Trouble Removing Driveshaft Nut

The Ghost · 12-04-2011, 11:05 PM

I'm in the middle of an LSD install and am using the AR diff tool, but we are having problems breaking the nut. The DIYs say turn the nut clockwise, but is this clockwise when looking at the diff from the front of the car? That is what we're trying (using a long tq wrench) but it isn't really moving (it seems like I'm tightening it. I'm a pretty strong guy and can turn it a half turn or two, but it gets even tighter. It seems like we're doing something wrong. I've tried the other direction with no luck.

Any insight is appreciated, as we're stuck.

-TG

kenneth · 12-04-2011, 11:15 PM

I think it's anti-clockwise looking at the rear of the car, so clockwise looking at the front!

The Ghost · 12-04-2011, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenneth

I think it's anti-clockwise looking at the rear of the car, so clockwise looking at the front!

It's definitely one or the other!

Can I get a definitive answer? Has it proved this difficult to others? My diff tool is starting to deform.

O-cha · 12-04-2011, 11:18 PM

Tis says clockwise facing toward the back of the car, with your head between the engine and diff.

You need to make the drive shaft captive.

The Ghost · 12-04-2011, 11:28 PM

Who is "Tis?"

The driveshaft is fixed by putting the car in gear and putting the e-brake on.

kenneth · 12-04-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost

It's definitely one or the other!

Can I get a definitive answer? Has it proved this difficult to others? My diff tool is starting to deform.

Sorry, I went back and checked Former Boosted Is DIY and he said clockwise. No other info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-cha

Tis says clockwise facing toward the back of the car, with your head between the engine and diff.

You need to make the drive shaft captive.

This?

TIS is service instructions

Bakeme521 · 12-04-2011, 11:59 PM

If the wrench is on the nut you push wrench towards the passenger side of the car. That's the way I told myself to remember which way to turn.(I am 92.7% sure)

With that being said I actually broke it loose by tightening first. May not be the best way to do it but I was fighting to get it to loosen and nothing would happen, put half the pressure the opposite direction and it broke loose and then I turned it the other way and loosened it off. There is basically glue on the threads, its not that tight, just the mother of all loctites.

The Ghost · 12-05-2011, 06:44 AM

I can move it a half turn in either direction then it gets even tighter. I'm starting to think it's cross-threaded (never been off).

Can anyone confirm (100%) which direction it should turn?

C4sF80M3 · 12-05-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost

I can move it a half turn in either direction then it gets even tighter. I'm starting to think it's cross-threaded (never been off).

Can anyone confirm (100%) which direction it should turn?

It's a reverse threaded nut, which is why they say turn it clockwise. Looking at the nut towards the rear of the car, turn it clockwise to loosen, the bottom of the wrench should be moving towards the passenger side of the car. Not sure I can make it any more clearer than that.

O-cha · 12-05-2011, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost

Who is "Tis?"

The driveshaft is fixed by putting the car in gear and putting the e-brake on.

No, make the drive shaft captive DO NOT make the wheels captive. The diff needs to turn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by c4s335i

It's a reverse threaded nut, which is why they say turn it clockwise. Looking at the nut towards the rear of the car, turn it clockwise to loosen, the bottom of the wrench should be moving towards the passenger side of the car. Not sure I can make it any more clearer than that.

It's not a reverse threaded nut, it just threads onto the driveshaft while your imagining it threads onto the diff.

Bakeme521 · 12-05-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-cha

It's not a reverse threaded nut, it just threads onto the driveshaft while your imagining it threads onto the diff.

This. The nut stays stuck to the diff and threads onto the driveshaft so imagine that the nut just needs to unscrew off of the driveshaft. So there for you will turn it counter-clockwise looking towards the front of the car with the diff above your head.

ar design · 12-05-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-cha

No, make the drive shaft captive DO NOT make the wheels captive. The diff needs to turn.

It's not a reverse threaded nut, it just threads onto the driveshaft while your imagining it threads onto the diff.

The Ghost · 12-05-2011, 06:30 PM

Thanks for the help guys. Released the ebrake and turned clockwise when facing the rear and got it.

I owe you a beer... you just have to come to Texas to get it

Bakeme521 · 12-05-2011, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost

Thanks for the help guys. Released the ebrake and turned clockwise when facing the rear and got it.

