I was trying that on a lug nut on my 96...... Impact socket, breaker bar, 6 foot iron pipe...... starting putting down pressure on the pipe, the lug was not even considering budging..... put all my weight on it, heard a 'pop', and the next thing I remember, I was laying on the ground, with people staring down at me, asking: Are you alright?......... The impact socket shattered, I went down, BEAT my head on the side of the truck, and knocked myself out for a couple minutes........

Woulda made a GREAT YouTube video.......

 

Well, I did say to be ready if it breaks. I've found the impact sockets are not necessarily the strongest sockets. They are designed to be hammered. Extreme torque isn't always their forte'. I've really honked on old Buffalo tools while Craftsman tools would break.

 

OK just so I'm not being thick between the ears on this one, the axle nut in question is the Passenger Side. Dodge didn't throw us a curve ball and put a left handed threaded nut on it did they? I'm not loosing my mind, it's still "Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey" correct? as much as a pain in the **** this has been I'm just trying to make sure I'm not loosing my freaking mind...I did pick up a set of 3/4" drive sockets from my dad (from his days in the sawmill....OLD school Craftsman...damn things weight a ton!) and have tried the breaker bar with a steel pipe...with crowbar down to the concrete and stuck in an expansion joint so it won't move...so far no luck...also would the shock missing make a difference?

oh and to add to the stress of Red being down, Norther Nevada got its first SNOW of the season yesterday...usually I'm all for the demonic white stuff coming down hard and heavy...when I have a WORKING Durango....with both of them down I'm in panic mode.

Thanks,

Steve

 

In extreme cases, I've used a power puller/come along on the cheater pipe with it sticking straight up and the other end attached to a tree. I'm pretty sure it's not an LH thread on the axle. You can always head to the parts store and ask to look at one if they have one in stock. The guys I get parts from will let me look if they have one. I've gotten nuts that I began to think were welded on but were just really really stubborn.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice on how to get that blasted nut loose. I am happy to report the blasted thing is now off


Now, as to how it came off...the 3/4" breaker bar with the 4' cheater did not even budge it...my neighbor came home from Burning Man and brought over the "Impact Gun of the Gods" and had it off in about 30 seconds...
I kid you not, if I had not been there to see how easy it came off I would not have believed it...
I found the next new toy (tool) I am saving up for:

Now on to the rest of the project...hopefully will be done before the snow begins to fall (again )

Steve

 

I'll bet someone in the past put it ON with an impact. Maybe with some thread locker too. Check the threads on the axle and the inside of the nut before you reinstall it. I've had nuts my impacts would just sit there and hammer. I've never had one leverage and an occasional DBH wouldn't get. The old tapered drums from 1964 on back were real knuckle busters at times.

 

yea impact guns are great, i have 2 of them, one dewalt 20v rated at 700ish ft lbs breakaway, the other is a HF earthquake air one rated at 1200ft lbs breakaway, if i cant get a nut off its time to pay the pros . . . .

just note do NOT install any critical fasteners with them as they are prone to over-torquing/breaking the bolts.