Hey all, I'm back to working on my Red '00 Durango and I'm having an issue with the front axle nut. The damn thing will not come loose. I've tried repeated soaking in PB Blaster, using an air impact wrench and a steel bar and 4' cheater bar and socket wrench. Just to make sure, this damn right front axle nut isn't a left handed thread is it? Kinda scared to take a torch to it due to grease and extreme fire danger.

 

They tend to 'become one' with the axles..... You need a pretty powerful impact to zip them fellers off. Either that, or put the brakes back together, have someone STAND on the brakes, and use a LONG breaker bar......

 

First option, either get a bigger impact gun that will take it off.

Second option, knock the center cap out of the wheel and put it back on, put the front end on the ground. Put it in park, set the parking brake, block the wheels, etc. Get a socket on there and an extension (1/2" drive minimum) that you support the end of with a jackstand or something solid (to keep it from just pushing the socket down and off the wheel). Now put the biggest breaker bar you have on there and a jack handle over that or something, and give it hell.

 

option 3 is one of these guys
im sure they make bigger ones, but we use these (on a larger scale) on equipment at work regularly (especially for breakdown after the equipment has been in service for many many years)

 

How have I never seen one of those before?

 

Jack it up high, then place the cheater bar handle on the ground. You can then slowly lower the vehicle and let it's weight do the work. Be careful nothing flies at you. You might want to jack from front center, that way you're out of the way while it lowers.

 

only if you can keep the axle from turning with the brake or something.

 

True. Someone sitting in the drivers seat with foot on brake. It can be running.

 

That's one of the problems, it's not running.

Have help with me today so we going to tackle it and see what we can get done.

 

Get yourself about a 3 or 4 foot crow bar. Lower the vehicle to where the bar will be on the ground and slide it between two of the studs. Rotate it until it won't turn for being caught on the ground. Now get a 1/2 inch drive ratchet or breaker bar and a cheater pipe. I've got a 6 foot section of old drive shaft with the yokes cut off I use. Get everything nice and tight then honk down on the cheater pipe and it will break loose. just be ready for it so you don't slam your face into the ground. I've had lug nuts on trucks so tight it took the 6 foot pipe and 2, 250 pound men bouncing on it to break them loose. yours shouldn't be that tight. Just make sure you're LOOSENING the nut, not tightening it.