Warning: Loose Axle Nuts

[nsx1164]

source for 6-point 36mm 1/2" drive sockets ?

Most DIYers don't have a 36mm socket laying around, but it's not that hard to order one up

Dan -- can you suggest a source for one of these (6-point 36mm 1/2" drive) sockets?? Can't seem to find one -- Craftsman doesn't list them in their on-line catalog

I found one from a VW parts dealer -- Chirco in AZ.
P/N CPR012160 -- it IS a 6-point (not 12-point as pictured).

Note: I just want the 36 mm one -- not a "set" (SK sells a 4-pc set for about $64 (!) -- 30-32-35-36 mm).

sjs, here are some "close ups"

LEFT NUT

RIGHT NUT

 

[DanO]

Try this snap-on link.

This link is for a 1/2" IMPACT socket, but I like to buy impact sockets instead of regular so that they can be used with air tools too, because one never knows when they'll break down and buy a huge compressor and a huge 3/4" impact gun.

For this size, if you want to shell out the bucks, it may be worth getting it in 3/4" drive with a 3/4" breaker bar. I have a 3/4" breaker bar and impact wrench with socket sizes 19mm and 36mm. With the 3/4" breaker bar, you can slide some 1" steel water pipe over the handle and really put some serious torque to work. I have a 4' peice of 1" pipe in my garage just for this purpose. (I now also have a railroad spike and an old shoe--just in case the pipe and wrench fail).

DanO

 

[nsx1164]

bling-bling tool-time

Try this snap-on link.

This link is for a 1/2" IMPACT socket, but I like to buy impact sockets instead of regular so that they can be used with air tools too, because one never knows when they'll break down and buy a huge compressor and a huge 3/4" impact gun.

Thanks DanO -- I wanna be like you when I grow up, but I don't have the scratch just yet

Your link sounds like what I need -- except that its $$$.
Sounds like something we can include in the "virtual club toolbox"

 

[PorknBeanz]

I got mine at AutoZone. Non-impact, 6-point, 1/2" drive. They had about 5 of them in a box marked Axle nut sockets. Cost was less than $20.

 

[DanO]

Re: bling-bling tool-time

...except that its $$$.

Well, I'm not sure $40 qualifies for THREE dollar signs—especially for a guy like you. There’s nothing wrong with paying a few extra pesos (in this case about $25—about a tank of gas) for good tools and there’s nothing wrong with paying less—if the tool doesn’t break or strip the nut/bolt. I bought a set of cheap crow-foot wrenches from an auto parts store and they deformed under stress and rounded my cam pulley bolts and made my knuckles bleed. The snap-on crow-foot wrenches that I ordered removed the bolts in five seconds—no problem.

DanO

 

[nsx1164]

I got mine at AutoZone. Non-impact, 6-point, 1/2" drive.

Just got one from Murray's (Elston/Addison in Chicago) for 7.99 (includes a lifetime warranty). I'll post more info here later.

 

[nsxtasy]

I just realized that I had never posted the photos to this topic.

We can use the photo of Manuel's nuts I mean, his photo of a good axle nut (one with the stake mark in the center of the notch):

MY RIGHT NUT

Here's a photo of my axle nut which had loosened. Notice how the stake mark has backed out to the edge of the notch in the end of the axle :

Now that I am looking at this photo once again, I am realizing something VERY strange. I would expect the axle nut to back out by loosening. But look at the photo. The stake mark is actually a little bit past center in the CLOCKWISE direction. That means that either the axle nut was actually tightened from the stake mark, or else - more likely, I'm guessing - that the axle nut had loosened AN ENTIRE REVOLUTION.

EDIT: Updated links for photos.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Ken,

It that your right or left nut??? LOL.........

Seriously though, it looks like there is still metal in the groove of the axle shaft, which would tell me it tightened, so if it was the LEFT side, it is possible it actually got tighter.

My $.02,
LarryB

 

[nsxtasy]

Yes, that is a picture of the left axle nut.

I'm thinking it probably got tighter, because the axle seems to protrude from inside the nut as much as Manuel's. If it had backed out an entire revolution, even the depth of one thread would probably make it noticably shallower in the photo.

EDIT: John confirmed that it probably got tighter. When he has seen this, he has found that the axle nut would not move any more when they put a torque wrench on it.

 

[1TITENSX]

Try this snap-on link.

This link is for a 1/2" IMPACT socket, but I like to buy impact sockets instead of regular so that they can be used with air tools too, because one never knows when they'll break down and buy a huge compressor and a huge 3/4" impact gun.

For this size, if you want to shell out the bucks, it may be worth getting it in 3/4" drive with a 3/4" breaker bar. I have a 3/4" breaker bar and impact wrench with socket sizes 19mm and 36mm. With the 3/4" breaker bar, you can slide some 1" steel water pipe over the handle and really put some serious torque to work. I have a 4' peice of 1" pipe in my garage just for this purpose. (I now also have a railroad spike and an old shoe--just in case the pipe and wrench fail).

