Help!!!!! I've literally spent 4 hours trying to get out the damn locking nut that holds the axle pin in place. It's the little 5/16 threaded bolt/rod. It must be made of the mildest steel possible, because at this point it's pretty much completely rounded. I've tried torch, extractor sockets, vice grips, tried to hammer a 9/32 wrench on it, but nothing will budge it. I've even tried my impact wrench with a long extension to get past the shocks, and nothing will turn it. I'm almost to the point I'm going to have to swap out the entire rear end, or run the axle bearings which is what I wanted to change until they fall off. I don't know if even drilling it out is an option, because with it in side the differential housing, you can get a plumb/straight shot on it.

I don't suppose there is some other way to remove the whole assembly to put it on a bench top to try and get it out...seems, no, since I can't get the axles out.

 

Someone may have over-torqued it previously, it's only supposed to be like 8 ftlbs. Try beating on the pin itself (not the nut) to try and loosen the grip the nut has on it. If there's some kind of stud-lock on the threads it's going to need to be cracked pretty hard to break it loose.

Follow up with the heat again. Heat the dickens out of the area of the ring gear housing between the pinion shaft and the head of the nut, than get the best-fitting socket (vise grips?) you can on the nut to turn it.

If that fails, could you weld a larger bolt to the pinion nut?

 

I've used a propane torch to heat the diff between the nut and pin trying to expand around it...so much mass don't know how long is enough...I heated for about 5 minutes...I have to believe that some kind of thread lock has it because even an impact wouldn't turn it with an extractor socket. I think welding a nut on the head is the next step although I'll try to beat the pin per your suggestion. I don't have or know how to weld unfortunately.

 

I know this much to loosen a stud, bolt or nut you have to heat it at least cherry red to have it break free by the heat/cool expand/contract cycle. I have a very small OxyAcetylene setup. Maybe you know a plumber or friend who might have one? The OxyAcet torch is a lot hotter than Propane which would take a long time and isn't concentrated enough to just heat up the nut fast.

 

I have an old oxyacetylene setup my dad had from the 70s. Tanks are empty but maybe I can try that too. It's a torch welder so I guess if I can find tanks I can practice welding myself.

 

I'm a non-welder as well, always have to enlist someone else when I run into a situation where I need something welded. Once in a while though I think maybe its time to get a small welding setup and just learn.
Hope you get that bolt out OK so you don't have to pull that rear unnecessarily. Of course, if you do, you'll probably be thinking about an upgrade; right? Yeah, I'd be thinking maybe a 9.25, or even 8.75, with a better ratio, oh and a sure-grip... Tell me you haven't already thought about it!

 

Oh I've thought about it....however based on my experiment of rotating the axles this rear end is already sure-grip. Wheels go in the same direction and there are locking springs in the differential. Did 90 Daks have that option or did someone already swap the rear?

 

The Sure-Grip was always an option back then.

RwP

 

If you take the tanks in they will keep them a while to test them before they exchange with you. I got mine at an estate sale and they took a few days to make sure the tanks I turned in held pressure before exchanging with me. For most automotive needs a MIG welder would be good enough. You could learn pretty easily if you have enough scrap metal and time to practice, it's all in the wrist. The key and I often forget if I am in a hurry (just did it on my exhaust) is to make the metal clean at the place you are joining it. That is remove all dirt and mill scale down to shiny happy metal. If you don't the melted metal with behave randomly and if you have no experience you won't be able to compensate. It also makes the weld more likely to crack if the metal is not clean.

 

Just to put this to rest. Had a guy come over and we welded an 8mm box wrench to the head...we tried welding an allen wrench first but kept twisting off. The 8mm was the ticket...took some leverage to break the loctite but once we did it came right out and the best part it was fully intact. Of course we had to cut the wrench off, so it and a couple of allen wrenches gave up their life...but they'll be proudly hung on the wall in memorial.