Driveaxle nut removal

'99 Escort ZX2. I am having lots of trouble getting the nut off. I've already broken 2 1/2 in drive breaker bars (with the help of a extension pipe). I tried heating up the nut with a propane torch. Is there anything that could be damaged by getting it REAL hot? The axle is not the real problem, the tranny is shot. Can I replace the it without getting the nut off and leaving the half-shaft in? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Jim

When I had to remove mine I went to a tire shop and had the guy use a big impact wrench. Broke it right loose.

I had read that in another thread, probably your reply. However, this car doesn't move. Towing it to the shop would be a last resort. I'm picking up a good size compressor today and maybe try alternating impact/breaker bar and see if I can't break the nut loose instead of breaking more tools. Thanks for the reply.
Jim

Well, I just broke my buddy's 24" 1/2 drive (Snap On) breaker bar. This is after penetrating spray and torching it and more spray. This nut might be JB welded on or something. Anyway to cut that nut off? HELP!

I've read a similar post with the same problem and if you want to pull the axle out without taking off the nut there is a way. Take off the brake calilper and rotor from the hub. Separate the tie-rod from the steering knuckle. Unbolt the strut from the steering knuckle. Remove the clamp bolt and nut and take the balljoint loose from the steering knuckle. Now, the steering knuckle and hub with the drive axle attatched can be pulled out of the transmission. Sort of like coming through the back door, but it beats fighting that nut. You might be able to cut the nut with a really sharp cold chisel. Could cut it off with an acetylene torch, but that might do more harm than good. It could take the hardness out of the metal. Haynes says it is supposed to have 174 to 235 lbs. of torque. A 2 ft. breaker bar should break it loose with 90-120 lbs of torque. A four foot extension with a 2 foot breaker bar should get it off with 30 to 40 lbs. of pressure. Somebody has put that sucker on with a God-awful amount of torque if you broke a 1/2 inch 2 ft. breaker bar.

You didn't specify, so I will mention this...

If you are taking off the driver side nut it is very possible a left-hand thread.... make sure you are turning it the right way!

My car is a 94 and I know it is a lefty!

I may be wrong, but I believe all Fords are RH threads on the half-shaft. One way to make sure is drop by a dealer, or aftermarket supplier, and take a look at a replacement shaft ... if there are no exposed threads on the one you're working on.

I usually drag out my 3/4" drive set for work on shafts.

Mine is a '94 and the driver side has left hand threads.

I am talking only about the hub nut, nothing else.

'94 Escort? Wonder if it was a special "Mazda" made model (... I'm reaching here)?

Another thought... you could stop by a tool rental place and just getter a bigger drive wrench. Either a 1" drive breaker or even a 1" drive impact... though you would need a lot of air for that.

I still bet it's a lefty though ;)

Another thought... call up the Ford dealer and have them look up the hubnut... their computer will tell them if it is a lefty thread.

You still didn't say, but I am assuming driver side. If you are on passenger side it is RH.

I have no idea where this bolt is or what it does exactly since I never had to mess with it, but I think an impact gun would be your best bet.

Any chance of having someone repeatedly hit the socket end of your breaker bar with a small sledgehammer as you try to turn it to simulate an impact gun?

Davescort97,
I already took the approach of taking some other stuff loose and giving up on the nut for now. I have another problem, which I'm sure is common. When the book says, just pry the half-shaft from the trans. BS!! Where do you get the leverage. Those suckers are on there tight. Any tricks from you guys who have done this.
Thanks, Jim

Try using a long fork if you have one... or maybe a big flat tip screw driver... wedge it in right up close and a few good taps should pop it out. You don't want to give it so much of a downward "wedging" type of motion as you do an outward tap. Seems to me that on my car one always came out real easy and the other was always a pain. Anything heavy duty and flat enough to fit between the axle and tranny should do the trick... use a BFH, but don't hit too hard.

I got the passenger half-shaft off, but the drivers side is a pain. Not much room to work. I bought this cool tool that I thought would do the trick. CV joint remover. "C" shaped disc kind of thing with a threaded hole to attach a slide hammer to. It won't quite fit, even after some grinding. Just too much weird shape to the housing. Since the tranny has to come out anyway, I thought I might go ahead and loosen it from the engine and see if I can get any more room to work on that drivers side half-shaft. Thanks for the replies.
PS I couldn't see any thread on the axel nut to check the "handedness". I'll ask a mech about that when it's all back together.

Call your Ford dealer and ask about the part... when they look it up in their computer it should specify if it is a left hand thread... I'd put money on it that it is.

Dunno your situation... but it seems to me your best access at getting this axle out would be from underneath... do you have the car up?

Any big screwdriver should be sufficient to get the axle out... or any other object you can wedge in there... you just need room to hit on it... use your BFH to get more oomph into tiny swings.