DanO

I just broke two 1/2" breaker bars using a 4' pipe trying to get the axle nut off
Who sells or what specific type of breaking bar do I need

 

[Dave Hardy]

Are you unstaking the nut before you try to remove it? That's step 1. Also, if you have an impact gun it is worth giving it a shot, as the shock can help unstick a rusted nut. If you don't have air at your disposal, get a 3/4" or 1" breaker bar.

As for the previous discussion on axle nuts in general, while observing the stake is a decent method of checking tightness, it isn't a guarentee. If you have worn wheel bearings then the assembly can get loose while the nut won't move at all. A decent way to check the condition of your wheel bearings is to grab the wheel at 12 O'Clock and push it in and out. Any loosness in the bearing assembly will show up using this test.

 

[Briank]

I just broke two 1/2" breaker bars using a 4' pipe trying to get the axle nut off
Who sells or what specific type of breaking bar do I need

What brand of breaker bar are you using?

 

[DanO]

I just broke two 1/2" breaker bars using a 4' pipe trying to get the axle nut off
Who sells or what specific type of breaking bar do I need

you'll need a 3/4" breaker bar w/ 3/4" socket. Or, take the car to a local grage and ask them to break it loose, re-tighten and steak it. when you get it home, you should be able to pop it off without a problem using 1/2" tools.

If you're not in a big hurry, i can ship you my 3/4" breaker bar and socket.

Good luck,

DanO

 

[nsxtasy]

If you're not in a big hurry, i can ship you my 3/4" breaker bar and socket.

Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man!

 

[SCS2k]

All this talk about bars and nuts is making me thirsty. As an aside there was also a TSB on S2000s for axle nuts that would loosen. Those Tochigi folks must be slacking.

 

[1TITENSX]

What brand of breaker bar are you using?

One of those from off the shelf at Pep Boys... :frown:

you'll need a 3/4" breaker bar w/ 3/4" socket. Or, take the car to a local grage and ask them to break it loose, re-tighten and steak it. when you get it home, you should be able to pop it off without a problem using 1/2" tools.

If you're not in a big hurry, i can ship you my 3/4" breaker bar and socket.

Good luck,

DanO

I am going to try a couple of more places tomorrow and if that doesn't work, I'll will let you know. Thanks for wanting to help. OBTW, do you have any DIY (w/pics), for removing the axles?

Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man!

Are you talking about this?

 

[nsxtasy]

Are you talking about this?

Actually, I was referring to DanO's retail business.

 

[DanO]

OBTW, do you have any DIY (w/pics), for removing the axles?

No, but if you take pictures i can add them!



DanO

 

[1TITENSX]

I found some 3/4" or 1" breaker bars, but no one had the sockets to fit them that were 6 sided They didn't even have the adapters to go from 3/4" or 1" to 1/2".....I tried about 6-7 stores so I ended up borrowing and impact wrench to finally get those rascals off :redface:

 

[wildbill846]

Sorry to awaken an older thread, but I figured this would be interesting to some...

I just back home from Iraq, and this past weekend I got my NSX back from a friend who's been taking care of it for me while I was overseas. I was about to change out the brake pads and I was looking at the axle nuts and my left rear nut appears to have loosened up....BADLY! I really can't tell because I can't determine where the notch is. It looks as though the staking on the nut carved away the edge of the shaft as it loosened and now there's no distinct notch anywhere. I'll have to take a picture and post it up here. I was thoroughly confused when I looked at it and had to look at the right side to see what it was supposed to look like.

I guess I'll have to take the nut off and clean up the area to get a better look, but now does this mean I'm looking to buy a new axle shaft? If so, ouch...

Bill

 

[nsxtasy]

I guess I'll have to take the nut off and clean up the area to get a better look, but now does this mean I'm looking to buy a new axle shaft?

Not necessarily. Re-tighten it to the proper torque spec, and keep a close eye on it...

 

[wildbill846]

I will get a pic posted shortly...the end of the shaft just looks a bit deformed. It doesn't quite give me a warm fuzzy.

 

[1TITENSX]

Sorry to awaken an older thread, but I figured this would be interesting to some...

I just back home from Iraq, and this past weekend I got my NSX back from a friend who's been taking care of it for me while I was overseas. I was about to change out the brake pads and I was looking at the axle nuts and my left rear nut appears to have loosened up....BADLY! I really can't tell because I can't determine where the notch is. It looks as though the staking on the nut carved away the edge of the shaft as it loosened and now there's no distinct notch anywhere. I'll have to take a picture and post it up here. I was thoroughly confused when I looked at it and had to look at the right side to see what it was supposed to look like.

I guess I'll have to take the nut off and clean up the area to get a better look, but now does this mean I'm looking to buy a new axle shaft? If so, ouch...

Bill

So did your friend notice anything unusual while driving your car while you were gone?

 

[wildbill846]

He didn't notice anything other than my climate control going form partly fried to completely fried and my ABS light came on...I'm troubleshooting that now.

I don't hear or feel anything while driving, but I'm going to have this check out because I'm not sure if it's bad wheel bearings or a combination of the two...but I can feel some play on that wheel when I tug on it.

 

[nsxtasy]

I'm not sure if it's bad wheel bearings or a combination of the two...but I can feel some play on that wheel when I tug on it.

Check the ball joints too...