I need to change u-joints on the front axles of my 94 ram 1500. Does anyone know what size the hub nut is? Can the hub and bearing be removed with the axle, eliminating the problem of removing the hub nut? If not, how do you break the nut loose?
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Dan
It can, but it would be awkward to work with. Stick a big screwdriver into the vanes of hte rotor, so that it jams up against the brake caliper. Then just put a big socket/bar onto the axle nut (after removing the cotter pin, of course), and back it off. I don't recall the size of the nut off-hand, sorry...
Do it the easy way - while the brakes are still connected. Or the EASIER way - with a big jonston bar on the socket, and the handle against the ground - use a chunk of pipe if necessary, and put the car in gear (reverse for left side - handle facing back, forward for right side, handle facing forward. Can be done with each wheel off the ground, but safer an all fours.
What's difficult about sticking a screwdriver in the rotor? Using the brakes requires two people... and sometimes it's tough to generate enough brake pressure to hold back against the torque necessary to break that nut free.
Yeah - just throw caution to the wind... trust me, I've done this plenty of times - and the screwdriver in the rotor has yet to fail...
i personally would side with tom on this one....less chance of "personal injury" or body damage.
I've done it with the big bar many times when 250 foot lbs from my impact wouldn'dt do it, and 200 lbs jumping on the end of a 3 foot bar woudn't do it. Never had one fail to come off using engine power - and never did any damage. And what do you do if your rotors are not vented?
As for removing the nut with the wheels still on the car, and on the ground, I've never managed to spin the wheel with the car parked in gear with the emergency on, by jumping on the johnson bar. It's a one man job. And if the emergency doesnt hold, a chunk of 4X4 or 6X6 wood in front of the wheel makes a good substitute - still a one man job.
If it doesnt come off that way, I brace the wrench handle against the ground and use the power of the engine. When the nuts are cracked loose I put it up on the hoist or jacks (jack stands)
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