My angle drive struggle. Any suggestions?

[Johnny-T]

So a few weeks back my speedo went dead on VIN 967. I tried adding some tape and reinforcing the inside of the dust cap as suggested by Toby at DMCNW until I could get replacment parts but nothing worked. I orderd a new dust cap, angle drive, and lower speedo cable even tho my cable was still good. When I finally got my parts, I got the tire off, the dust cap off, and speedo cable off the drive. I next went to tackle the drive itself only to find my tools were not good enough. I got everything back together and the next day purchased the correct socket and breaker bar. I again got everything off and tried to get the axle nut loose. No matter what I did, the thing still wouldnt budge. Im a big guy and I was forcing all of my weight down on that breaker bar but all I got was alot of creaking. Frustrated, I decided to just put on the new dust cap and see if that fixed the problem. And at first it seemed like it did, the speedo worked fine that night and half of the next day but soon went dead again. This time I could hear the ticking noise that told me I was probably ruining my new dust cap. So that night I took everything apart and tried to get the nut off yet again and it still wouldnt move. It got to the point where I was starting to get worried about damaging something by trying to force it so hard. I gave up and decided to just put the old cap back on until I could replace everything at once. I did the tape and reinforment of the old cap again before slapping the tire back on.

Today I was on my way to work, and the speedo was going from working for a few seconds to nothing which I expected. What I did not expect is that I can hear and feel a clunking noise now coming from that tire. I am freaked out as I write this because I dont know if I broke anything. The car was driving fine on the freeway and wasnt veering, swerving, or bouncing in any way. I could just feel a slight vibration and hear a soft clunking that wasnt there before thats in sync with the tire speed.

I going to take the tire off again tonight and see if there is anything out of the ordinary, and I will also probaly just take the cap off or at least remove the reinforcment and tape and hopefully that will stop the new symptoms.

My questions are has anyone else had this issue with their axle nut being so stuck? Any suggestions on how I can get it off so I can compleate my part swap? Also, do the new symptoms sound like Ive damaged something, or is it not as big of a problem as Im making it out to be?

[BladeBronson]

This might sound crazy, but are you sure you were turning it the right way? I got mixed up for a second when I did mine because I was on the outside of the car while the nut faces inward. If your breaker bar is coming out the front, the bar should rotate upward.

I didn't have a breaker bar, but used a hydraulic jack to remove mine. It didn't seem like it took tons of muscle. Maybe also try spraying some liquid wrench (don't spray your rotors or pads).

[Gregadeth]

Same thing happened to me. I wanted to replace my angle drive a couple weeks ago when changing my brake pads. Followed all the instructions that came with the angle drive kit. Loosened the outer axle hub nut first, then used a 1-1/4 open ended wrench with a breaker bar for the inside (angle drive) nut. Even after I sprayed PB Blaster on it. Still wouldn't budge. After several tries, I gave up and just put everything back together.

[WHO1DMC]

Did the same thing wrench on the back side with a jack and the car in the air to get clearance it wanted to lift the car then broke free and little by little with the jack got it off. Wheels turned all the way to the left.

Dave B.

[Johnny-T]

This might sound crazy, but are you sure you were turning it the right way? I got mixed up for a second when I did mine because I was on the outside of the car while the nut faces inward. If your breaker bar is coming out the front, the bar should rotate upward.

I didn't have a breaker bar, but used a hydraulic jack to remove mine. It didn't seem like it took tons of muscle. Maybe also try spraying some liquid wrench (don't spray your rotors or pads).

The problem I'm having is getting the outer axle hub nut off. I can't even begin to get the angle drive nut off until I can loosen the outer nut. I tried to skip the outer nut and just remove the drive nut but it wouldn't budge either. I even tried using the jack on the wrench as others have mentioned. I was confused about the direction of the drive nut at first but I'm sure I'm turning the outer nut the correct way. I tried tapping a screwdriver in the little grove on it to give it a little space, used WD-40, got a heavy duty expensive 32mm socket and a very long breaker bar, and still nothing. Like I said before, I literally stood on the bar with my massive weight and the car just creaked and I felt the whole axle bouncing with no movement of the nut. I was also afraid I was going to bounce the car right off the Jack. I will probably take it in to a shop later this week and let them help me with those machines they have.

But I do have an UPDATE on the new symptoms I had today. (The vibration and clunking when the wheel turned.)

Turns out, in my frustration and exhaustion from trying to loosen the nut, I forgot to fully tighten the lug nuts after I put the car down off the Jack. I feel so dumb. Lol. Before I left work I decided to take the wheel off and investigate before I hit the freeway home and 3 of the 4 lug nuts were able to be turned by hand. I took the wheel off, checked everything, and put the wheel back making sure to really tighten everything good. I had no further vibration or noise from the tire on the way home. Thankfully I did not break anything and luckily I didn't lose my tire on the way to work.

But, I still need this stubborn outer axle hub nut loose...

[jmettee]

The easiest way to change the angle drive. With a 1-1/4" combination wrench (or the correct size 32mm metric), put it on the angle drive nut with the wrench extending out the FRONT side of the spindle, then use a jack to lift the end of the wrench. No need to loosen the nut on the outside of the hub.


Use the weight of the car as your force....work smarter, not harder

[Citizen]

...I was confused about the direction of the drive nut at first but I'm sure I'm turning the outer nut the correct way. ..... Like I said before, I literally stood on the bar with my massive weight and the car just creaked and I felt the whole axle bouncing with no movement of the nut.

