Staking Hubnuts (and Then Undoing Them)

[Casanova 0]

I have to pop driveshafts off both my 205s in the coming few weeks and I always have trouble with the hub nuts. What's the right tool to use to stake them, and then to take that dent out so they can be undone? My dad used to have a massively chunky chisel that worked OK the first time I did one, but its long since lost and I can't seem to find a decent replacement. Any handy advice?

 

Cheers

 

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[Peetypug 5]

as you say "a big chisel" to tighten them

i usually use a screwdriver of some form to losen it then a long bar does the trick

then to save money (you may call me cheap ) i swap the nuts round, eg left nut on the right as they dont tighten to the same point then

Edited July 30, 2007 by sorrentopete

[Sandy 191]

Blunt chisel fo shizzle.

 

Swap them side to side to get a second innings.

[Anthony 1,003]

To be honest I just undo them with a big breaker bar and a healthy does of BFI - that forces the stake out as the nut undoes...

[maturin23 10]

I used a 18 inch breaker bar with a 3 foot scaffold pole slid over it - works a treat and you don't even break into a sweat.

[Casanova 0]

To be honest I just undo them with a big breaker bar and a healthy does of BFI - that forces the stake out as the nut undoes...

I did try that against the brakes but using a 3ft scaffolding pole, the brakes just slipped rather than the hubnut shifting. Poor brakes and a hubnut that's not been off in a few years I'd guess. Thought about locking the engine and putting it in gear, but I didn't want to put that much torque through my 'chocolate' MA gearbox... I'll try a big chisel and hope the rubbishy brakes can hold it enough to undo it. (Brakes are the next job on the list, I just really need it running first!)

 

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[DaveK 0]

you can make up a tool that goes between 2 opposite wheel bolt holes and acts as a stop level so you can undo the hub nuts yourself, and stops the wheel rotating

 

The haynes manuals tell you how i think, thats how i made mine

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

I do them the same as Anthony, just on the handbrake with a 36" breaker bar. Does take quite a lot of force to shift them but I'm taking lessons from Anthony on the subtly front

 

Rob

 

N.B. That is with the car sitting on its wheels, centre removed and a socket through the middle of the wheel. No need for special tools...

[Jrod 7]

Can't do that with crappy 1.6 wheels though!

[welshpug 1,657]

grab a steelie off another pug

 

I wouldnt use wheelbolts and an improvised strap though, last time I tried this I bent a bolt

 

wheel on and a breaker bad and jump on it

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

when re staking the nuts, claw hammer using the claw side works an absolute treat. removal I usually use an old chisel sharpened with the grinder, knock 2 grooves either side of the dent an then it just snaps away cleanly

[steve@cornwall 100]

Best thing I've found is one of those small interchangeable screwdriver bits, only takes light tapping to knock the staking out. Then the aforementioned 6 ft breaker bar with a wheel fitted. I've also needed to cut right through them with a sharp chisel if all else fails!

[edthedrummer 0]

do it with the wheels on, with the car on the ground is alls i can reccomend. took me 6weeks to get mine off. Tried everything, drilling, grinding, chisel, blowtorch.

 

then a mate comes around, 9ft scaffold pole on a socket and breaker bar, easily. Made me look like a right idiot. Got to do the rear hubnuts soon, not looking forward to it.

 

 

Anthony. Will the staking not damage any threads if you don't remove it first?

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

not undoing the staking may slightly flatten the end threads on undoing but as the rest of the nut comes off it undoes any damage caused anyway.

Rear hub nuts are easier as the stub axle doesnt turn anyway.

[edthedrummer 0]

Awesome, cheers for that.

[Casanova 0]

Cheers guys - got one of the cars done with no hassle last night, just using a pole on a breaker bar against the handbrake with it on the ground. Lucky I had some spare steelies knocking around!

 

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