Alpha 1-4

I had to slide the Jack handle over my 1/2'' drive ratchet and stand on it to break the hub nut loose.

1976gmc20

Okay - I'm just trying to figure out how these are made compared to the solid axles with locking hubs, where the big double nuts hold the bearings/hub onto the spindle, and are never that tight - just enough to preload the bearings a bit.

Pigeon

I like to break the axle nut loose with the brake rotor and caliper still in place. I remove the wheel, insert a heavy screwdriver or bar into one of the holes in the rim of the rotor. The screwdriver will bind against the rotor, allowing the nut to be removed. I then use an 18" breaker bar with a 4' cheater pipe on it. Works well. Your mileage may vary.

SteveMongr

^ Sounds like a good way to damage something, warp the rotor, or have the hardened shaft of screwdriver break into shrapnel.
Manuals specify using the wheel for a number of reasons.

WolfeMan

Thank you so much for this advice! The pipe I usually use wasn't quite up for the job but my jack handle worked perfectly to add the extra leverage I needed with my 3/4" breaker bar.

Yeah, my brother's camaro's axle nuts were like that. Just needed enough to pop the bearing in and that was it. Super easy compared to my Jeep's axle nuts.

I used my spare tire to do it. I don't think I have a screw driver that would be up to the challenge. Haha

Good points. I used the spare and it made life so much easier.


Thanks again to everyone for the responses! I got the axle nut off with relative ease and it was a bunch easier than cutting it off. I still suck at u joints though. Next time I have to do those I'm going to ask for tips for them too!

1976gmc20

Old style solid front axle 4x4 is same principle but also quite a bit different. The spindle (on which the bearings turn) is actually a hollow tube so the axle can go through the middle of it, so the nuts are quite large in both inside and outside diameter. Also the bearing nuts are way down inside the hub itself so you usually need a large deep socket made specifically for the purpose.


It's all very similar to full floating rear axles found on all one ton and larger trucks, the difference being that front axles usually have an unlocking hub assembly to connect the axle shaft and hub proper, and also the front spindles can be unbolted so that the u-jointed front axle can slide out rather than the spindle just basically being part of the axle tube.


Very confusing, I'm sure ... as the XJ front axles are to me

El_Guapo

This is the sort of thing that having an impact around will make your life much easier. You don't need it, but it makes removal faster and safer.

If you don't have the coin to add an air or electric setup, a manual impact driver will give you around 200 and change ft/lbs of breakaway torque for around $25 (for a good one). Just a few shots on the end with a deadblow will bust most anything automotive loose.

OldBustedBaby

I had a pretty easy time doing axle nuts and hub bolts. I just blocked off the hub from turning with a long crowbar among the hubstuds and use a quality 30" breaker 1/2" drive. Had to stand on the thing but it popped no problem. Did prep w stingy squirt of pblaster the day before. Same thing w the 3 hubbearing assembly bolts (no stand, just elbow). Florida XJ all original, 21 uear old bolts conformed physically and via service records, my Dads now mine. You internet people had me sweating bullets worried! What I suspect is all you guys that struggle have XJs that got over torqued at some point.

Sig220

Big difference when you tangle with a "rust belt" XJ. I just thought the humidity of SE TX was a rust maker! The salt they use in the winter on the roads keeps me in the South!

OldBustedBaby

I stopped at circlips on the u joints in the axle shafts last night, sprayed em with pblaster. Plan is to replace all the wear items like wheel bearing hub assemblies, tierod ends, ball joints, all bushings. All that was really wrong for sure was the passenger side ujoint and the center link wobbles back and forth, but everything has 147,000 miles and is 21 years old. I want the donkey to be reliable and safe. A bit agonizing because everything else looks to be in pretty great shape, kind of want to use up the original parts now. All four bump stops were missing and the control arm pinched my trans cooler lines, replacing those too even though they don't leak. Even the coilspring isolators look fine, shocker. My Dad drives so slow.. didn't even ever engage 4WD before. In the past year I have wheeled the everloving crap out of it, LOL!

Morat

I did mine by jamming something in the rotor slots and letting it hold against the caliper bracket. I wondered if this was going to hurt the rotor but it survived just fine. I bent an old worthless screwdriver and then moved onto the biggest HSS drill bit I could fit in the rotor.
My hub nuts weren't too bad though, I used a 2 foot, half inch breaker bar and just lifted it with my legs. The other side was easier - turns out I'm heavier than I'm strong