Cracking Nuts...

Griffdowg · Oct 14, 2006

...of the metal kind

Just tried to crack off the nuts holding the propshaft to the handbrake drum and they were really soft and i only managed to get one off. i got out the dremal and started haking away at one of the nuts. because things are so tight in there i was struggling and got ****ed off. i thought, "there has to be an easier way" than spending 40min/nut with a dremal at hand.

so i thought id come on here and ask for your suggestions

i have heard that you can apply heat. but im not sure how to go about this withiout setting things on fire. if i dont come up with anything, i may well end up sending it to the garage to be done.

Ps. i was trying to replace my handbrake shoes and sort out my non-existant handbrake... i didnt even manage to get the propshaft off!

cheers,

G

slob · Oct 14, 2006

you can get a special socket to get in there or you can take yer time and move the drum a bit at a time to enable you to get a normal socket in to them

Griffdowg · Oct 14, 2006

well ive mashed one of the nuts up allready

i can get the socket end of a spanner in there but the edges are starting to round. has anyone had much experience with nut splitters? i was thinking of going and buying one but i dont know if they are at all good. hmmm, will try getting a 1/2" socket in there, more power than my piddly 1/4" one

ormus · Oct 14, 2006

one of those jobs were you must use the correct spanner. anything else and you mash your nuts up. limited access makes it a real problem.

if you aint got access to oxy/acet heat then a really good sharp cold chisel is the next best way.
you will require new nuts and bolts of course.

my limited experience of nut splitters, is that they are pathetic.

slob · Oct 14, 2006

you can do it with a normal socket but only after you'd done a few to practice on.. @@ years in the army doing them gives you plenty of practice without heat or big chisels. but fer just yer own you'd be best buying that special socket

LR GUY · Oct 14, 2006

a 9/16 socket 3/8 drive on a wobbly extension does the trick,

discomania · Oct 15, 2006

Get the socket onto the nut on a big power bar, then get it set so that lifting the bar will TIGHTEN the nut, then put a jack under the power bar, once the jack is in contact with the bar, raise it slowly until it gives with a crack. The nut is now free, and you should now be able to take it off by hand.

cartman690 · Oct 15, 2006

If bolts p1ss you off enough get revenge with the Angle grinder and reap death to defiant bolts... best whilst muttering the curse of "Die you rounded off siezed rusty nasty time consuming knuckle shredding b@sterd".

perhaps I've gone a little too far...

ormus · Oct 15, 2006

just wait until you have tried to undo the rear hub nuts on a vw beetle. you need a large scaffold pole to do it!
must be the hardest nuts to shift, on any car? ive only ever done harder ones on commercial vehicles etc...

slob · Oct 15, 2006

can i ask why yer taking it orf?? cos if its fer doing yer hand brake you don't need to.. if it fer total removal of prop then take the back orf first then you can move the bugger about to get some more room.

clivees · Oct 15, 2006

Big Stilsons or Footprints (http://www.footprint-tools.co.uk/retail/wrenches.htm#)
and a large leaver, if you have the room

Its a do or die thing

Griffdowg · Oct 15, 2006

:O what? i dont need to take the the bolts off the propshaft to remove the handbrake drum?

are you serious? how else do i remove it?

the nuts seem pretty shagged now. ive avoided it all day today and got on with other things. not sure if im just going to get a garage to do it before the MOT. like i said, i cant be arsed to spend 40min/nut with my stupid expensive dremel.

might try the chisel

cheers for all the replies, still learning the ropes, glad to have experience i can call on

G

slob · Oct 15, 2006

if you need to take the drum right off then yes ,but if you're only doing the brake shoes you don't need to take the prop off.
undo the bolts on the drum and it will slip over the prop out of the way. you can then do the shoes

that assuming its the same setup as the series

Griffdowg · Oct 15, 2006

Well F$%6 me. the (G)haynes manual didint ****ing say that! which ones are the ones for the drum? cos the 4bolts holding the prop look like their holding the drum in place...

...are you getting my hopes up again slob!

G

Griffdowg · Oct 15, 2006

yay, im now a senior member, although i dont feel like one!

GRUNT · Oct 15, 2006

.are you getting my hopes up again slob!

He's toying with your emotions. They must be different the propshaft bolts are the drum bolts. if you use heat then squirt some engine oil on the nut first when the oil starts to bubble its hot enough.

Are you sure your using the right size spanner 9/16"AF.

If you shag the bolts up you'll have to take the output flange off to replace them.

slob · Oct 15, 2006

not on mine matey... the prop fits inside the drum and is secured with different nuts..like ah said maybe the 90 is different to the series

slob · Oct 15, 2006

if you look closely you'll see what i mean... near the the output shaft is yer bolts fer the prop and then you have a ring of bolts on the flange fer the drum.
so if you undo the outer ones the drum will slide down the prop.. if the 90 is different then oophs!

GRUNT · Oct 15, 2006

This is what a 1989 90 one looks like just the four bolts.

slob · Oct 15, 2006

ah !well if he'd posted in the right bit we would have known what we was dealing wiff.

Cracking Nuts...

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