krawlthis

so i got into my u-joint project tonight and i thought i had everything i needed... well i dont have a 36mm socket for the hub nut. i have been trying for 2 hours different ways to get that thing off. every parts store up here is allready closed. so im wondering if there is any way i can get it off without the use of the socket or am i gonna have to wait till after work tomoro to get a socket and use it?

thundaluvin

I have taken them off with an air chisel before. Not really recommended if you plan on reusing that nut tho.

krawlthis

ya i was thinking about that but it would still involve me finishing up tomoro after work cuz i would have to go to napa and get a new bolt. living in a small town is awesome till u do somthing like this and NOTHING is open...

N20jeep

Well , you could just leave the nut on and unbolt the wheel bearing

peep

I always (9/10) pull the three bolts on back of the hub and leave the axle nut alone, pull the axle out intact to the hub, do the universal, clean up the yoke where the hub seats and apply antisieze, make shure you clean out any junk in the axle tube (shopvac helps) slip the axle back in and reseat the hub, secure the hub bolts again, rotor and calliper and you are refreshed.

sandaddik2

hammer on it with 30 second bursts from the 1/2 inch impact. after about 12 of those mine finally broke loose. now it comes off much easier when i remove the wheel nut since it hasnt been 15 years since its last removal

dukie564

you don't NEED to undo the hub nut to change the ujoint, it just makes things a lot easier to manage.

An impact wrench takes off the hub nut in about 2 seconds. Find someone with one of those if you want to get it off.

krawlthis

If I don't take it off won't I be at greater risk of breaking the axle bearing seal?

wildspear

Do it the right way. Wait for the store to open tomorrow and rent the right nut. The axel nut is a real pain (I broke 2 -1/2 breaker bars), rent the nut kit, get a good breaker bar, a long cheater bar, and a torch.

N20jeep

No

peep

If you dont have the big socket, gettin it off is only half the task, you need to put 175 ftlb on it on the reinstall.
If you leave the axle in the hub and pull the hub and axle together you wont hurt that inner seal. Make sure the axle tube is cleaned out (shop vac and flashlite) and your axle splines are clean on the reinstall. Support the axle best you can on the reinstall and go gentle when you feel the axle come to that seal again, ease it thru, it will go ok, feel your way back into the inner spline mating as the hub is also coming back into it's clean and antiseized seat. Install the three bolts in back of the hub and your good to go.

96_xj

agreed do it the right way. 36mm axle nut a breaker bar (plus a hi lift handle slipped over) and i could spin my tire (with full weight on it). had to have someone step on the brakes while I torqued them off.

krawlthis

Awesome. That's what I was looking for thanks

xjrev10

Get new nuts too. It's recommended that you replace the nut when you do unit bearings. Especially if you really have to torque on it to get it off. Never seize everything when you put it back together.

krawlthis

My nuts are just fine thank u very much. Just messin. I gotta be at work at 6 tomoro and it's -22 degrees here so I'm gonna work on it for a little bit and if nothing happens I'll just have to hit up napa tomoro after work. Thanks guys and I will be using never sieze on everything