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Rear hub nuts on MX5
chris68 - 22/4/14 at 05:01 PM

Hi guys,

Want to pick your brains again.

Have you any tips for removing the rear hub nuts on the MX5? I have a 600mm breaker bar onto which I slid a 5foot piece of scaffold bar in the hope of removing the nuts - not a chance!! The breaker bar had a nice curve in it but thankfully did not break. I am assuming that both sides are a standard right hand thread. Does heating help?

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Guys

chrism - 22/4/14 at 05:20 PM

They are on there tight, I believe if you can get someone to hit the end of the breaker bar at the nut end with a large hammer as you put pressure on it can help loosen by shocking it.

Also are the nuts staked, and if so have you knocked it clear.

prawnabie - 22/4/14 at 05:21 PM

The only way I could undo mine was with an impact gun at work

dave - 22/4/14 at 05:41 PM

As Above I needed to use an airgun.

philw - 22/4/14 at 05:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dave
As Above I needed to use an airgun.


.22 or .177 sorry!

chris68 - 22/4/14 at 07:38 PM

Cheers all I will get bashing!

Would be willing to give any sort of airgun a go - but I think a howitser would be of more use!

skov - 22/4/14 at 08:05 PM

If you're feeling brave you could try resting the end of the bar on the floor, put the car in gear, and crank the engine briefly

prawnabie - 22/4/14 at 08:22 PM

Where about are you?

chris68 - 22/4/14 at 08:38 PM

Down on the Sussex Coast

micksalt - 30/6/14 at 04:26 PM

Chris,

Were you putting in your order for the SR2 on the Sunday at Stoneleigh? I was looking around the SR2 and the MNR Vortx at the time, eventually settling on the Vortx as a result of actually fitting in it. Also, are you the same Chris documenting your build in CKC?

Cheers,

Mick

Slimy38 - 30/6/14 at 05:35 PM

My driveshafts are still firmly attached to the rear hubs, I had all sorts going on and they didn't budge. I did wonder about cutting the nuts, or at least weakening them so they broke off. But in the end I've just left them attached!!

Looking on the MX5 forums the removal of the nuts isn't the last job, actually removing the driveshafts once the nuts are off can be just as hard.

Thankfully my driveshafts still look fine so I'm just being a bit careful to work with them complete.

chris68 - 30/6/14 at 08:23 PM

Hi Mick,

I ordered my SR2 back in Oct/Nov last year with delivery for Feb/March 2014, however due to flooding and other water related problems we put it back a while. Got it now and just beginning he assembly process. Yes I am the same Chris doing the build in CKC. Thought it would be a bit of constructive fun plus it helps keep up the motivation

Haven't bothered to attempt the hub nuts yet, just dropped the whole subframe and stored it for now - plenty of other jobs to keep me busy. I will either hire/borrow a battery impact gun or get help from the mobile mechanic who lent me his engine crane back in April (he hasn't come knocking for it yet!!) - he has a compressor on board with air tools.

micksalt - 1/7/14 at 10:24 AM

I thought the chain of events seemed to follow very closely to the article. Since I am a regular subscriber, I look forward to seeing the rest of your build.

thefreak - 1/7/14 at 12:31 PM

Some come off quite easily with a bar, others need the big air tools on them.
Like has been said sometimes the shafts are stuck in the hub as well and not even a 50t press will shift them without breaking the hub (ask me how I know!)
If you do get the nuts loose, leave them on the shafts and give them a tap with a hammer to hopefully free off the splines.
Not sure about heat though, as not sure about the effect on the grease in the bearings

coozer - 1/7/14 at 02:09 PM

Another useful use for electrolysis