I have an old 2 1/2 ton rear axle sitting in the yard. The thing is a monster. I can't even lift it with my front end loader. It still has the duel wheels stuck on it. Tires on it are shot and the rims aren't worth saving. I have been trying to remove the lug nuts and tires so I can move the axle. Tried to drill the lug nuts but there too hard.

The lug nuts have been soaking in PB Blaster for over a year. Broke my 1/2 " breaker bar on it today. I will have to buy a 3/4" breaker bar and try that.

Is there some trick to removing the lug nuts on a duel wheel setup?

John
NNY

 

Are you having trouble on both sides or just one? If just one, the left side, make sure the studs aren't left handed threads.

On warning, if you resort to the gas wrench. I like using a torch on stubborn parts, especially if I'm scrapping something. I was tearing apart a F-6 and I couldn't get the rear nuts to move so I fired up the torch and started cutting the bolts off. Unknown to me someone had greased the inner double threaded studs/nuts and when I pierced them with the torch I got a firey jet of hot grease about two feet long. Man, it was like an end of a rocket. I found out liquified grease is very flamable. Kind of cool though.

 

do you know someone that changes tires on big rigs?
the oversized impact wrenches might be the ticket.
most of those guys have all the gear on their trucks. if you don't know someone
call a company and hire out the work.
save you some headaches in the long run.

 

An impact wrench should make short work of it...

 

The big trucks I have had, besides the F-4, were all parts trucks and I couldn't justify the cost of have a truck tire place come out and take the nuts off. Sound like John might be in the same situation. I have also used a good size breaker bar and a long piece of pipe. I assume John used something to add to the leverage of the 1/2" breaker bar or else he's one strong man.

 

one last try...

before you ax them off... try this

find a candle... or a source of wax
heat the nut/stud to a dull red then smear the face of then nut and threads with the wax... capilliary action will draw the was into the threads and most times will make it removable...

or if that don't work... try tightening them just a bit... good breaker bar and a length of pipe and crank it down a little tighter... might break it loose so you can remove it,

third thing (mentioned before) try a bigger impact... you can probably rent a 3/4 or 1" with the proper socket for a few bucks for 4 hours... but you need some air volume a pancake compressor ain't gonna do it.

but I'll bet the candle does the trick

later
John

 

John I have a special wrench for budd wheels ,one sleeve type socket,about 12in. long inside another. the inner sleeve is square on one end to hold the inner wheel stud the other outer sleeve is sized for the outer wheel nut,there is a gear assembly with a hole for a rod on the outer end that turns one wrench against the other in either direction.this prevents a common problem on some budd assemblys of the inner stud turning before the outer nut breaks loose. Some day I will figure out how to post photos F250 RED