I added this on the end of one of my earlier related posts but am now thinking I should have just started a new thread...
OK so I found some spare front knuckle assys on ebay. They arrived today along with the bearings I picked up on amazon. I got the little torx bolts out of the splash guards so they'll be free once the pressing starts. Now I want to break the ABS tone wheel free before heading to the machine shop for the hard stuff. I've found a few threads mentioning a 12 pt socket being an acceptable substitute for the special tool but the one thread I found mentioned a 2" socket. It seems like my 2-1/8" socket is a better fit on the wheel. I think I'd have to pound the 2" socket into place which doesn't seem right. With the hub in my vise I've been able to exert quite a bit of force (not 330 N-m yet) but then the vise starts letting the hub start to spin. Since I don't have the ability to hold the hub from spinning in my vise while I'm applying force thru my 3/4" ratchet I'm planning on letting the PB blaster I soaked everything with work overnight and tomorrow I'll take the spare out of the trunk and use the inertia of the wheel against my impact driver and see if I have any luck. Does anyone remember if that 2-1/8" socket was the one they actually used? It's loose but seems to grip the wheel so I think it will be ok but I thought I'd check and see if anyone remembers from their job.

 

I do believe it was a 2", but I have the official tool so I can't be certain. I removed mine by drilling the benchtop for the wheel bolt pattern and bolting the hub to the bench. Then a couple of friends steadied the bench while I broke it loose.

 

Any Chevy 5 on 4 3/4" wheel bolted to the hub will hold it in place.
Air Impact is a better choice for loosening the hub nut.
I actually bought the 'lolly-pop' JD227 Hub, holding tool and Special Tool 206-066A when I worked at the dealer because they were always missing from the tool room.

The Special Tool 206-066A should be modified for the later cars. TSB 100-35 describes the problem with the ABS rotor nut 2005 MY-ON XKR VIN A41332-ON.

ADMIN TSB 1-78 describes Essential Tools.

bob

 

Wahooooooooooooo! The ABS tone wheels are off! I had the hub attached to my spare and had levered the wheel against my work bench and a 2x4 that I'd wedged between the front and back legs. I wrapped a rope around the tread 3x and used a couple of bowlines to simulate a block & tackle to make sure everything was tight. Then I put a 5' pipe on my 3/4" drive with a 2" 12 pt socket. I was pulling with everything I could muster and the thought occurred to me that if anything let go (not that the tone wheel even gave me a hint of movement) or worse, slipped off the rounded projections on the top of the tone wheel it would be bad. I went to u-tube and found a review of a 20v lithium battery powered impact driver that harbor freight sells which claims to produce 1200 ft-lb of break away torque. picked it up on my way home from work today, charged the battery for an hour and it didn't even break a sweat! My air impact claims 450 ft-lb but that wasn't even touching those nuts! Now it's off to the machine shop for new bearings in my spare hubs than onto the old cat once I get enough good weather to do the quick swap. Always a good feeling when a car project yields to your will! Thanks again for the help on this one.

 

Sounds like another Lake Ontario sailor putting experience to work. I'm going to have to check that impact driver.

 

I might have to look into that 20v for when the corded 1/2" harbor freight impact I have dies someday. Cheap as it was, and as lowly rated, but that broke my ABS rings free (with some steady hammering for a good minute) when a highly rated air impact couldn't. I always treat my HF stuff as disposable but be dammed if sometimes they don't just up and surprise me sometimes!

Glad you got it off!