Pita spindle nut!

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dartfreak75

dartfreak75

Restore it, Dont part it!
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I'm rebuilding the front end on my 01 dodge ram 1500 I have had bunch of problems out of it so I decided to replace everything new hubs new u joints new ball joints, tie rods, shocks, coil springs, axle seals, steering stablizer, etc pretty much everything except the housing itself. On the drivers side the spindle nut is being a pain I cannot break it loose so far I have broke 3 1/2 inch breaker bars a 25" a 24" and a 18" and a 1/2 ratchet. I ordered a 3/4 breaker bar as well as a new 3/4 socket if that doesn't work idk what I'm gonna do. I have tried heat, lube, heat with lube, lube with heat, pretty much everything I know to do I cant get it to break loose lol.
 
Ddaddy said:
Cut it off.
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I want to save the axle if at all possible. I am gonna try a chisel and a hammer tomorrow and maybe a air hammer. I have lost my impact wrench I cant find it anywhere. I seriously doubt it would take it off anyway it's not a real good one.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I want to save the axle if at all possible. I am gonna try a chisel and a hammer tomorrow and maybe a air hammer. I have lost my impact wrench I cant find it anywhere. I seriously doubt it would take it off anyway it's not a real good one.
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Cut the nut off. It isn’t hard.
 
dartfreak75 said:
I want to save the axle if at all possible. I am gonna try a chisel and a hammer tomorrow and maybe a air hammer. I have lost my impact wrench I cant find it anywhere. I seriously doubt it would take it off anyway it's not a real good one.
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A good Ingersol Rand gun and the right compressor will! Otherwise it will just rip it off!
 
Drill and split the nut down the middle on each side breaking it free from the threaded shaft.

Only the nut is sacrificed.
 
1969383S said:
4x4 I assume.
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Yea 4x4 I want to reuse the axle I dont want to have to buy another one. I have a spare on my parts truck but that spindle nut wont come off either haha I have replaced the passenger side wheel hub about 4 times in this truck this is the 5th and that side was nowhere near this tight! I mean it was tight but a a 24 inch breaker bar with a 4 foot cheater broke it loose but not the driver side it just breaks off the drive on the wrench. 4 of them to be precise!
 
two ideas:
1. Hold the breaker bar and let someone smack it with an 8lb sledge. That has worked for me.
2. Need to be careful with this one, but I have done it a few times. Wear appropriate protection. Put the socket on the nut so that the breaker bar is pointing to the 4:00 position. Then place a floor jack under the end or the breaker bar. You might need to lower the front of the truck to do this. Then jack up the breaker bar. If you get to the point where the front end lifts up off the jack stands, you have several thousand pounds of weight on the bar and nut. If that doesn't break it loose, let it rise until it is about 1" above the jack stands and push that down on the fender. This has worked for me every time.
 
harrisonm said:
two ideas:
1. Hold the breaker bar and let someone smack it with an 8lb sledge. That has worked for me.
2. Need to be careful with this one, but I have done it a few times. Wear appropriate protection. Put the socket on the nut so that the breaker bar is pointing to the 4:00 position. Then place a floor jack under the end or the breaker bar. You might need to lower the front of the truck to do this. Then jack up the breaker bar. If you get to the point where the front end lifts up off the jack stands, you have several thousand pounds of weight on the bar and nut. If that doesn't break it loose, let it rise until it is about 1" above the jack stands and push that down on the fender. This has worked for me every time.
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And be very carefull about like mentioned. I have seen this turn out bad!
 
Are you turning it the correct direction? Just thought I'd ask. You'd be surprised
 
Yunick13 said:
Are you turning it the correct direction? Just thought I'd ask. You'd be surprised
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Dude I thought the same thing. I thought maybe this sucker has left hand threads and it's righty loosey haha but I looked and you can see the threads on the spindle they look like right hand threads to me. I even googled it and everything iv seen says they are right hand. I even tried going right to no evile.
 
I can't help you , man. But here is another annoying story from the old days. "In a previous life" I spent about 15 years selling parts. This happened around?? 1980. Guy brought in an Ingersol Rand 3/4" impact that he said needed repaired. We sent it to a place in Spokane and they came back "not worth repairing." He bought a new one, and I bought the old one from him. I don't remember, but in those days it would not have been much. Maybe 20 bucks. Certainly no more

I don't remember what I did, but likely wasn't much. Probably tore it down and cleaned it good, re-lubed everything and put it back together. It's heavy. It's ugly. But GOD DAMN that wrench will and has and does remove ANYTHING I have ever asked of it, whether these here modern front hub nuts, or 2 5/16 ball hitch nuts or whatever. I have some 1/2 air hose I feed it with, and oil 'er up with ATF. I hope it never quits, 'cause I have no idea how I'd ever replace it.
 
If you have tool rental nearby, rent a 3/4 electric impact driver to remove nut. When I wanted an air impact gun, guy said you need a big compressor to use it. I needed it for a spindle nut on a 90 honda. I now own a Harbor freight cordless , called earthquake and it doesn't work up a sweat with pinion nuts or crank damper nuts. You could probably buy the electric one for what it might cost to rent one.
 
harrisonm said:
Don't laugh, but I bought an "Earthquake" pneumatic impact from Harbor Freight, and it is amazing.
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I am a big fan of harbor freight tools. I have had my eye in one of those earthquakes for a while I may break down and buy one soon.
 
67Dart273 said:
I can't help you , man. But here is another annoying story from the old days. "In a previous life" I spent about 15 years selling parts. This happened around?? 1980. Guy brought in an Ingersol Rand 3/4" impact that he said needed repaired. We sent it to a place in Spokane and they came back "not worth repairing." He bought a new one, and I bought the old one from him. I don't remember, but in those days it would not have been much. Maybe 20 bucks. Certainly no more

I don't remember what I did, but likely wasn't much. Probably tore it down and cleaned it good, re-lubed everything and put it back together. It's heavy. It's ugly. But GOD DAMN that wrench will and has and does remove ANYTHING I have ever asked of it, whether these here modern front hub nuts, or 2 5/16 ball hitch nuts or whatever. I have some 1/2 air hose I feed it with, and oil 'er up with ATF. I hope it never quits, 'cause I have no idea how I'd ever replace it.
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My IR never fails. If it won't spin it off it breaks it off! IR Compressor behind it.

Don't use ATF but this from Harbor freight to keep it happy.

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Got alot done to the old truck today I didnt get around to trying to break the axle nut today i was busy with other stuff i got all the steering components back in. Got the passenger side completely done. I installed a new cad cover gasket axle seal hub assembly u joint coil spring shock etc looks good I got rained out and didnt get to the drivers side. I should be able to finish up tomorrow If the weather permits then all I will need is a good alignment and I'm putting it back on the road!! I'm gonna do some body work later but after its driving I'm gonna turn my attention back to the dart. I'm gonna take 2 weeks of vacation because of all this covid **** so hopefully in that time I can get the engine bay in the dart finished and the rearend finished

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The Earthquake is on sale this weekend for $215. Go to their website, Harbor freight and get a coupon for it.
 
I have that same 01, 4x4.
When I did the hubs I just pulled the entire axle assembly out (hub still attached) and brought it into the corner shop and had them spin that nut off. Also a socket wedged between the u joint and the spindle, and then a turn of the power steering pops that hub right out. Sadly I've seen people beat that hub off when there is no need to.
Be careful of that passenger inner axle seal. I had the worst time replacing that after it failed.

Good luck!
 
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