Workshop manual spec for rear axle nut is 278 newton or 205 ft lb. What is the proper way to torque this nut? My torque wrench limit is 150 ft lb. and I have no idea how to "control" my impact gun. Also concerned about using the transaxle gears to counter the force of the torque? Finally, I don't see any recommendation to use any loctite??
If you don't want to buy a bigger torque wrench, you can always make a torque multiplier: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login You can cut-off the square from a socket and weld it to a pipe. Make sure that the orientation of the cut-off square is such so that the torque wrench, when connected, forms a straight line with the pipe (as shown on the first picture). If you adjust the length of the pipe so that the distance between the welded-on square and the centre of the inserted ring spanner is the same as the distance between the square of the torque wrench and the centre of your hand (in the position where you normally pull on the torque wrench), the torque that you will achieve on the ring spanner will be double the torque set on the torque wrench.
$80 will do it. https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-50-to-250-ft-lb-click-torque-wrench-58995.html
The last time I did that, I got my daughter to sit in the car and mash the brake pedal. Torqued the hub nut & hammered the locking ring as the last job before putting the wheel on.
Using the transaxle gears to counter the torque wrench on the axle may not be possible as you may start turning the engine. The best way is to do it as Bob suggested. Otherwise, the gearbox gears are designed to transmit the engine torque, plus certain safety margin so, in theory, they should be fine as long as they are not loaded by the torque wrench to higher forces than what the engine torque subjects them to. This, of course, would require calculation of the forces on the gears when they are loaded in the direction opposite to how the engine torque loads them.
This is what I do. Obviously the car is not on a lift, just jacked up. Image Unavailable, Please Login
No help needed. Stick a screw driver into the slotted rear brake rotor. It will wedge itself against the brake caliper and you can torque away.
