The rear stub axle nuts are off! What a chore that was. After fighting with them for hours in my garage with various arrangements including my small impact wrench, hammers, etc. I uncharacteristically (for me) asked for help.

I brought them to work and our facilities manager let me borrow a real impact wrench. They came off instantly. The lesson is that the right tools can make the most impossible tasks relatively (!) easy. Wish I had asked sooner. In hindsight, I would have broken them with the struts still on the car. That way I could have used a huge lever without the darn axles spinning.

Nice quick fix! Back when I had my 71 240Z which was rusted because I bought it in Maine I got one off the slow way by using a cold chisel and driving that through the side of the nut that wouldn't come off. When it finally split it made a loud "crack" noise. I didn't know about impact wrenches then much less that some worked a lot better than others.

Edited December 6, 201212 yr by Mikes Z car

I used a dremel to cut off the peened part.

You can use 280zx locking nuts when you rebuld. They are "mutilated" in the factory and do not require peening.

Duh, my car is on the blocks for changing differential, Half shaft and stub axles looks that may have fun whit those nuts ...

I warn you buddy, if you used an impact wrench to take off the peened nut without cutting off the peened part, you just ruined all the threads on that axle. Ask me how I know.

Very funny Zedy.....very funny!

U guys use a blue & white apron when you doing this sort a work?

I warn you buddy, if you used an impact wrench to take off the peened nut without cutting off the peened part, you just ruined all the threads on that axle. Ask me how I know.

I, too, am a memeber of that club, but you only do it once.........

The first nut I cut the peened part off, but I was really worried about damaging the threads. I consulted my manual and it said not to unpeen the nut because THAT will damage the threads. So I did not cut the second one. They both came off without damaging the threads. Now I am confused about which was the right approach, but in this case my luck held.

I've removed that nut without unpeening as well, but with a cheater bar, not an impact. Threads were just fine.

We used a re-shaped cold chisel to lift the peened section at the flat area on the axle with good results.