need angle drive replacement help

[lindbergh]

Does anyone have a tip on how the get the rear angle drive nut broken free. I have the front nut loose, took some leverage but was relatively easy. The angle drive bolt on the rear won't budge with a 1 1/4 in. box wrench. Incredible force has been applied. I am thinking blow torch to it is next unless someone has a idea before I get that drastic. Thanks.

[Jonathan]

It shouldn't take that much force. Not if you have the front side nut loose already. Can you confirm which way you are applying force on the wrench? I'm not intending on insulting the effort, but wanted to ensure you're trying to loosen it and not tighten it. There has been mention of certain nuts being opposite/backwards threads, but this nut isn't one of those. It's still lefty loosey. If you have an open ended wrench on the 32 mm nut (1 1/4" is often close enough) and the handle end of the wrench is hanging down, you want that low end of the wrench to be pushed towards the front of the car.

Is your existing angle drive free to rotate within the nut? Maybe something is interferring there and the back end of the angle drive is jammed on something?

[DMC5180]

Have you tried a little pentetrant? Best stuff I've ever used is Aero Kroil. Very Unique smell too. That nut just relies on torque friction. No locking feature. A good penetrant should easily break the Nut Face to Knuckle surface friction.

[jmettee]

Put the wrench on the nut so it's pointing out in front of the car & use a jack with the wrench. Weight of the car will be used to your advantage to loosen the nut. I've have had to do this on half of all the angle drives I've had to replace.

[Patrick C]

Put the wrench on the nut so it's pointing out in front of the car & use a jack with the wrench. Weight of the car will be used to your advantage to loosen the nut. I've have had to do this on half of all the angle drives I've had to replace.

Great tip!

[David T]

Great tip!

Shock will also help. There is a mechanic's trick where you use two open end/box wrenches and make it longer or you can use a piece of pipe that fits over the wrench. You hit it hard and fast with a hammer to shock it loose. That nut is tight for a reason. It holds the spindle in and that is what holds the wheel to the steering knuckle. Something you do NOT want coming loose! I don't like the jack method because if it moves a little the wrong way the jack and the wrenches can go flying.

[lindbergh]

No luck. The 4 ton jack did not break it free. The force is being applied since the nut is getting pressure marks on it. I could try a 10 ton jack but I'm not since I believe it will either break the wrench or collapse the nut and I'll be no closer to getting it free. I will live without a speedo a little longer until I get time to disconnect the brake lines and such and cut the back of the angle drive off so I can get an impact socket on it since a box wrench unfortunately is not going to cut it. I appreciated all the ideas, Thanks!

[Jonathan]

Bummer. If you feel like it, maybe post a few pictures of what the nut back there looks like and someone on here as a fresh set of eyes might see what the issue is. You never know.