driveshaft nut removal
Discussion
Im going to tackle my biggest job yet at the weekend, I intend to replace my righthand driveshaft on my megane.
My issue is the driveshaft nut, and im looking for advice from those of you that have removed one before using hand tools.
Ive got the sockets and a breaker bar but when I gave it a quick go the other day it didn't budge a bit and the breaker bar seemed to just flex.
Any top tips would be great, thanks.
My issue is the driveshaft nut, and im looking for advice from those of you that have removed one before using hand tools.
Ive got the sockets and a breaker bar but when I gave it a quick go the other day it didn't budge a bit and the breaker bar seemed to just flex.
Any top tips would be great, thanks.
Totally agree with MWSTEWART - Check the thread direction (do you have the replacment shaft - what way does the nut tighten on it?), Im not familiar with the Megane but double check there isnt anything holding the nut in place (like a split pin) and a long pipe slipped over your breaker bar can give you that extra torque, making your job a lot easier (with the added bonus of not seeing your breaker bar flex 
).
Good luck with it, take your time and you should be fine (any problems you have you can post on here - whatever the problem someone will have seen it before)
).Good luck with it, take your time and you should be fine (any problems you have you can post on here - whatever the problem someone will have seen it before)
All that, and how long is your bar? 2 foot aint likely to be enough.
To get the crank nut off a v6 for example, I had to strap it down to a pallet, get someone to stand on the pallet, then bounce up and down on a 6 foot scaffold to crack it off - a big 40mm nut can be very, very tight.
To get the crank nut off a v6 for example, I had to strap it down to a pallet, get someone to stand on the pallet, then bounce up and down on a 6 foot scaffold to crack it off - a big 40mm nut can be very, very tight.
As people have suggested.
Car in gear but don't put foot on brakes (the rocking of the car back and forth helps crack the seal on the nut).
Socket on, breaker bar on (if you're using an extension on the socket end of the breaker bar then you need to get an axle stand to support the head of the breaker so you have a pivot point). Then I use my jack handle to slide over the end of the breaker bar and put pressure on then bounce the bar as the shock is what cracks the first movement, not the initial pressure.
Pretty easy really.
Car in gear but don't put foot on brakes (the rocking of the car back and forth helps crack the seal on the nut).
Socket on, breaker bar on (if you're using an extension on the socket end of the breaker bar then you need to get an axle stand to support the head of the breaker so you have a pivot point). Then I use my jack handle to slide over the end of the breaker bar and put pressure on then bounce the bar as the shock is what cracks the first movement, not the initial pressure.
Pretty easy really.
Welshname said:
......
Socket on, breaker bar on (if you're using an extension on the socket end of the breaker bar then you need to get an axle stand to support the head of the breaker so you have a pivot point). Then I use my jack handle to slide over the end of the breaker bar ....
Exactly the way I would do it.Socket on, breaker bar on (if you're using an extension on the socket end of the breaker bar then you need to get an axle stand to support the head of the breaker so you have a pivot point). Then I use my jack handle to slide over the end of the breaker bar ....
BUT take care because when it goes you don't want your hand to contact anything or the jack handle to hit anything especially you!
Well I don't have anything bigger than 1/2" sockets, breaker bars and torque wrenches. I did think about taking it to a garage but that kind of defeats the purpose because my aim is to do everything myself but if it wont budge I guess I wont have a choice.
I plan to tackle it tomorrow (sunday) There has been some great advice here and ive got myself a hollow steel bar for extra leverage and I will have my scissor jack to take the weight if need be.
Fingers crossed for tomo and I will give a update when its done.
Cheers
I plan to tackle it tomorrow (sunday) There has been some great advice here and ive got myself a hollow steel bar for extra leverage and I will have my scissor jack to take the weight if need be.
Fingers crossed for tomo and I will give a update when its done.
Cheers
Do you have torque wrench for tightening it back up?
IIRC it needs to go up to 200lb/ft, if you don't a fair guess can be made if you know your body weight.
A 200lb person standing on the bar 2 feet from the nut will apply 400lb/ft and so on. The average bloke will need to stand one foot along the bar to apply the typical 175lb/ft torque value for driveshaft nuts
IIRC it needs to go up to 200lb/ft, if you don't a fair guess can be made if you know your body weight.
A 200lb person standing on the bar 2 feet from the nut will apply 400lb/ft and so on. The average bloke will need to stand one foot along the bar to apply the typical 175lb/ft torque value for driveshaft nuts
Well I got the nut off. I used the method where you rest the knuckle of the breaker bar on something to take the weight. I used one of my axle stands. I put a hollow steel bar over my breaker bar which gave me about 2m of leverage at most. and I put some chocks under the rear wheels and had the handbrake on.
I bounced it for a few minutes then started to put the real effort in after spraying it with plusgas. My stepdad said I should try levering up from the other side rather than pushing down. I wasn't convinced but suddenly there was a big crack and it was done.
As well as changing the driveshaft I had to remove the lower arm but after taking practically everything off there is still a nut on the lower arm that Im having problems with. Its one of those torx types.
Anyhow a big thanks to the tips and advice as it gave me confidence that it would work. cheers
I bounced it for a few minutes then started to put the real effort in after spraying it with plusgas. My stepdad said I should try levering up from the other side rather than pushing down. I wasn't convinced but suddenly there was a big crack and it was done.
As well as changing the driveshaft I had to remove the lower arm but after taking practically everything off there is still a nut on the lower arm that Im having problems with. Its one of those torx types.
Anyhow a big thanks to the tips and advice as it gave me confidence that it would work. cheers
gareyt said:
... but after taking practically everything off there is still a nut on the lower arm that Im having problems with. Its one of those torx types.
Sounds like you're not finished yet! Congrats on the progress so far and I think you're going to make it. If you can buy the right size torx bit you will have no problems.HumbleJim said:
It does my swede in when you come across a different, unusual size or buried fastner. You wind up buying a tool that you may never use again.
When you're working on Renaults you get used to that feeling, plus you end up with a toolbox full of those never to be used again tools 
Al
Glad to hear the method worked out for you. I did the exact same thing this weekend gone and as usual worked like a charm.
NEVER AGAIN!
Al Murphy said:
When you're working on Renaults you get used to that feeling, plus you end up with a toolbox full of those never to be used again tools
Al
Never a truer word spoken. Ever tried to disconnect the steering rack from a 172 with the subframe still attached to the car to avoid pissing about with PAS pipes?Al
NEVER AGAIN!
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