How did you get your drive shaft bolts off?
- Thread starter Loco5.0
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Loco5.0 said:
Definitely use a 12pt socket. I had absolutely no luck until I heated them up with a torch. Then I heated each one up for like 15-20 seconds and they cam right out. Other people have had luck using a pipe over the wrench/ratchet for more leverage, but all I did was broke sockets and wrenches doing it that way.
mricci
Member
I can't really get any leverage w/a pipe laying under the car. All I have is sockets & wrenches. =/ I can heat them w/my heat gun, 
but don't have a torch.
While we're on the subject of getting bolts off, I can't get my trans mount bolts to break loose either. Again, no leverage is the problem.
but don't have a torch.While we're on the subject of getting bolts off, I can't get my trans mount bolts to break loose either. Again, no leverage is the problem.
Jo_885o
New Member
This is how I do it on the ground, you have to get up and down alot, but it works.
Put the transmission in neutral, parking brake off, rear tires off the ground on Jackstands. Turn the driveshaft untill the bolts are in an X pattern, as opposed to a + pattern.
Set the parking brake.
Put your 12mm 12 point box end wrench on the lower driver's side driveshaft bolt, and bring in your jack. Position the jack under the end wrench and start cranking/pumping. This will use the weight of the car to turn the wrench counterclockwise and break the bolt free. once it's broken free, release the jack, crawl out and release the parking brake. Get back under the car, and turn the driveshaft 1/4 turn, set the parking brake again, and repeat.
Put the transmission in neutral, parking brake off, rear tires off the ground on Jackstands. Turn the driveshaft untill the bolts are in an X pattern, as opposed to a + pattern.
Set the parking brake.
Put your 12mm 12 point box end wrench on the lower driver's side driveshaft bolt, and bring in your jack. Position the jack under the end wrench and start cranking/pumping. This will use the weight of the car to turn the wrench counterclockwise and break the bolt free. once it's broken free, release the jack, crawl out and release the parking brake. Get back under the car, and turn the driveshaft 1/4 turn, set the parking brake again, and repeat.
HardmanGT
Founding Member
I do the X thing so I have access to 2 bolts at a time and set the brake and engage 1st gear. I use a 12mm 12 point box end on the bolt and take a bigger wrench to the 12mm wrench.
Interlock the box end of the larger (longer) wrench into the open end of the 12mm. You are making a longer wrench (more levreage) out of this setup. I can usually get them off that way. Worst case scenario is to push on the wrenches with my foot while laying under the car. Don't kick, just push. That'll break 'em free.
Don't forget to clean the threads and use loctite on the bolts when you install them. Don't wan those suckers flying out
Interlock the box end of the larger (longer) wrench into the open end of the 12mm. You are making a longer wrench (more levreage) out of this setup. I can usually get them off that way. Worst case scenario is to push on the wrenches with my foot while laying under the car. Don't kick, just push. That'll break 'em free.
Don't forget to clean the threads and use loctite on the bolts when you install them. Don't wan those suckers flying out
dcarlson
Member
What he said. That is how I do it.HardmanGT said:I do the X thing so I have access to 2 bolts at a time and set the brake and engage 1st gear. I use a 12mm 12 point box end on the bolt and take a bigger wrench to the 12mm wrench.
Interlock the box end of the larger (longer) wrench into the open end of the 12mm. You are making a longer wrench (more levreage) out of this setup. I can usually get them off that way. Worst case scenario is to push on the wrenches with my foot while laying under the car. Don't kick, just push. That'll break 'em free.
Don't forget to clean the threads and use loctite on the bolts when you install them. Don't wan those suckers flying out
Torque spec is over hundred ft/lbs for those bolts. Use blue loctite and tighten them TIGHT. Torqued properly, blue is all you need. But if you cant get good leverage to tighten them really tight you might want to use red loctite.
88_GT_5_oh
Sportin' a turbo 5.0 in Canadistan
heat is how i got mine off..... and those bolts on the tranny may require the tranny coming out like i did with mine. we ended up striping it, so i had to weld a larger nut onto it, then heat it with a oxy/acl torch then hit it with a 500 ftlb impact gun and it still took all of the power on the impact gun to get it out, so ya it wasn't fun and i ended up taking the threads in thee tranny with the bolt so i had to re-tap the hole. i still have that bolt as a reminder of how long one bolt can take to get out. hopefully yours isn't like this but i would suggest if you don't have a torch, go buy one cause its gonna make life alot easier for this job.
70lightning
New Member
HardmanGT said:I do the X thing so I have access to 2 bolts at a time and set the brake and engage 1st gear. I use a 12mm 12 point box end on the bolt and take a bigger wrench to the 12mm wrench.
Interlock the box end of the larger (longer) wrench into the open end of the 12mm. You are making a longer wrench (more levreage) out of this setup. I can usually get them off that way. Worst case scenario is to push on the wrenches with my foot while laying under the car. Don't kick, just push. That'll break 'em free.
Don't forget to clean the threads and use loctite on the bolts when you install them. Don't wan those suckers flying out
I use my foot for things like drive shaft bolts and tranny mounts.
HardmanGT said:
That's a good trick. I have used that dozens of times and it always impresses someone when i do it!
Another trick is to put the box end of a wrench on the bolt you are trying to break and use another heavy wrench to hit the end of the wrench with quick fast blows. It's the same idea as an impact gun. Quick sudden blows can sometimes break a bolt loose better. I have used this method tons of times on stubborn bolts and it works. It usually saves me from having to drag out a pipe...whcih can also snap bolts too.
04sleeper
Founding Member
HardmanGT said:push on the wrenches with my foot while laying under the car. Don't kick, just push. That'll break 'em free.
Don't forget to clean the threads and use loctite on the bolts when you install them. Don't wan those suckers flying out
Thats what I have always done.
BTW. I have some extra driveshaft bolts if someone needs some.
89MustangGX
I have nothing productive to add!
I've always found heat to be the best with these -- it's the Loctite that helps keeps them in there so well.
Put a small propane torch on the bolt for a minute and then it will come right out with minimal effort usually.
When you start using jacks and pipes and whatever else is when you will break the bolt.
Put a small propane torch on the bolt for a minute and then it will come right out with minimal effort usually.
When you start using jacks and pipes and whatever else is when you will break the bolt.
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