Quick jacking question

[Curious Hound]

Some Play in the axle shaft is normal.

Don't know what else to say about that key. Just have to keep working at it. I didn't have much trouble with mine. Have you tried tapping it toward the back of the keyway? That might help loosen it up.

 

[James Morse]

OK will try. It seems like it's tight up against the nut where it has that hump.
Will work some more... at this point if it's possible I wouldn't mind drilling through the 'thin' part of the nut above the key (where there are no threads) to loosen things up but that in itself might not be at all easy.
Thanks.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, they can be beyond frustrating getting that stupid key out. I try blowing brake clean in around the key to get the grease out that may be holding it. Keep at it.

 

[James Morse]

OK. The thing is when I turn the nut I can see the key move a little so it should come out but no joy. Maybe super powerful magnet would do it. My magnet pulled the other side no problem. It just about always ends up something like this doesn't it.
Will work a little more on it... about ready to drill into the nut has anyone ever tried that? It's probably hard steel.
edit, I did tap it in, went in about 1/2mm, so it's not stuck, just can't get it out lol.

 

[James Morse]

I don't think I'm getting anywhere with this. It's in the 1/2mm I tapped it in, and I can see it moving a little in there, but I can't even get it back flush to the edge of the nut.
Options - put back auto hub - no. Give up and take to a shop - no. not yet anyway. I think the only way I'm going to get it out is destroy the nut which is fine I'm not using it again and the chance of someone wanting to put back auto hubs is like zero plus if you ever did want one you can get it.

I thought of trying to drill into the end of the key and put a small screw in it. Probably it's really hard steel though.
I read one place they said take a big screwdriver and split the nut there. I'm thinking that would be hard to do. Cold chisel might work. Otherwise I can only think to drill into the nut over the key until I can get something in there to try to push it out. Really, at this point I want to just get the nut off any way I can without causing any collateral damage. But once I start that process, it's got to get done, I doubt I'd want to put it back together after it's been half done. So I guess the question at this point is, what's the best way to destroy the nut? I'm not that much a fan of drilling, it would be hard to do plus it might make the thing more stuck from flash, I dunno.

I also read of just putting enough force on the nut to break it (as if you were taking it off) but that sounds iffy to me plus I don't have that huge deep socket.

 

[Josh B]

Put a magnet on there and turn the lock-nut a bit. I've never had a bit of problem getting those out
Put a couple of the locking washers on there in case you have to get the tire changed or replaced and do not wish to have some nitwit wondering what in hell to do with a loose hub
Not sure about yours but my 93 tighten it to 150, 180? then back it off and hand tighten (snug) it to a locking point

 

[James Morse]

I'm trying to get the old Auto hub nut off and I can't yet the little key out so it seems like I'm going to have to break that nut. Then I put in the conversion kitn nuts for the manual hubs and those you tighten the inner one for 35 ft lb then back off a quarter and go to 16 inch pounds. Then you put the lock washer and the outer nut the latter you tighten to 150 ft lb.

 

[Josh B]

I can't help much with manual hubs, I've never done one

 

[Curious Hound]

Bring it by the house this afternoon. I'll get it out for you.

 

[James Morse]

I wish I could, Eric. It'd be a bit of a drive. Not ruling it totally out though. Catching up on posts just saw this. Thanks, though, wish I could do it.