Question on removing the rear hub nut

[Grumblebuns]

I'm attempting to remove the nut used on the rear axle/hub for the first time ever in my Europa ownership. Anyone have a safer method of removing the rear hub/axle retaining nut than what I'm using? I'm not looking forward to getting a face full of crowbar should something slip. Having the damaged trailing arm at a weird angle also doesn't help.
From the condition of the washer used to secure the nut, it's not the first time the nut has been off on this car.

With the breaker bar and pipe extension, the nut is not budging. The use of heat may be next on the agenda.

[BDA]

IIRC, I used a similar technique to loosen the nut. I used an impact wrench so I could keep my face clear of the breaker bar I was using to keep the hub from turning (using a similar technique). I guess some heat would be a good idea in case the PO was wearing a belt and suspendery and used Loctite and the washer. You'll almost certainly need heat when you go to pull the hub off the stub axle.

[jbcollier]

Put the drum and wheel back on, get your beautiful assistant to apply the brakes, and stand o  beaker bar.

[EuropaTC]

Hi there,

I use a similar variation on what you have only instead of a crowbar I now use a length of steel which is drilled to accept two wheel studs and then bolted on the hub. It's chunky steel, probably 1/4" - 3/8" and 1.5-2" wide. It's heavy and I jam it against a wooden block.  I use a fixed rather than ratchet wrench on the socket to get it started and normally start off with the blowtorch rather than wait to progress to it.

Although it's unavailable to you on this car I also leave the car in gear as well. In the past I've used the heaviest screwdriver I could jam between the arms of the U-Joint yoke; that proved I had an excellent method of producing screwdrivers which would go round corners.....       However as you've no gearbox to stabilize things it might be a worthwhile add-on to what you've got already.

If all else fails, there's always Mr Grinder and a new hub nut ?

Brian

[Grumblebuns]

Thanks for all of the tips. I wish I could use the rear brakes to keep the rear hub from moving but with no brake hydraulics, that's out. I'll try Brian's steel bar technique later on this week along with heat and an impact gun. Grinding the nut will be the last resort.

Joii Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca

[Certified Lotus]

I used a torch and it came right off. Same as you Joji, couldn't get the nut off irrespective of the size bar used.

[Esprit2]

I use a smaller pry bar... the kind made out of flat stock instead of hex-bar.   Slide it through the U-joint yoke from top to bottom.   Let the long leg hang down so that it interferes with the lower suspension link.   I have a 3/4" drive ratchet set with a long handle.   I also have a 6' length of left over exhaust pipe.   Slide the pipe over the handle and use it as a cheater bar.   Apply a little heat from a propane torch, and a good pull on the long pipe gets the nut off without any real strain on my part.

In a pinch, I've also slipped a long 3/8" extension through the U-joint yoke instead of the pry bar.

Regards,
Tim Engel

[Esprit2]

Just to be clear...
With the U-joint assembled and the halfshaft in place, there's a gap between the yoke and U-joint's cross that's wide enough for a flat pry bar or long extension.   I'm not talking about putting a bar through the bores of an empty yoke.

Regards,
Tim Engel

[StephenH]

I followed the lead of some others and built a tool from an old wheel center (with same stud spacing) that stops the hub rotating.
Cut off the rim and weld a long arm onto the wheel centre, when bolted back up to the hub the arm is in contact with the ground and the weight of the vehicle is in play, no need to worry about brakes or the axle turning, it's not going anywhere.
Use a quality socket (tight fitting to the nut) and long bar (I have a 1mtr long one) so you can control the force used.
Bit of appropriate heat, job done.