Any ideas on how to get this undone?!
Discussion
So, it seems the last spunk-monkey who changed the tyres on the car decided to do the nuts up to about a million ftlbs making them near on impossible to undo.
I started with a standard breaker bar. No luck...even with me standing on the end. Next was a longer breaker bar. The 1/2" drive actually sheered off.
So, I went for something a little more manly with the following setup:
That managed to get 2 off.
Let me explain - that bar is 4 feet long from end to end. I, being powerfully built of course, tip the scales at approximately 100kg or 220lbs was bouncing on the end of that bar. By my calculations, that's applying nearly 900ftlbs of torque to that particular nut. The amount of force I was exerting was so great, the wheel brace wasn't just bending, the shaft connecting to the socket and nut was and is now permanently twisted.
We managed to get 3 of the 5 off but the remaining 2 are rather stubborn.
Any ideas on how to remove the remaining 2 without f
king up more tools?!
New tyre shop is in order...I think! As well as some new studs. And new tools
I started with a standard breaker bar. No luck...even with me standing on the end. Next was a longer breaker bar. The 1/2" drive actually sheered off.
So, I went for something a little more manly with the following setup:
That managed to get 2 off.
Let me explain - that bar is 4 feet long from end to end. I, being powerfully built of course, tip the scales at approximately 100kg or 220lbs was bouncing on the end of that bar. By my calculations, that's applying nearly 900ftlbs of torque to that particular nut. The amount of force I was exerting was so great, the wheel brace wasn't just bending, the shaft connecting to the socket and nut was and is now permanently twisted.
We managed to get 3 of the 5 off but the remaining 2 are rather stubborn.
Any ideas on how to remove the remaining 2 without f
king up more tools?!New tyre shop is in order...I think! As well as some new studs. And new tools
Willy Nilly said:
impact wrench
I'd try this ! Borrow one of these http://www.screwfix.com/p/dewalt-dcf899p2-gb-18v-5... (how much torque?)To be fair though, on my Kwak 636 to get the front sprocket off they tried everything including lots of heat and it was eventually loosened by 3 big blokes and a 6ft piece of scaffold (I was there watching - super scary!)
You need to belt the wheel nut or bolt very hard with a lump hammer in the direction of the wheel. This's compresses the threads and effectively loosens them. The big wrench will then do the trick. If the wheel studs stick past the end of the nuts so you cannot whack them with the hammer then get a socket that is a snug fit over the stud and whack that against the nuts. This trick works 100% of the time. Be brave and whack hard.
jas xjr said:
blowtorch ? or drive it round to a tyre place who should have something .
i hate to give in though , might be somebody more knowledgeable in a bit
There's no brake fluid in the system at all as we're changing the discs and pads all around. Front has been done already!i hate to give in though , might be somebody more knowledgeable in a bit
Don't want to use the blowtorch as it'll f
k the alloy.I didn't want to give in either, but after breaking 2 tools the second one twisting the metal like that, I kinda thought discretion was the better part of valour (and a beer had my name on it!!).
Sorry - I forgot to say that we also used the impact wrench on the thing too!
bigmowley said:
You need to belt the wheel nut or bolt very hard with a lump hammer in the direction of the wheel. This's compresses the threads and effectively loosens them. The big wrench will then do the trick. If the wheel studs stick past the end of the nuts so you cannot whack them with the hammer then get a socket that is a snug fit over the stud and whack that against the nuts. This trick works 100% of the time. Be brave and whack hard.
The wheel nut sits within the alloy so would need the socket to protrude past said wheel. Would be worried that I'd hit the wheel!Sounds stupid but my normal trick is to tighten it slightly first, I think it just stretches the thread enough to then make it go the right direction.
Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
poing said:
Sounds stupid but my normal trick is to tighten it slightly first, I think it just stretches the thread enough to then make it go the right direction.
Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
I think it's because the thread compresses/stretches so when there's a slight bit of play the other day, it's loosened off before the thread expands again.Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
If it's not that, someone thought I was gullible
In fairness, I am not even slightly powerfully built and I have bent and twisted quite a few of those wheel braces. They are made of monkey metal. A decent breaker bar WILL shift them. I have a 3 foot mac tools breaker bar which I have had a 6foot scaffold pole with 2 of us pulling on it. If you were local you could have borrowed it.
The smacking the nut will work. As said above, don't be shy, imagine you were whacking your worst enemy in the face with a sledge hammer. You won't do any damage. If you have a shallow 1/2" socket and an extension then use that. Don't use your best ones though.
The smacking the nut will work. As said above, don't be shy, imagine you were whacking your worst enemy in the face with a sledge hammer. You won't do any damage. If you have a shallow 1/2" socket and an extension then use that. Don't use your best ones though.
poing said:
Sounds stupid but my normal trick is to tighten it slightly first, I think it just stretches the thread enough to then make it go the right direction.
Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
Use gravity and pull downwards imo.Also if undoing it, I try to apply pressure upwards as people are typically able to apply more than their own body weight against something they are pushing.
The Moose said:
ambuletz said:
what amount of force do the mechanical tighteners have? why can't tyre shops just have something that's rated to a specific max torque so that humans can actually undo them?
Why can't they use a torque wrench and do the job properly?!Also, rather than using the wheelbrace, find a proper socket that fits.
It reminds me of when I had to get the diff pinion nut undone on my old Land Rover. The only thing that finally shifted it was an 8ft scaffold bar over the ratchet, resting against the floor, then pushing the car so the diff rotated against the jammed bar and popped the nut undone with a huge bang..
It might be worth you trying something similar?
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