Rear Stub Axle Disassembly

[mdbrandy]

Ok, I've been reading all the threads on disassembling the rear stub axle/bearings since I'm about ready to do that on my 280Z (dropped out the entire rear suspension yesterday, and am going to do all the bushings, shocks, springs, etc. at once). First question: the axle nut. Several posts have indicated to dremel off the peening before removing the nut. That makes sense. However, the 1978 280Z factory manual has a big bold warning:

"Note: do not release caulking when removing the rear wheel bearing lock nut."

I'm assuming the that manual's term "caulking" is the same as peening the nut, since the manual instructs to caulk the nut after reinstallation. Do you think this is a typo and they really meant "do not FORGET TO release it"? Why wouldn't you want to?

Second question: one reason I'm getting into this is because I need to install longer wheel studs on the rear, and it looks to me like there is no way to do that without pulling the axle out of the hub anyway. Anyone know if there is anyway to install longer wheel studs without pulling the axle?

Thanks.

[Ed]

If your using an impact wrench leave the peening alone. It will come right off. If you dremmel the nut then you will distroy it and you will have to get a replacement (good luck). You can also use a small punch and knock the peening out to relieve some pressure. On mine it had some type of thread lock stuff in the threads. Not sure if it came from the factory with some kind of thread lock.

[panchovisa]

mdbrandy, consider the axel nuts disposable.

I have torn apart four hubs without grinding off peened area and have had to chase the axel (not disposable!) threads on all four. Plus you can figure the torque needed to un-screw the nuts at twice what they were torqued at (R.F.T.).

Buy new nuts and grind old ones away.

No way to change studs without pulling axel.

[panchovisa]

Mark, in the manual do they show removing the stub axel with the suspension ON the car? Maybe "caulking" is Japliguish for chalking (wheel chocks)?

I had no problem getting replacement nuts a few years ago. Still have some fairly good ones if you need them.

[jmortensen]

I cut the peened area off the nut first whenever I do them. If you do it carefully you will do minimal damage to the threads which is quickly cleaned with a thread file. BTW 280ZXT nuts will fit and are staked so they don't require peening, and are easier to get off if you have to get in there again.

If you have stock drums just drill a hole in the backing plate and you don't need to pull the stubs to install your longer studs.

[mdbrandy]

Mark, in the manual do they show removing the stub axel with the suspension ON the car? Maybe "caulking" is Japliguish for chalking (wheel chocks)?

Nope. Don't think so. Step 5 in reassembly is "Caulk wheel bearing locknuts securely after tightening".

[mdbrandy]

If your using an impact wrench leave the peening alone. It will come right off. If you dremmel the nut then you will distroy it and you will have to get a replacement (good luck). You can also use a small punch and knock the peening out to relieve some pressure. On mine it had some type of thread lock stuff in the threads. Not sure if it came from the factory with some kind of thread lock.

Interesting. I have been using an impact wrench, but it is a fairly cheap one that I think is only rated to about 250 ft-lb. There is some red goop on the nut and shaft that does look like thread lock of some sort. I can't get back to it until later in the week, so I'll investigate whether I can get new nuts before I do anything. Everything else on the rear end is apart right now (even the spindle pins!), so the bearings are about the last thing to take apart before cleanup and reassembly.

Thanks.

[mdbrandy]

I cut the peened area off the nut first whenever I do them. If you do it carefully you will do minimal damage to the threads which is quickly cleaned with a thread file. BTW 280ZXT nuts will fit and are staked so they don't require peening, and are easier to get off if you have to get in there again.

If you have stock drums just drill a hole in the backing plate and you don't need to pull the stubs to install your longer studs.

That's the second reference to the 280ZX nuts that I've seen. Maybe they're more available than the original ones...I shall check this week.

I thought about the hole in the backing plate method. It'd have to be a pretty big hole to get the stud head through. I guess I'd rather not do that if I don't have to. I'll investigate getting the axle apart first. I might as well do the bearings while I have the entire rear end off the car anyway...

Thanks.

[dhoneycutt]

You can still get the 280zx axle nuts. I ordered a set about 6 months ago from courtesy nissan. FWIW I had to use not just big...but honking big impact wrench to get the original peened axle nuts off. I'm just glad it didn't damage the stub axles in the process.

[mdbrandy]

You can still get the 280zx axle nuts. I ordered a set about 6 months ago from courtesy nissan. FWIW I had to use not just big...but honking big impact wrench to get the original peened axle nuts off. I'm just glad it didn't damage the stub axles in the process.

Glad that the nuts are still available. Hopefully 6 months hasn't changed that!

My gun definately isn't "honking big", so I may end up doing some sort of 4 foot breaker bar or something. We shall see...

[Bambikiller240]

Glad that the nuts are still available. Hopefully 6 months hasn't changed that!

My gun definately isn't "honking big", so I may end up doing some sort of 4 foot breaker bar or something. We shall see...

Mark: When you get ZX axle nuts (I'm assuming that you will), would you please post the part number for us?

ATM I don't need to do this job, but I will be trying to get the parts needed to rebuild the Rear Axles in the near future, just so that I have them when the need arises.

Thanks in Advance,

carl

[V8-240Z]

This is what I have listed for the ZX outer axle nut.

Outer axle flange nut for 24OZ-28OZ PN 43262-W12O2 (28OZX part)