rear hub nut (41mm) removal

[TVRwhoa]

I'm in the middle of a body off chassis restoration and have removed the rear hubs from the chassis and am now attempting to get the rear hub nuts off, with hindsight (wonderful thing I know) it would have been a better idea to do this whilst they were still attached, but the hubs are in my garage and the chassis is about miles away. I've driven all of the bushes out of practically everything now as well so re-attachment is not really going to be an option.

I understand that the driver side will come off 'anti-clockwise' and the passenger side 'clockwise', however, as they are off the chassis, if I try and clamp them in a vice, then they just work their way out of the vice as I try and get enough pressure on a breaker bar and try and turn the nut.

I'm looking for practical ideas as to how I'm going to get these off - as I'm struggling to generate enough force, any ideas anyone has been able to do this whilst they are off the chassis that would be a good start, and then I can try and see if I can loosen them.

Thanks a lot for any ideas, they would be really welcome as this is the last thing I need to do before sending them all off for blasting.

[pmessling]

Heat the nut up and melt the nyloc part of it. The expansion may also make it easier to get off

That or carefully slitting the nut but could damage the threads.

[phillpot]

Do you have a friendly local garage that can whizz them off with an impact wrench for the price of a couple of pints?

[TwinKam]

Someone over on the Chimaera forum was recently in your predicament, the last posting might be helpful:


www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=8&...

[TVRwhoa]

Thanks to all those who posted on this - I've managed to loosen them off using the contraption pictured.

The first attempt was using a threaded bar to try and hold the wheel studs from turning, which basically bent the bar - the second attempt using a large cold chisel held it firm and then could get the pressure onto the breaker bar (1/2" with a 41mm half inch socket) they turned easier than I thought they would in the end with not too much pressure.

If anyone else finds themselves in the same predicament then hopefully this may help them, the idea given on the chim forum was a really help - so that's everything done now and can start with the blasting and painting of the chassis now.

[pmessling]

I have used a similar method to that with a pry bar. Turn it until it wedges itself into the floor then using a power bar to undo it.

[esso]

You will need a damn good torque-wrench to tighten them back up ,they are done up to 220 ft/lbs.