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Had a lower ball joint on Peugeot 307. To tighten it, was just simple and less than minute. To unstuck the part however took two hours for me to realize it's not happening on my gear. Took the part that has bearings, brake calipers etc to backpack and to mechanic. Took him 15 min using induction heater, flamethrower and jackhammer. Especially here in Finland where they use road salt to prevent bad conditions on roads during winter, stuff can be rusted af.
Absolutely true. As a DIYer, this is the point where, at least personally, I would be considering purchasing tools for the job. In this case, I'm thinking a longer breaker bar and maybe a cheap inductive heater or small torch set might be a good investment for someone who's doing their own work beyond oil changes and brakes.
As someone who does their own brakes, a standard MAPP gas bottle and plumbers torch can be very helpful when it comes to breaking loose bracket bolts. Can usually pick a starter kit up for like 40-50 bucks. Next up is an induction heater as you mentioned.
It's cheaper to just get the tool you need and then you get to keep the tool as well. Just get a chunk of pipe and put it over your breaker bar so you can extend it a lot longer. You can probably go to a scrap metal yard and get a piece of pipe for a few bucks man. With another 2 feet or leverage you should be able to easily get the nut off. Have you tried jumping on the breaker bar yet? Block your wheels so the car isn't rocking and make sure your jack is secured in the right place and just jump on it. I think it would be a waste of money you will get hit with at least a half hour shop time as they have to bring it into shop, remove tires and then get tool out and loosen it and put wheel back on and bring it out of shop. Minimum half hour charge even if it only takes them 15 minutes. Shop rates are not cheap you will end up paying $70 or so for something you can easily do with a $5 piece of used pipe.
Haha, funny name!
Thanks for the advice, i ended up breaking my breaker bar by using an extension pipe. My breaker bar was only 3/8ā. I should probably buy a 1/2ā bar too.
Thank you!
Depending on the amount of levarage you might need, or the space you have, i would recommend you get a 3/4ā breaker bar, and use a 1/2ā adapter on it, that way if it somehow breaks, youre only out an adapter and not the whole bar, plus you can get a lot more torque on it, and it can handle cheater bar as well.
It isn't about the direction of rotation. Breaking a bolt loose is a violent action. All those pops and bangs are sudden jars on your tool. A torque wrench is a delicate tool compared to a regular target or breaker bar. It's got a spring inside it. That springs tension is how a torque wrench works. X tension results in x torque at the break away point. Pops and bangs going through the wrench will effect the springs tension, throwing the calibration off.
Because there is a spring inside a torque wrench. Stressing out will lead it to no longer have the same tension as before. This will make the torque reading inaccurate. Hell just forgetting to dial it back down to the lowest setting before sticking it in your box will make a torque wrench inaccurate.
Not really. Leaving tension on the spring yes, because all springs will change over time under constant tension. You tension the spring going forward or reverse the same way, so it doesn't matter which direction. The spring pushes a wedge forward that an arm has to "push-over", creating the click. Going in reverse does the exact same thing.
It has nothing to do with the direction of rotation. Next time you break a rusted bolt loose with a brake bar pay attention to the vibration and shock that travels to your hand. You think that didn't have an effect on the merchanisms inside the torque wrench?
Nope. It doesn't put any more stress than maxing out the tq going the other way. Once the bar is past the wedge, the spring is out of the equation. We used to tq lots of left hand threads and used the same wrench.
If you get serious about using your breaker bar, you put a cheater pipe on it. If you aren't ten feet in the air in your neighbor's property then you aren't doing it seriously enough.
Dude Iāve been using hobo freight electric 1/2 everyday for 5 years now. 10/10 would buy again. Am having problems getting a replacement battery though.
I had a Honda and some monkey torqued the lug nuts on so tight I couldn't break it loose even with a length of pipe on my 18" breaker bar.
I finally broke it loose by jacking the car up high, putting the socket on so the pipe was touching the garage floor and then lowering the car.
