To any of you guys that have taken your axle nut off what setup did you use? I started off with a 18" 1/2" drive ratcheting breaker bar that was suppose to handle 400 ft lbs. I broke that in under a minute. So I go to the part store to get a 24" 1/2" drive breaker bar. I ended up snapping off the part that goes into the socket clean off. So now I am to the point where I am going to take it somewhere or buying a 3/4 inch breaker bar. I just don't want to keep buying and breaking tools. Sidenote, the threads look clean and I have soaked it in PB blaster for a day. I also did use a punch to knock out the dent in the hub nut. I have a air compressor and impact gun but it doesn't have enough power for this nut. This is a Southern California vehicle so it doesn't have much rust. If you can think of anything please let me know. I am going crazy over this.

 

You need at least a 32" 3/4 drive breaker bar but that will barely do it. I use this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...8359_200328359

That one works no problem. Or else you can get a 3/4" impact gun.

 

Thank you lipadj46 for your response. I looked at the 40" breaker bar and it looks like a beast. I also think that I will buy the impact 1" 1/4 socket as well. Would I need a deep socket or regular one? The only other thing that I still can't figure out is how am I going to torque this back to specs? The only torque wrenches I have seen are rated to 250. What did you use?

 

I used a harbor freight 300lb 32" 3/4" drive clicker ($65) and just give it a little extra at the end to estimate the 360lbs. You can use a regular or deep socket. Get a 6 sided impact socket, I also use a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter so I can use my 1/2" impact sockets and don't have to shell out $30 for 1 socket.

Also note that the replacement hub nuts from AB are a bit bigger than 1 1/4" (don't know the exact size), kind of sucks.

 

I just picked up an axle nut from AB and it does take a 1-1/4" socket, the same as the old one. So hopefully people won't be having that problem anymore. Also the nuts aren't all hard to get off, I was a bit surprised when mine broke loose after I just put my weight onto the wrench. The fact that my wrench was 3.5' of pipe over my 3/4" breaker bar may have helped. A trick I used is to put a small extension on the wrench and use a jack stand to support the head of the wrench while you turn. This makes a nice fulcrum point which keeps the socket square with the nut and takes some of the stress off the head of the wrench by not having to support your weight pushing down on it. It sounds like I got pretty lucky on this job considering I also found a 350 ft.lbs. torque wrench on craigslist for $40. Otherwise I was just going to stand on my wrench 1.8' down the handle with my 200 lb body and call it 360 ft.lbs of torque. I hope you got your job done, it's not always that bad.

 

After I bought the 3/4 inch breaker bar that lipadj recommended I was able to get it off. I still wouldn't say that it came off easily. I picked up a used hub from will tillery and everything seems good so far. I still have intermittent amigos but that must be the shuttle valve.

 

its amazing what buying an aircompressor can do you for you. opens alot of doors that human strength can't touch.

 

+1 you work much faster too especially using an air ratchet to to run the bolts up and down, get a torch too, even a simple MAPP torch works wonders.

 

I know this thread is old but it’s the first thing that pops up when searching for stuck axle nut. It should be mentioned that the wheel needs to be on the truck and on the ground. Getting the nut off should be the very first thing you do before you even take the wheel off. Dumb me got ahead of myself and I had everything off first then I tried getting the nut off and could not do it no matter what I did. There is too much play and bounce when it is up on jack stands and you are relying on the drivetrain to hold everything. A solid 3/4” wrench with no joint in it also helps to remove any play. A 1/2” breaker bar might not break but it has a too much give in it. That initial breaking force needs transfer right to the nut. A jack stand under the wrench extension also helps to keep it straight as I mentioned before. I didn’t think the damn thing was going to come off but once I got it set up correctly it popped right off after one bounce on it, ugh. Maybe that is obvious or maybe someone might get ahead of themselves like I did

 

Best $75 dollars I ever spent. Took the axle nuts right off.