Hi,

I've lowered the rear of my car and ready to replace the shims in order to correct the camber. In theory I know how to do it, but for those that have done this, how are you loosening the half shaft bolts at the diff? Even with spinning the axles to open enough room to get to the bolts, I can't seem to get a wrench or socket in there straight enough to fully engage the nut, and I'm afraid of stripping it. Any tips would be appreciated. Edit : Well I just discovered it's an 11/16 and that socket fits well. I think what I'll do is go in through the wheel well with a couple of long extensions and try with a socket wrench or impact wrench.


Rob

 

I used the 11/16 with a 3 foot extension and a ratcheting wrench. I used a torque wrench to tighten it. I worked on each bolt at the 12 o-clock position. I kept the transmission in neutral and used the handbrake to hold the diff flange in position, releasing and applying the handbrake with each rotation to be able to work on all four bolts.

 

Thank you very much. That's exactly what I did but couldn't get them loose with the socket wrench. I loosened one with my air impact wrench but couldn't budge the other ones. I used some penetrating oil overnight and will try again today.

 

Impact wrench will be the only way to get those nuts loose; wrench on the bolt head.
Let us know how it goes.

 

It’s not the only way. I did it without the impact. I don’t own one. I let them soak with some PB blaster and used my two foot breaker bar. They came out easy. I do regularly workout at the gym, which may be required for busting out those nuts by hand.

 

Well so far not good. I have removed them with my socket wrench except for one which is now rounded off. I didn't even use the impact but it stripped with the socket. And my bolt out heads spin on the nut as well. This is even after penetrating oil overnight. Am I just up a creek now? I don't see that there's enough room to cut it off. I may heat it and then hammer a smaller bolt-out socket onto it and see if it will grasp it.

 

That may be because you are using an 11/16 inch socket instead of 17 mm.

 

I thought it was metric originally and another thread said it was actually 11/16. And a 17 won't fit over one of the nuts that I have off. Is it truly a 17?

 

I think it may vary. The other threads mentioned an 11/16ths but that did not work on my car. The 17 did. I thought that maybe someone had been there before.

 

Wow that's interesting. 11/16 fits the nut like a glove but 17 won't.

 

It's not a left over Witworth is it?? Sorry, this doesn't help but I couldn't resist. LOL

 

You will want this to remove bolts with rounded heads. These worked amazing when I had to remove head bolts and they replaced one when I broke it for free.

 

Yes, I have the Craftsman version of those and had to use it for the rounded nut. It took heating it twice and hitting it with the impact gun for about 5 minutes before it came loose. The other nuts came off pretty easily thank goodness. The shim replacement is such an easy job once the bolts are off. Onto the other side today.