Help with Hub Retaining Nut

[ronnie]

Hi,

I have 1986 1.3 Maestro. I am trying to remove the N/s (left hand side) hub retaining nut. Could it be a left hand thread? It is NOT a castle headed nut with a split pin, but a nut with a section that locates in a slot on the drive shaft threaded portion.

Anyone know about these?

Thanks in advance.

[G Force]

The n/s/r is left hand thread, but the front hubs are both right handed

[mgdavid]

they are called stake nuts. Use an old screwdriver / tiny cold chisel / punch or whatever to undo the staking so the nut is clear to turn. Then use a 32mm hex socket (not bi-hex) and a breaker bar and a lump of scaffold pole about a metre long to undo it. Car on ground, friend standing on brake pedal. Works for me.

[ronnie]

Thankyou both, very helpful. I'll attempt the job again tomorrow!

[ronnie]

Been trying all morning to get this nut off, but still no joy!

It has never been removed from the car before, as i have owned the car from new.

It just will not move! Had a 3 foot extension on socket, with someone pressing the brake pedal, but all i am doing is bending my tools :mad:

Any more help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Peter J]

It sounds as though anything with the usual 1/2" drive will not be strong enough. I'm sure a lorry wheelbrace would shift it (lorry wheel nuts are usually the same size as the Maestro Hub Nut) I would happily lend you one but I am in Newark.

[oseerees]

They can become incredibly tight, they are tightened to 203nm anyway (150lbft).
I can tell you how to get it off :D even with 1/2 inch drive - I've done it lots of times (although 3/4 inch is pref)

1 soak it with PlusGas
2 leave overnight
3 get your socket, and extension bar
then... find a length of scaffold pipe 4-5ft if poss
over the extension bar at about 45 degree angle, cup both hands over bar and just pull...
you'll then hear something that sounds like a rifle shot! :eek:

:cool: It's undone!!!

Desperate way - drill through nut (carefully!! or you'll go into hub) several times, soak with plusgas and whack undone with chisel.
Works, but not recommended, better to find that length of scaffold (try a building site...

[E_T_V]

I think rich and rich can testify as to how tight the hub nuts were on my donor TD. I had a 3ft breaker bar with a 5ft scaffold pipe on the end of it. Two people lifting the bar whilst another sat on the brake pedal and another sat on the car to prevent the wheel spinning! They can be VERY tight.
If you still don't have any luck, take it to a garage with a big air impact gun and get them to loosen it then just nip it up a little for your journey home.

[e692wtt]

Tony was involved as well, with the n/s front hub nut if memory serves... I seem to recall he was hanging off the end of the scaffold bar with me (not Rich - not being 'chunky' he was on the brake pedal instead - and a couple of people were weighing down that corner of the car to reduce wheel spin despite the brakes being applied firmly) and the hub nut was "recalcitrant" :laugh: .

Whether front or rear hub nut, they are tight unless the bearing has collapsed - "bad taste in the mouth" tight ;) even with 2m of leverage. I swear by a front or rear exhaust pipe section on the end of the socket or spanner myself :o , and as others have said the "rifle crack" as it lets go is most satisfying...

[tony]

pity the one on jonah was not as tight, but thats another story completely

[Rich]

I have never had much of a problem with them. I bought a HUGE socket set, supposed to be for servicing combine harversters or somthing like that. The smallest socket does the hub nuts! It has a big T bar in it, so I just get an assistant on the brake, then put that on with the wheel slightly turned to avoid the wing, and jump up down on the bar and they have always come undone.

You would be able to hire this size of socket and bar from any good hire shop.

[Terry]

I think you could try heating the 'nut' with blow lamp.

[e692wtt]

pity the one on jonah was not as tight, but thats another story completely

Tony, I am nominating you for the understatement of the decade award... ;)

Oh, for a bad taste in the mouth on that garage forecourt at Chur - as opposed to the cold sweat that lasted 2 more days - the gods were smiling on us that day :laugh: ...

To see what we are alluding to, read my blogs around October 2005 regarding Staples2Naples2005 to see what we're on about.

[ronnie]

Thankyou again everyone. Am trying to get some tools together and going to have another attempt to get it off in next couple of days!!!

[SimonR]

Tony, I am nominating you for the understatement of the decade award... ;)

Oh, for a bad taste in the mouth on that garage forecourt at Chur - as opposed to the cold sweat that lasted 2 more days - the gods were smiling on us that day :laugh: ...

To see what we are alluding to, read my blogs around October 2005 regarding Staples2Naples2005 to see what we're on about.

Sorry to go a little off topic - but what is it about Chur? Our S2N car broke down just outside Chur in 2006. Bloody place - I'm never going near it again. Oh, wait, I am - and in the same car that broke down in 2006. Eek!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/Wonkey_Donkey/S2N%202006/Day%202/IMG_6873.jpg?t=1209159919

Anyway, good luck getting your nuts off!

[ronnie]

Nut off!!

Needed to wait for the extra power of my son-in-law today, and used a 32mm socket, with a 3/4" square drive extension bar, and it came off within seconds :D

Thanks once more to everyone who offered advice