I owe you a beer... you just have to come to Texas to get it

Great to hear! Texas isn't far from here, but def far enough that I can't take you up on that offer. That is good news, the bad news is that getting the nut loose is one of the easier steps in removing that pumpkin.

itsbrokeagain · 12-05-2011, 11:16 PM

I was about to say..clockwise is the way to go. I just broke both of my AR design wrenches getting LostMarines off....the shop that did his Wavetrac cranked it super tight and there was more loctite on it than what comes on it new from BMW (they leave a small dab of blue loctite on the nut so when you put it on it will keep it from coming loose), and I was pulling on it with a breakerbar as well...I had to resort to warming it up with a butane torch to melt the loctite and free it

The Ghost · 12-05-2011, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bakeme521

Great to hear! Texas isn't far from here, but def far enough that I can't take you up on that offer. That is good news, the bad news is that getting the nut loose is one of the easier steps in removing that pumpkin.

I've got it all the way out, axle shafts/nubs and diff cover swapped, and ready to drop back in tomorrow. Is there something hard on the re-install?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt@Camber-Toe

I was about to say..clockwise is the way to go. I just broke both of my AR design wrenches getting LostMarines off....the shop that did his Wavetrac cranked it super tight and there was more loctite on it than what comes on it new from BMW (they leave a small dab of blue loctite on the nut so when you put it on it will keep it from coming loose), and I was pulling on it with a breakerbar as well...I had to resort to warming it up with a butane torch to melt the loctite and free it

Crazy. Need I use locktight for the axle nut when reinstalling? What is the torque spec for that nut (I have 55ft-lb in some notes from one of the threads)?

These are the tq specs I've collected:

Quote:

Torx M8 = 38.3 ft-lb
Torx M10 = 51.6 ft-lb
Torx M12 88.5 ft-lb

88.5ft-lbs seems like a lot for the rear diff to axle bolts.

O-cha · 12-05-2011, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt@Camber-Toe

I was about to say..clockwise is the way to go. I just broke both of my AR design wrenches getting LostMarines off....the shop that did his Wavetrac cranked it super tight and there was more loctite on it than what comes on it new from BMW (they leave a small dab of blue loctite on the nut so when you put it on it will keep it from coming loose), and I was pulling on it with a breakerbar as well...I had to resort to warming it up with a butane torch to melt the loctite and free it

That's because it's a piece of sheet metal, not hardened steel. I had an 5X MM wrench ground machined down to 1/4" thick. It will never break or bend.

Bakeme521 · 12-06-2011, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost

I've got it all the way out, axle shafts/nubs and diff cover swapped, and ready to drop back in tomorrow. Is there something hard on the re-install?

Yes, finagling that 115 lb hunk of steel into the correct place and getting the drive shaft to go into the hole while getting the splines to line up. Once its up in there, its pretty much smooth sailing from there.

ar design · 12-06-2011, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt@Camber-Toe

I was about to say..clockwise is the way to go. I just broke both of my AR design wrenches getting LostMarines off....the shop that did his Wavetrac cranked it super tight and there was more loctite on it than what comes on it new from BMW (they leave a small dab of blue loctite on the nut so when you put it on it will keep it from coming loose), and I was pulling on it with a breakerbar as well...I had to resort to warming it up with a butane torch to melt the loctite and free it

Matt, give me a call this week, I'll replace em for ya!

fl335i · 03-03-2012, 01:13 PM

Just ran into this today!!! Thanks to this thread I got it apart. I can confirm the nut is threaded onto the driveshaft in a typical manner. So from the rear of the car looking foward the nut spins Counter Clockwise for removal.

Does it receive any thread locker when going back on?

Rotary Rasp · 02-05-2013, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-cha

No, make the drive shaft captive DO NOT make the wheels captive. The diff needs to turn.

It's not a reverse threaded nut, it just threads onto the driveshaft while your imagining it threads onto the diff.

How to you keep the drive shaft from moving? Even with the car in gear, the drive shaft still rotates....

robc1976 · 02-05-2013, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rotary Rasp

How to you keep the drive shaft from moving? Even with the car in gear, the drive shaft still rotates....

update? I am going to do this now and will confirm rotation if you have not....hope you got it!!!

