924Board.org

[gml]

Hey all, replacing the rear drum brakes + backing plates on my 82 924.

Having a really hard time with the right rear axle nut. It's that 36mm castellated nut. My electric impact wrench rated for 350 ft-lb cannot take it off (it did the left one no problem).

After many failed attempts I felt like trying out my breaker bar on the axle nut. To my surprise, with the breaker bar I was able to just rotate the drum and the CV axle rotated, and I barely had to force it. I have the car shifted into first + parking brake on (I also tried engaging reverse gear and the same happened).

Am I an idiot or is this really bad? If the trans is engaged and working, then isn't rotating the drum the same thing as rotating the crankshaft? Again, I may be an idiot — but is this bad news for my transmission or clutch?
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George

1982 924 NA 5-speed

[MikeJinCO]

They can get really frozen, particularly after being on there for 40 years. Have someone in the car with foot on the brake. First time I did my '77 I had a 6' pipe on the breaker bar and it took everything I had to loosen it. A little PB Blaster overnight might help, but a stronger impact is the best. I would doubt anything got hurt by going backward part of a turn.
_________________
Mike


'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)

[924RACR]

No worries about trans or clutch. No different than coasting on the road.
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Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

[Brian L.]

I could never get the nut off untill I got the special tool. Its primarily a VW tool. You use it with a breaker bar and while you apply torque with the breaker bar you strike the tool with a heavy hammer and that provides the shock to break the nut loose.

https://shufti.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/img_3533.jpg

Just google "VW axle nut tool" they come in a couple of different sizes so make sure you get the right size.
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1980 924 N.A. Monaco Blue owned since 1987
"Remember, sitting on your ass won't finish your project" -Puddins fab shop.

[gml]

Thanks for the tip Brian. Do you think that tool would work with my axle able to spin relatively easily? The axle rotates with just a light amount of force applied with my breaker bar.

In a fit of frustration I decided to buy one of those VW torque multiplier tools. Of course, it doesn’t fit on the 924 drum
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George

1982 924 NA 5-speed

[Riggard]

That's annoying.

What you can do to prevent the hub from turning as you try to undo the bolt, is get a long piece of angle iron. Drill 2 holes one end of it, so you can attach it to the hub with the wheel bolts. The other end is put on the floor and thereby blocks the hub from turning.
So like this:


After that it's probably still a PITA, but you're one step closer to victory

[safe]

[holcopa123]

You can also heat up the nut and axle with a torch, I use a plumbing soldering torch. Be careful when loosening, they will be hot.

Phil Holcomb
1987 924S

[gml]

Got it off!!!

Details for anyone interested. To stop the drum from rotating, I put the tire back on and dropped the car to the ground. I have the 4-lug tarantula wheels that expose the axle nut when you take the cap off. I wanted all 4 wheels on the ground and chocked off, I didn’t want to drag the car off a Jack stand. But my driver side rear brake are already fully removed so I put only that drum back on by hand tightening the axle nut back on. Back to the passenger side drum. My ½ inch breaker bar was ineffective: I broke the ½” to ⅜” adapter i was using to connect the breaker bar to the 36mm ⅜” drive socket I have.

I went to the store. I got a ¾” breaker bar, and a 36mm socket with a ½” drive, then a ¾” to ½” adapter.

After some inconclusive attempts with the ¾” breaker bar I decided to try my impact wrench and it finally worked! This impact wrench also saved me for the other nut but didn’t do anything on this one until today. I’m guessing the 3/4” breaker knocked it ever so slightly loose, then the impact wrench finished the job. Weeks of soaking in penetrating fluid and continually hitting it with heat may have helped as well, the axle threads looked quite oily.

My impact wrench is an 8.5 amp corded electric wrench. It’s rated to loosen up to 350 ft-lbs. Got it for $90 CAD I believe, on sale.
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George

1982 924 NA 5-speed

[MikeJinCO]

Congrats. As I recall the first time I got my'77 part it was somewhat similar with my DW in the car stomping on the brakes wnd a 3/4" breaker bar and about 6' of pipe on it.
_________________
Mike


'67 MG Midget Dp
'71 Ocelot Dsr Kawasaki 1000(under rebuild)