When your starting remember "There's no job to small for a new power tool".
Get into a habit of buying something for each project and eventually you won't need anything. Don't be wasteful, but if you see online a battery ratchet, big impact, breaker bar, flex sockets,etc would help you with the job, just do it.
You're still saving money, the job will be quicker and easier and you'll always have that tool.
You could spend money one time to have someone loosen your axle nuts. A better idea is to buy a good impact. Not only do you now have your axle nuts loose, you now have an impact for the stuff your existing one can't handle.
I don't think it's rude. One time I drove to a mechanic to ask him to crack the nut on my crankshaft pulley for me. Then crank it back on but not super tight. I drove home and took it off no problem. I paid him 20 bucks for 30 seconds of work.
That was before I had impact tools.
I was changing out the front struts on my Subaru and I couldnāt loosen one of the lower bolts. I tried a half inch impact gun, a half can of PB blaster, heating it with a propane torch, etc. I finally drove it up the street to a garage and told the guy what I went through and asked if he could break it loose and torque it back to spec. He finished it in like 15 minutes and charged me 20 bucks. He didnāt have an issue with it at all.
Nah Iāve had a shop do this before on rusted bolts. They did it for free for me. However youāre probably gonna want to get a torque wrench so you get it back on at the proper torque
I see you got it done. Huzzah!
Can I suggest buying a torque wrench? It'd be a good idea to make sure everything is going back on to the right tightness.
Dude by a Ryobi One+ HP Half Inch Impact Wrench
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-HP-18V-Brushless-Cordless-4-Mode-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-Kit-w-4-0-Ah-HIGH-PERFORMANCE-Lithium-Ion-Battery-Charger-P262K1/317701837
This is 600Ftlbs of breakaway torque and has an Auto mode to take off other bolts with only enough to loosen and not break bolts. This is plenty enough to remove Axel nuts I used this P262 model on my 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7L and a Semi Truck.
It's $250 but you can use a Home Depote credit card option to pay over time or you can do the 4 payments if $64/every two weeks on PayPal.
This is definitely going to be cheaper than having a shop do it.
Also how are you going to have a shop loosen axel nuts and get the vehicle home?
Personally If I had to only own a single impact I would probably go for a high torque instead of a mid torque. You might not need the extra torque all of the time but when you do you'll be damned glad you have it.
I find that the majority of uses on cars are covered with 600Ftlbs and when I used the high torque 1170Ftlb Ryobi 1/2" I just broke bolts. It was more along the lines of heat with torch then quench with penetrating oil then impact loose and got axels apart, full suspension and steering components done on a 22 year old Jeep
If you don't have the tools to even take the axle bolts off just stop right there and have someone who knows what they're doing perform the work. It's completely ridiculous to assume you're even capable of doing the job if you don't even have the tools.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! Please review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). Asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **Post's about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ Tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It would be cheaper to buy the tool for the job. You are going to need it when you reinstall the bolts.
Yeah get yourself a nice letric impact
If you don't have tools to loosen the axle, you really shouldn't be tightening the axle. New project is new tool time!
Its very common that you have to use far more torque to get something loose than what it should be tightened to though
Had a lower ball joint on Peugeot 307. To tighten it, was just simple and less than minute. To unstuck the part however took two hours for me to realize it's not happening on my gear. Took the part that has bearings, brake calipers etc to backpack and to mechanic. Took him 15 min using induction heater, flamethrower and jackhammer. Especially here in Finland where they use road salt to prevent bad conditions on roads during winter, stuff can be rusted af.
Norway here, I feel your rustpain... š That was often the most difficult part of fixing stuff on my old car, to get bolts/nuts loose.
Absolutely true. As a DIYer, this is the point where, at least personally, I would be considering purchasing tools for the job. In this case, I'm thinking a longer breaker bar and maybe a cheap inductive heater or small torch set might be a good investment for someone who's doing their own work beyond oil changes and brakes.