12-04-2011, 11:05 PM	#1
The Ghost Reborn 84 Rep 1,217 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	Trouble Removing Driveshaft Nut I'm in the middle of an LSD install and am using the AR diff tool, but we are having problems breaking the nut. The DIYs say turn the nut clockwise, but is this clockwise when looking at the diff from the front of the car? That is what we're trying (using a long tq wrench) but it isn't really moving (it seems like I'm tightening it. I'm a pretty strong guy and can turn it a half turn or two, but it gets even tighter. It seems like we're doing something wrong. I've tried the other direction with no luck. Any insight is appreciated, as we're stuck. -TG
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12-04-2011, 11:15 PM	#2
kenneth Major General 125 Rep 8,745 Posts Drives: 335i Sedan Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Montreal iTrader: (16)	I think it's anti-clockwise looking at the rear of the car, so clockwise looking at the front! __________________ SB, Terra, 6MT. Only a few mods here and there.....nothing extreme!
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12-04-2011, 11:18 PM	#4
O-cha Brigadier General 218 Rep 4,726 Posts Drives: Mcoupe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In front of you iTrader: (2)	Tis says clockwise facing toward the back of the car, with your head between the engine and diff. You need to make the drive shaft captive. __________________
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12-04-2011, 11:28 PM	#5
The Ghost Reborn 84 Rep 1,217 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	Who is "Tis?" The driveshaft is fixed by putting the car in gear and putting the e-brake on.
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12-04-2011, 11:59 PM	#7
Bakeme521 Some say... 239 Rep 4,296 Posts Drives: Fresh Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Baton Rouge n NOLA iTrader: (12) Garage List 2007 BMW 335i [8.24]	If the wrench is on the nut you push wrench towards the passenger side of the car. That's the way I told myself to remember which way to turn.(I am 92.7% sure) With that being said I actually broke it loose by tightening first. May not be the best way to do it but I was fighting to get it to loosen and nothing would happen, put half the pressure the opposite direction and it broke loose and then I turned it the other way and loosened it off. There is basically glue on the threads, its not that tight, just the mother of all loctites. __________________ I have exhaust and an intake...
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12-05-2011, 06:44 AM	#8
The Ghost Reborn 84 Rep 1,217 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	I can move it a half turn in either direction then it gets even tighter. I'm starting to think it's cross-threaded (never been off). Can anyone confirm (100%) which direction it should turn?
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12-05-2011, 06:30 PM	#13
The Ghost Reborn 84 Rep 1,217 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the help guys. Released the ebrake and turned clockwise when facing the rear and got it. I owe you a beer... you just have to come to Texas to get it
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12-05-2011, 11:16 PM	#15
itsbrokeagain 310 Rep 15,745 Posts Drives: 1999 528iT, E53 X5, E46 325xi Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Strong Island iTrader: (7)	I was about to say..clockwise is the way to go. I just broke both of my AR design wrenches getting LostMarines off....the shop that did his Wavetrac cranked it super tight and there was more loctite on it than what comes on it new from BMW (they leave a small dab of blue loctite on the nut so when you put it on it will keep it from coming loose), and I was pulling on it with a breakerbar as well...I had to resort to warming it up with a butane torch to melt the loctite and free it
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03-03-2012, 01:13 PM	#20
fl335i Captain 146 Rep 942 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: FL iTrader: (2)	Just ran into this today!!! Thanks to this thread I got it apart. I can confirm the nut is threaded onto the driveshaft in a typical manner. So from the rear of the car looking foward the nut spins Counter Clockwise for removal. Does it receive any thread locker when going back on? __________________ '07 335i Sedan, base pkg, 6spd Manual, Procede 3 V5 w/NLS, Macht Schnell Downpipes, 18" Staggered 313's w/Conti DWS's, OS Giken TCD LSD, VAC Street Diff Cover, Dinan Oil Cooler, Dinan Intercooler, Akebono Euro Pads, CDV Removed, Black BMW Grilles, Interior & Exterior white LED lighting, LUX Angel Eyes, Debadged, Blend V1 mount, Llumar ATR Tint. Last edited by fl335i; 03-05-2012 at 02:37 PM..
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