Crazy Rabbit

[C9]

Daughters low mileage 1978 VW Rabbit needs a front rotor replaced.

So far, fairly simple job - except for the 1 3/16" nut on the bearing spindle.
I've got a 3/4" ratchet wrench and short snipe - maybe 10" long - added for extra leverage, the hub held stationary by a bar to two lugnuts and I can't get the nut to break loose.
Am I missing something here?
It looks like the spindle nut is a nylock and I don't see any other locking device on it.
Not to mention the spindle nut is down inside the hub.

The spindle proper is 3/4" in diameter and I'm wondering what it gets torqued to when and if I get it back together.

Did I mention how I love working on other peoples cars?

[enjenjo]

You have a good impact wrench? that will get it. I believe the torque is about 250 ftlb, but you better check for sure, it's been too long.

[C9]

You have a good impact wrench? that will get it. I believe the torque is about 250 ftlb, but you better check for sure, it's been too long.

Thanks, my thoughts too.
Got an impact wrench, but it only does about 100# or so.
Time to look at a big one I guess.

[58 Yeoman]

Sounds like the old VW Bugs' rear axles. I used a 1" breaker bar on the socket, with about a 3' pipe on  the handle. Took 'em off that way, and put 'em on that way, never had one loosen up on me. I applied the parking brake to hold it; you would need someone stepping on the brakes for you on the front wheel drive.

[C9]

Sounds like the old VW Bugs' rear axles. I used a 1" breaker bar on the socket, with about a 3' pipe on  the handle. Took 'em off that way, and put 'em on that way, never had one loosen up on me. I applied the parking brake to hold it; you would need someone stepping on the brakes for you on the front wheel drive.

Since the calipers were already off I made up a "hold bar."
A piece of 1 x 2" x .120 wall through drilled through the 2" side close to the edge.
31/64ths for the Rabbits threaded part of the lugnut to fit through on the bottom and 15/16" for the built in washer on the lugnut to fit through the top.
One lugnut held the hold bar to the rotor and it locked against the rotors step near the middle.
The hold bar was about 4' long and I stuck about a 40" snipe onto the end of a 3/4" ratchet and gave it a crank.
Did soak the nut & spindle with Aero-Kroil for 24 hours prior.

I was going to buy a Craftsman 3/4" breaker bar before abusing the 3/4" Craftsman ratchet, but at $50. a pop decided to abuse the ratchet.
Worked fine.

Somewhere in here I bought a new Ingersoll-Rand 1/2" drive air impact gun - cuz it said it was good for 600# torque in the removal direction and 450# torque in the tighten direction.
Maybe so, but I probably should have bought a 3/4" impact cuz the half inch one didn't budge a thing.

Regardless, I got a new half inch impact that will be very usable in other places and grandson can have my old one.
Knowing him, he'll probably open it up and get it running good as new.

Darned kids anyway....

[SKR8PN]

A little bit-o- HEAT (as in TORCH!)........will make that nut come loose............
Your 1/2 inch impact should be good for at least 200 ft lbs........

[enjenjo]

That Ingersol should be good for at least 300 ftlb, even when a bit worn. That is what I use at work, and it will tighten 3/4" bolts to 275 ftlb, no trouble. They do need a bit of break in to get max torque.

[C9]

That Ingersol should be good for at least 300 ftlb, even when a bit worn. That is what I use at work, and it will tighten 3/4" bolts to 275 ftlb, no trouble. They do need a bit of break in to get max torque.

True confessions here . . . the new impact probably is good for what the box said.
I left the compressor unplugged when I used the mill a few days back and there was only 60# pressure available.
The gun is supposed to generate full power at 90#.

Here's the topper though, there was a single phillips head screw retaining the rotor (when the wheel is off - the lugnuts are the main strength when the wheel is on).
The screw was grease covered and hidden.
When I removed it - with a hand impact driver like you'd use to remove phillips head screws out of motorcycle cases - one pop with a plastic hammer and the rotor fell off.

The hub still has to come off though, the CV boot is cracked and I have new ones coming.

The Rabbit is an interesting little car in pretty good shape - real good shape when daughter got it with only 41,000 miles couple of years back.
My dad bought it new and maintained it well.  48,000 miles on it now and the interior looks like the inside of a womans purse.  Some of them anyway, not picking on women in general here, but the ones I know have a lot of stuff in there.

I'm not normally so dumb, but I got stuck - volunteered in a weak moment, she's my daughter - so here I am.... :?

[58 Yeoman]

Jay, you should've bought the split boots; that would save you the trouble of removing the axle. I've used them on the older Bugs with good results.

[C9]

Jay, you should've bought the split boots; that would save you the trouble of removing the axle. I've used them on the older Bugs with good results.

Are they available for the water cooled Rabbit fwd?

Not too late to go that way cuz the pads et al aren't supposed to be in until Tuesday.

And now that the compressor is all the way up - 110# - I'm gonna give the other side axle nut a shot with the new impact and see what happens.
Although I think Crosley is right about that BFW....

[58 Yeoman]

Call your local parts supply house. I would figure that that would be the first thing they would try to sell to you. Real slick idea.

JCW has them in their catalog, so your parts store should have them. The ones in the Whitney catalog are two piece; the ones I used to get were one piece, split, and used screws to hold the joint together. Good luck.

[Ed ke6bnl]

Call your local parts supply house. I would figure that that would be the first thing they would try to sell to you. Real slick idea.

JCW has them in their catalog, so your parts store should have them. The ones in the Whitney catalog are two piece; the ones I used to get were one piece, split, and used screws to hold the joint together. Good luck.

\

I used the glue together ones for an old subaru and let me tellyou once it was glued it was one piece.  May need to flush and relube the cv joint special lube availabe.   Ed ke6bnl

[SKR8PN]

The only way I would use one of those split boots, is if you are going to sell the car. Do it right and take the axle out,clean all the old grease out of the CV joint,and install a good quality boot on it,with the correct clamps.If you don't,,,,,,you will just be redoing it again in a couple of months. Those split boots may be ok for rear axle on an old VW,because they don't have to flex as much as a front wheel drive car does,when you turn the wheels.

[C9]

============ Ditto,

Back in my shop owning  general repair  days every split boot I used on a FWD car failed.  glue together, spiral type , all of them failed in short order. After I ate 2 of them ( labor , parts wise) I stopped using them

The only way I would use one of those split boots, is if you are going to sell the car. Do it right and take the axle out,clean all the old grease out of the CV joint,and install a good quality boot on it,with the correct clamps.If you don't,,,,,,you will just be redoing it again in a couple of months. Those split boots may be ok for rear axle on an old VW,because they don't have to flex as much as a front wheel drive car does,when you turn the wheels.

Thanks for the good advice on the boots guys.
Much appreciated.

I'm pretty sure the new boots are one-piece units.
I saw the one they had in stock and put aside for me and they had to order the other along with the brake pads.