j-dawg

I'm going to be j-yarding next weekend to get some knuckles with hubs'n'bearin's for my '97. I know I'll be needing new hubs and the upright/hub/bearing assembly is like $30 at the junkyard. Can anyone tell me what tools I'll need that I might not just have lying around? I know I need the 36mm socket and a "suitable tool" to get the driveshafts out. Any suggestions for what said "suitable tool" should be? Maybe just a hammer and a wooden dowel?

I want to at least have the parts by the end of this weekend, because I'm only home Thurs-Sun. That means I want to have all the tools I need ASAP, so if there's anything unusual I need, it would be good to know, like, three days ago.

Thanks y'all.

96nismoSE

iTrader: (2)

-take a brass punch
-bfh
-a hefty c-clamp helps for the ball joints

dan1el

FYI there is a specialty tool for the axle lock nut. My 36mm socket was not deep enough so I had to buy it for like $20 at Advanced Auto Parts. I didn't shop around cuz I was in a hurry. Also I've heard that the lock nuts are the highest torqued nuts on the whole car. Either loosen them with thtires on the ground or have someone hold the brakes while you pull. I only weigh 130 so I had to use an 18" breaker bar and a jack to push up on the handle (not recommended... probably super dangerous... but it worked for me).

I used a hammer and a small piece of wood to cushion the impact. Dowel will work fine. Just whack the of the shaft a couple times and then pull on the knuckle to see if it's loose. If not, hit it a couple more times. Then I turned the steering wheel all the way to one side to get the knuckle off and the opposite side for the other one. Sorry I don't remember which side for which nut. It was a cinch and only took or 10 minutes to get them off.

Then pliers or channel locks for the cotter pins. That's all.

j-dawg

Oh dang, that is a pretty important point. I'm like 115 and the cars at Pick'N'Pull are all up on jacks and such.

Maybe I'll just die trying.

nelledge

iTrader: (6)

Leverage is your friend. A 4 foot length of pipe on the end of your breaker bar should level the playing field. I would almost bet there are things around the junkyard you can use. Maybe a hollow driveshaft kicking around somewhere? The best tool to bring is creativity.

j-dawg

So my duffel bag will have in it the usual tools from my kit (ratchets+sockets, screwdrivers, allen keys, pliers, breaker bar), a deep 36mm socket, a torch, a dowel, a BFH, and a long-@ss pipe. I'ma order the socket, like, tomorrow, then. Maybe do in-store pickup and grab it on Friday before I head to good old Summit Argo, IL.

I won't have to worry about the axle just spinning and not letting me turn the nut? I guess I can just put the car in Park or in gear, though I've never seen a 5sp at my yard. Or have my buddy try the brakes, but I think they drain the fluid.

Can I use upright from a 5th-gen?

nelledge

iTrader: (6)

You can address this by wedging something in the vents of the rotor so it won't turn passed the caliper.

crackhead

Big screwdriver wedged in the rotor worked ok for me before. I would also recommend a 36mm impact socket if you plan to abuse it like I did with mine.



I was using this socket Sunday night with a jack, PB Blaster, and a 2ft 1/2" breaker bar. I got one side off with the jack and was working on the other one when it snapped. In the socket's defense, I've had it for about 3yrs (used a half dozen times), I haven't ever used a torch, I only sometimes use PB Blaster (I'd probably bring some of this), and I usually use a 3-4ft metal cheater pipe. It does have a lifetime warranty from Napa though. $20 from Advance Auto for the impact socket I used this morning with my new impact wrench. Using the jack was just as easy as the impact, but if you ever plan to use the socket with the wheel on, you would need a thin wall impact or a regular socket (regular one barely fit through the center cap hole on my 95's sawblades and my new impact socket did not fit at all).

-crackhead