If you stood on the bar, then your weight would be pushing the bar down, right? The others have said you use a jack, which indicates the force should be going up, not down.

This might sound crazy, but are you sure you were turning it the right way? I got mixed up for a second when I did mine because I was on the outside of the car while the nut faces inward. If your breaker bar is coming out the front, the bar should rotate upward.

I didn't have a breaker bar, but used a hydraulic jack to remove mine. It didn't seem like it took tons of muscle.

... then use a jack to lift the end of the wrench. No need to loosen the nut on the outside of the hub.

Use the weight of the car as your force....work smarter, not harder

Now I admin I have not done this myself, so please forgive me interrupting the conversation. I just want to know so when/if I have to do mine, I'll be doing it right.

Thomas

...

[David T]

Maybe your angle drive is not bad? Try lubricating it and see if that helps and maybe you don't have to replace it. Remove the small screw and squirt in some oil.

[Jonathan]

Addressing any confusion about which way to turn these nuts or force a breaker bar up or down:

Outside nut (aka hub nut, aka the nut behind the dust cap):

If you are trying to use your weight to push down on the breaker bar, the end of the breaker bar needs to point towards the front of the car. If you were using a jack to push up on the breaker bar, the end of the breaker bar would need to point towards the rear of the car (although you won't need to do this as your weight/strength on a 2 foot breaker bar will be plenty).

Inside nut (aka the one the angle drive itself is poking through and the one you won't be able to get a socket on because of this):

With that 1 1/4" or 32 mm open ended wrench, if you chose to use a jack to push up on the end of the wrench, that wrench needs to point towards the front of the car. If you just use your strength to pull down on that wrench, you do so with the handle pointing towards the rear of the car. And if you do this, for God's sake put gloves on and be careful for when/if you get it to finally and unexpectedly loosen, your hands and arms will fly off the wrench in the direction you're pulling. There is not a lot of room to get a good grip which is why you're better off putting force on the outside nut. If you insist on trying the inside nut first, you can turn the steering wheel to the left to open up your work space. Be cautious of pulling up forceably on the wrench from the front because when it let's go, you will hurt yourself.

The additional reason why loosening the outside nut first can make the job easier is because of the taper to what you're tightening against will pull both ends together. Once the outside nut is completely loose, you may be able to get the inside nut off with just your fingers.

[Johnny-T]

The easiest way to change the angle drive. With a 1-1/4" combination wrench (or the correct size 32mm metric), put it on the angle drive nut with the wrench extending out the FRONT side of the spindle, then use a jack to lift the end of the wrench. No need to loosen the nut on the outside of the hub.


Use the weight of the car as your force....work smarter, not harder

I already tried this but it was just too tight. I have to get the outside nut loose first.

If you stood on the bar, then your weight would be pushing the bar down, right? The others have said you use a jack, which indicates the force should be going up, not down.

...

Again, Im talking about the outside nut. With the breaker bar towards the front, you push down. The inside nut attached to the drive is what you would push up on and I already tried to use the jack on it with no luck.

Maybe your angle drive is not bad? Try lubricating it and see if that helps and maybe you don't have to replace it. Remove the small screw and squirt in some oil.

The drive itself is still good. I was able to put on a new dust cap on and it worked for a short time. The reason I need to change the drive is because the end of the cable that goes into the dust cap has rounded too much for the cap to get a good grip on it. And beacause its the original drive with the cable permanatly attached, I have to change the whole thing. I already tried reinforcing the inside of the dust cap but it only worked for a short time as well. I like that my new angle drive has a removable cable so if it ever happens again, I wont have to change the drive next time.

Addressing any confusion about which way to turn these nuts or force a breaker bar up or down:

Outside nut (aka hub nut, aka the nut behind the dust cap):

If you are trying to use your weight to push down on the breaker bar, the end of the breaker bar needs to point towards the front of the car. If you were using a jack to push up on the breaker bar, the end of the breaker bar would need to point towards the rear of the car (although you won't need to do this as your weight/strength on a 2 foot breaker bar will be plenty).

Inside nut (aka the one the angle drive itself is poking through and the one you won't be able to get a socket on because of this):

With that 1 1/4" or 32 mm open ended wrench, if you chose to use a jack to push up on the end of the wrench, that wrench needs to point towards the front of the car. If you just use your strength to pull down on that wrench, you do so with the handle pointing towards the rear of the car. And if you do this, for God's sake put gloves on and be careful for when/if you get it to finally and unexpectedly loosen, your hands and arms will fly off the wrench in the direction you're pulling. There is not a lot of room to get a good grip which is why you're better off putting force on the outside nut. If you insist on trying the inside nut first, you can turn the steering wheel to the left to open up your work space. Be cautious of pulling up forceably on the wrench from the front because when it let's go, you will hurt yourself.

The additional reason why loosening the outside nut first can make the job easier is because of the taper to what you're tightening against will pull both ends together. Once the outside nut is completely loose, you may be able to get the inside nut off with just your fingers.

Exactly. My inside nut wont budge until I can get the outside hub nut loose first. Even with the breaker bar and all my weight, it still wont budge. Ive had others also tell me that once I get the outside loose, I will probably be able to simply twist off the inside one by hand. Im hoping its that easy but its pretty clear that this car has probaly never had these hub nuts taken off so im fighting 35 years of stuck. lol