Typically on Hondas, the axle nut is torqued to 180 ft-lb.

I have read articles that if you use a 1/2' drive breaker bar, expect to go flying into the wall with a broken breaker bar. So they recommend using a 3/4" drive breaker bar or even better a 3/4" drive air impact wrench.

So what have you guys used to remove it? Ridgid sells a 1/2" electrical impact wrench rated at 450 ft-lb. Would this be enough to remove it being that it is 1/2" ? I would think so. I just want to get your opinions.

Thanks,

 

try using an Impact gun first should come if you have a good gun.

 

i just used a big ass wrench and my muscles when i upgraded to brembo rotors and pads. it was kinda hard but it came off. not sure wat kinda of wrench exactly just whatever fit. make sure u put it back on as tight as it was before.

 

First thing is to hold the wheel dead still so you can get leverage. You can do this two ways: my preferred method is remove the wheel, then remove the centercap/hubcap to gain access to the nut, put the wheel back on and snug up the lugnuts. The weight of the car will hold the wheel still. If you don't have a centercap skip this step. Or you can remove the wheel, and have a friend turn the car on and use the brakes to hold the hub still.

If you put a breaker bar on there and stand on it or worse start jumping on it, you'll likely break something and it could be a bone.

I've had good luck just putting the breaker bar on there (1/2") and then holding it with some slight tension, start tapping on the bar about midway up the bar with a small 4-5lb sledge. Penetrating oil or BP Blaster will help as well.

 

First time when i changed my axles i used an air gun but after one of my axles snapped my and my buddy just used a wrench and he stood on it til it broke the nut loose...

 

make sure you tap out the locking "dent" as well, the outer ring of the nut is normally dented in to keep the nut from spinning off. You'd be suprised, but that little bit can keep the nut from comming off at all.

If you need extra leverage, use a short piece of pipe on the breaker bar, works wonders. Heating the nut with a torch helps a bunch too.

Electric impacts can be very helpful if you do a good amount of your own repair work, they are much larger than most air impacts but get the job done nicely if you dont have a large compressor to support an air impact.

Also, when re-installing everything, do NOT tighten the nut with an impact.

 

I haven't had a problem with broken 1/2" breaker bars, and I've replaced both axels on my accord. I use an 18" craftsman breaker bar (even if it does break they'll replace it free), put the car up on jackstands (both sides), have a friend stand on the brakes, and then I jump on the breaker bar. Both times the nut came right off after a bounce or two. I'm 250lbs tho, - thats 400+ ft-lbs!

 

theres a term for that as well, anyone remember?

 

Yep..."unstake" the nut.

 

ahh there we go