I have a 2001 XK8 and need to replace the front wheel bearings I have the wheel apart down to the hub. I have the hub nut socket (specialty tool). The nut is not breaking free I do not want to damage anything any suggestions?

 

When I remove these I often use 4ft breaker bar connected to a 6ft scaffold pole, with the hub held firmly in a vice, you will need a couple of guys to hold the bench and socket down whilst you try to undo the nut.

If that does not work then you will have to do the same thing but with added heat in the equasion

Good luck

 

I just went through this during the past weekend. Since I didn't have the tool to hold the hub in a vice, I bolted the wheel / tire back onto the hub, layed the wheel face down on the ground next to a telephone pole and used a ratcheing strap to strap the tire to the pole to hold it still.

I tried a 8 foot pipe on my breaker bar, but the breaker bar was bending more than I was comfortable with, so I went to heat.

I heated the hubt with a propane torch, then used one foot on my 3/4" breaker bar to hold the socket tightly onto the hub, and smacked the end of my breaker bar with a 2lb sledge hammer. After about 3 smacks it was loose.

 

Sometimes this works when changing monster tractor wheels in the field:

Position your breaker bar with extension appropriately and use a hydraulic jack to lift the end. I once saw a guy jack the tractor up, position the breaker bar and then let the tractor slowly down, the 4 tons of weight loosened it right up.

 

I've never done this, but I would suggest whacking the hub/bolt with a hammer after you have the torque on it. The shock wave should help break the two pieces apart. Once you've overcome that starting friction it should be much easier to finish loosening the nut.

 

I had one of these once that I broke a 3/4" drive breaker bar on. All the heat and liquid penetrant in the world wouldn't bust it loose. Finally drilled it and split it with a chisel.

 

I didn't have to go to this step, but my next trick was going to be heating the nut as much as I could, then quickly putting some icewater in the hub. Hopefully the thermal shock would be enough to shrink the hub away from the hot nut enough to work it loose.