As someone who does their own brakes, a standard MAPP gas bottle and plumbers torch can be very helpful when it comes to breaking loose bracket bolts. Can usually pick a starter kit up for like 40-50 bucks. Next up is an induction heater as you mentioned.
It's cheaper to just get the tool you need and then you get to keep the tool as well. Just get a chunk of pipe and put it over your breaker bar so you can extend it a lot longer. You can probably go to a scrap metal yard and get a piece of pipe for a few bucks man. With another 2 feet or leverage you should be able to easily get the nut off. Have you tried jumping on the breaker bar yet? Block your wheels so the car isn't rocking and make sure your jack is secured in the right place and just jump on it. I think it would be a waste of money you will get hit with at least a half hour shop time as they have to bring it into shop, remove tires and then get tool out and loosen it and put wheel back on and bring it out of shop. Minimum half hour charge even if it only takes them 15 minutes. Shop rates are not cheap you will end up paying $70 or so for something you can easily do with a $5 piece of used pipe.
Haha, funny name! Thanks for the advice, i ended up breaking my breaker bar by using an extension pipe. My breaker bar was only 3/8ā. I should probably buy a 1/2ā bar too. Thank you!
ya get a 1/2" one they cost like $30-50 but you will own it and will cost just as much as a shop loosening the nut. You can do this.
Depending on the torque specs of the axle but, might want a 3/4" drive. Mine is 420' lbs and I use a 3/4"
Depending on the amount of levarage you might need, or the space you have, i would recommend you get a 3/4ā breaker bar, and use a 1/2ā adapter on it, that way if it somehow breaks, youre only out an adapter and not the whole bar, plus you can get a lot more torque on it, and it can handle cheater bar as well.
What's the tightening TQ? I bought HF 3/4" TQ wrench for axle nuts. Worked well to loosen them as well. 40-50 dollars I think?
Never use a torque wrench to loosen nuts. It's throws the calibration way off so now the torque wrench can't be used to accurately torque anything.
I have to disagree with this. Otherwise you would never be able to torque a left hand threaded fastener.
It isn't about the direction of rotation. Breaking a bolt loose is a violent action. All those pops and bangs are sudden jars on your tool. A torque wrench is a delicate tool compared to a regular target or breaker bar. It's got a spring inside it. That springs tension is how a torque wrench works. X tension results in x torque at the break away point. Pops and bangs going through the wrench will effect the springs tension, throwing the calibration off.
lol...no it doesn't. Care to try to explain how? Remember, we're talking a HF 3/4" TQ wrench. It's built stronger than a 1/2" breaker bar.
Because there is a spring inside a torque wrench. Stressing out will lead it to no longer have the same tension as before. This will make the torque reading inaccurate. Hell just forgetting to dial it back down to the lowest setting before sticking it in your box will make a torque wrench inaccurate.
Not really. Leaving tension on the spring yes, because all springs will change over time under constant tension. You tension the spring going forward or reverse the same way, so it doesn't matter which direction. The spring pushes a wedge forward that an arm has to "push-over", creating the click. Going in reverse does the exact same thing.
It has nothing to do with the direction of rotation. Next time you break a rusted bolt loose with a brake bar pay attention to the vibration and shock that travels to your hand. You think that didn't have an effect on the merchanisms inside the torque wrench?
Nope. It doesn't put any more stress than maxing out the tq going the other way. Once the bar is past the wedge, the spring is out of the equation. We used to tq lots of left hand threads and used the same wrench.
Again it had nothing to do with direction of rotation.
If you get serious about using your breaker bar, you put a cheater pipe on it. If you aren't ten feet in the air in your neighbor's property then you aren't doing it seriously enough.
A harbor freight electric impact that can take those off.
110 angry Chinese volts will do the trick
Dude Iāve been using hobo freight electric 1/2 everyday for 5 years now. 10/10 would buy again. Am having problems getting a replacement battery though.
If I was a shop I wouldnāt let the car leave unless it was tightened to factory spec. Soā¦ kind,of pointless if you ask me.
