Ok, I admit, I didn't think ahead. So, the other weekend, I completely stripped the rear suspension off my 280Z. Evernthing from struts to differential. Going to redo everything, just like the front suspension. So what is the problem? I didn't remove the axle nuts before taking the struts off! :stupid:

I've read all the "techniques" for removing this nut while on the car. I tried the following: bolted the strut to the wheel, and had 400+ lb of wife and 2 children stand on the tire. With the 3 foot breaker bar I have on it, I could spin them around without all that much trouble. I figured rubber on garage floor with 400 lbs of weight would provide more friction! So, I'm now trying to figure out some way to attach the hub to something else immobile so I can go after this nut. I did try my (cheap) impact wrench, and it didn't so much as even think about budging. But I didn't think it would. Worst case, I'll take it someplace and let them get the darned things off, but I hate admitting defeat!

So, any ideas here for the terminally stupid (me)?

Edit: After reading this again, I wanted to make clear that's 400 lb total of wife + children, not a 400 lb wife, and then children! :tapemouth

I'm not familiar with the 280Z but do the nuts have the peened over edge? If so, you definately need the carefully cut or grind these away before removal.

Lay the tire face down and stand upon it, a good impact gun should do the rest of the work for you. It may require a 3/4 or larger gun if your 1/2 impact is of the dime store variety (harbor frieght, northern tools, etc.).

  ezzzzzzz said:

I'm not familiar with the 280Z but do the nuts have the peened over edge? If so, you definately need the carefully cut or grind these away before removal.

Lay the tire face down and stand upon it, a good impact gun should do the rest of the work for you. It may require a 3/4 or larger gun if your 1/2 impact is of the dime store variety (harbor frieght, northern tools, etc.).

280Z is the same as the 240Z for this part. My gun is a 250ft-lb max model which is of the "dime store variety" (you got that right!). I'd rather not invest several hundred $ just to get these nuts off (buying a good, new gun). So I'll take it somewhere before I do that. But a long breaker bar and elbow grease should do the job IF I can hold the assembly solid like it would have been had I removed this nut before taking the struts off the car.

And on the peening, there seems to be varying opinions. I had another thread on a similar subject where some said remove and some didn't. The factory manual and a couple of after market manuals specifically say don't. So far, I can't get enough torque on the thing to see if I can get it off without removing the peening. I wanted to try that first before breaking out the dremel....so I have to figure out how to hold it in place...

How about a long piece of wood or angle iron drilled in the middle to take 2 of the wheel studs, and then bracing the 2 ends of the wood/steel against something solid (like a between 2 house walls or something)

I did something similar on my car a few years back.

hope it helps

Andrew

Mark,

If you have a good bench vise (if you don't, then get one) mounted on a fairly sturdy bench you will be ok. The following assumes you have a wooded bench.

Lag screw your work bench to the wall studs.

Lag screw a block of hard wood to bench top (the width to fit between wheel studs, and the height to axle flange when vise is clamped to strut tube.). Make it long enough to get plenty of screws in it spaced far apart to resist lots of torque.

Put a 4' breaker (6' even better) bar on your biggest socket handle (plain swivels are cheaper to replace than ratchets)

Turn nut towards wall studs (you will find the lags screws keep bench from lifting off of floor. Believe me!).

Give your buddy a beer to help you push on breaker bar(well worth it)

Oh yah, grind the freaking crimp off the nuts like I told you before.

I've done it this way before (believe it or not).

sounds like a pasin in the arse. Why not put it back on the car and then take it off? Or is that evan possible?

  panchovisa said:

Lag screw your work bench to the wall studs.)

Concrete walls, no studs available. Good 36"x80" bench top, though. Nice Record Woodworking vice, but I've been meaning to get a "real" vice....

  panchovisa said:

Put a 4' breaker (6' even better) bar on your biggest socket handle (plain swivels are cheaper to replace than ratchets)

I've got a 24" breaker bar and a couple feet of pipe right now. I could get more pipe....

  panchovisa said:

Turn nut towards wall studs (you will find the lags screws keep bench from lifting off of floor. Believe me!).

Give your buddy a beer to help you push on breaker bar(well worth it)

I'm SO not looking forward to this... :sick: But the beer sounds good!

  panchovisa said:

Oh yah, grind the freaking crimp off the nuts like I told you before.

OK, OK! :classic:

  panchovisa said:

I've done it this way before (believe it or not).

  abas said:

How about a long piece of wood or angle iron drilled in the middle to take 2 of the wheel studs, and then bracing the 2 ends of the wood/steel against something solid (like a between 2 house walls or something)

I've got a 10 foot 2x6 with nothing better to do. Maybe I can combine this with panchovisa's ideas....I wonder if it will take the force needed?

  billramsey2002 said:

sounds like a pasin in the arse. Why not put it back on the car and then take it off? Or is that evan possible?

I'd have to reassemble the entire rear end of the car - diff mounts, A-arms, rear hanger mounts, and then the struts. LOTS of work. If I can't do it off the car, it's off to a shop that has a BIG air gun. Tonight's work...

  mdbrandy said:

the force...... ?

Luke, I'm your father!

Might I suggest heating up the nut with a torch then trying your impact gun again. I have used this trick on many a stuck nut.

Much luck to you,

Chris

I used a couple of lug nuts to attach the hub to a wheel (with tire), lay on ground and have your biggest friend stand on the tire. Get a 4' cheater bar attached to your ratchet and it should come off.

Mark, use concrete anchors to fasten bench to wall. Remenber it's 250 ft-lbs lubed and un-crimped (way f-ing higher crimped!).

Matria you must have some way heavy homies and some very sticky tires!