Page 1 of 1
Rear Hub nuts
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:32 pm
by hunter
I want to take my rear hubs off.
Do the nuts loosen as normal (clockwise = tight / anticlockwise = loose)
or is one of them a contra-rotating nut (ie comes off the other way)
Whats the best way to loosen these?
Handbrake on/car in gear
Breaker bar & scaffold pole?
Thanks
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:42 pm
by Nick Moss
They are the normal thread, so undo anticlockwise. They are torqued to 250 Lbft so need a very long bar to undo. I use a 2 metre bar with another long bar with a flattened end locking the wheel studs against the floor.
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:41 pm
by hunter
Cheers Nick
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:07 pm
by Alan @ CanfordClassics
Or if you have a good compressor and correct tools, ie a windy gun, just windy them off.
Alan
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:43 am
by hunter
I've got a 100psi comp - what would be the cost of a gun decent enough to do the job?
Is 100psi enough?
If not its a BIG BAR

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:08 am
by Nige
Else a chunky 3/4 drive bar and socket, sit in front of the hub with one foot on the socket and belt the end of the bar with a good size lump hammer. Done the trick many a time for me. Obviously watch you fingers, bodywork and toes.
Always work for me on the VWs, but then it had wide 5 stud rims so you could access the nut with the wheel on. Keeping the hub from spinning around is the main problem whatever you do.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:29 am
by impmad2000
I had already removed the arms off my car when I wanted to do this, so just took them up to the local garage at around lunch time

. They had them off in seconds.
Tim
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:05 pm
by hunter
3/4 bar?
I already have a socket and breaker but they are both 1/2".
Do you think this will be ok?
Was thinking 600mm 1/2" breaker bar with scaffold pole - and er.. see what happens.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:12 pm
by Nige
Depends what brand/quality your 1/2" bar is. I bent/snapped two average brand 1/2" breaker bars doing with the long pole method. Nearly did myself a mischief in the process.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 12:33 pm
by 58A - 71E
Nige wrote:Depends what brand/quality your 1/2" bar is. I bent/snapped two average brand 1/2" breaker bars doing with the long pole method. Nearly did myself a mischief in the process.
Yep same here, upgraded to 3/4" - worked a treat

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:08 pm
by hot66
I used to always snap / shear 1/2" bars on my V-dubs. I now have a loverly 3/4" bar

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:11 pm
by Nige
when it comes to cracking hub nuts, SIZE matters.
my 3/4 bar is only some Clarke or Laser jobby, its certainly took plenty of hammer and its been lent out a fair few times too.
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:20 pm
by hunter
Ok so 3/4 it is then.
Will i be better off with a flexi knuckle type bar or the t-bar type?
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 7:24 pm
by hot66
With a T bar you can swing on it with a scaffold bar without worry of it failing
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 10:34 am
by hunter
Thats just what i was thinking james.
Will go that route
Cheers all