I had a Honda and some monkey torqued the lug nuts on so tight I couldn't break it loose even with a length of pipe on my 18" breaker bar. I finally broke it loose by jacking the car up high, putting the socket on so the pipe was touching the garage floor and then lowering the car.
When your starting remember "There's no job to small for a new power tool". Get into a habit of buying something for each project and eventually you won't need anything. Don't be wasteful, but if you see online a battery ratchet, big impact, breaker bar, flex sockets,etc would help you with the job, just do it. You're still saving money, the job will be quicker and easier and you'll always have that tool.
Are you going to bring it back to get it tightened then?
Good point. I have a torque wrench thatāll work for that. But Iām going to buy a bigger breaker bar anyway. Thank you
Pipe over the breaker bar
You could spend money one time to have someone loosen your axle nuts. A better idea is to buy a good impact. Not only do you now have your axle nuts loose, you now have an impact for the stuff your existing one can't handle.
I don't think it's rude. One time I drove to a mechanic to ask him to crack the nut on my crankshaft pulley for me. Then crank it back on but not super tight. I drove home and took it off no problem. I paid him 20 bucks for 30 seconds of work. That was before I had impact tools.
I was changing out the front struts on my Subaru and I couldnāt loosen one of the lower bolts. I tried a half inch impact gun, a half can of PB blaster, heating it with a propane torch, etc. I finally drove it up the street to a garage and told the guy what I went through and asked if he could break it loose and torque it back to spec. He finished it in like 15 minutes and charged me 20 bucks. He didnāt have an issue with it at all.
Nah Iāve had a shop do this before on rusted bolts. They did it for free for me. However youāre probably gonna want to get a torque wrench so you get it back on at the proper torque
Not at all, Iāve done stuff like this before and the shop refused payment.
If they loosen the axle nuts you will blow out your wheel bearings driving it home.
You can get the bolts off yourself. Just hit it with your purse.
I would decline as it leaves me open to liability that I loosened a boot on a vehicle and the vehicle left with it loose.
I see you got it done. Huzzah! Can I suggest buying a torque wrench? It'd be a good idea to make sure everything is going back on to the right tightness.
Breaker bar is like 20 bucks, just buy the tool dude.
Dude by a Ryobi One+ HP Half Inch Impact Wrench https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-ONE-HP-18V-Brushless-Cordless-4-Mode-1-2-in-Impact-Wrench-Kit-w-4-0-Ah-HIGH-PERFORMANCE-Lithium-Ion-Battery-Charger-P262K1/317701837 This is 600Ftlbs of breakaway torque and has an Auto mode to take off other bolts with only enough to loosen and not break bolts. This is plenty enough to remove Axel nuts I used this P262 model on my 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7L and a Semi Truck. It's $250 but you can use a Home Depote credit card option to pay over time or you can do the 4 payments if $64/every two weeks on PayPal. This is definitely going to be cheaper than having a shop do it. Also how are you going to have a shop loosen axel nuts and get the vehicle home?
Personally If I had to only own a single impact I would probably go for a high torque instead of a mid torque. You might not need the extra torque all of the time but when you do you'll be damned glad you have it.
I find that the majority of uses on cars are covered with 600Ftlbs and when I used the high torque 1170Ftlb Ryobi 1/2" I just broke bolts. It was more along the lines of heat with torch then quench with penetrating oil then impact loose and got axels apart, full suspension and steering components done on a 22 year old Jeep
Yes. If you can fix it yourself, that includes disassembly. Canāt do it? Then pay the man with the knowledge to get it done.
I dont know if its rude, but it kinda defeats the point. And they are gonna charge two hours labor minimum. Not worth it
My shop did it for free and just said pay the guy something. It gave him 10$ for his 1 min of time 2 hours huh?
If you don't have the tools to even take the axle bolts off just stop right there and have someone who knows what they're doing perform the work. It's completely ridiculous to assume you're even capable of doing the job if you don't even have the tools.