there tight. Would a shop loosen it for me if I gave them some monies? Or will they not do it for liability reasons? Maybe I should try it this way
http://youtu.be/w_um-77hZWY

The drivers side axle nut isn't reverse threaded is it?

No, it's standard thread. Just can be really really damn stuck sometimes. You can ask a shop, but I know if someone came in and asked me to do it at mine, we'd say no unless the work gets done here (for liability as you said).

I kind of figured a shop wouldn't want to loosen the nut. I probably wouldn't do it either. I'm going to wait till after Thanksgiving to try again. Going to hit the nut with puhboo and let it sit over night. That's what I did with the right side last year and it worked. Hope it works again.

Have any of you guys loosened the axle nut with the wheel on the car? In the Haynes manual it says to wedge a pry bar between the lugs and let the bar rest on the floor? Why not just loosen it with the wheel installed?

I've always loosened it with the car on the ground. 1/2" breaker bar, socket, and a 2' pipe to slide onto the breaker bar for better leverage. Never fails, and makes it a lot easier.

If it's never been removed, I would suggest spraying it down with a good penetrating oil overnight before you try again.

That's what i'm saying. I wonder why the Haynes manual doesn't say to do it like that. Seems to be the easiest way to do it, with the car on the ground.

They must have been laughing when they wrote that part. As long as you don't overdo it, and just break it loose, I really don't see a problem with it being on the ground. The way that manual says to do it just seems like a lot of trouble that can be avoided.

Will a 2-1/2 lbs dead blow hammer be good enough? Or should I get the 4 lbs one? I got the axle nut loose though. It took both of my brothers and a cheater bar to crack it loose.