stuck F40 wheel nut

Rolo,
not sure if you have used an impact driver yet. I know it isn't the preferred method normally but in your case it may be what you need. Try using some penetrating oil and let sit overnight, then the impact wrench.I've always had good luck with impacts because of the way they "hit" the nut. Many times they work better than a steady application of torque for loosing. Iwould find the largest impact gun you can, possibly 3/4 inch drive. At last resort I would try heat. But only as a last ditch effort. Good luck.

Darrell.

 

Of course, you know it undoes in the direction of rotation....The RH nuts are LH thread.

Have to ask these things!!

I use a big breaker 1" drive bar which has an extension of 1.8M. At the socket end, it has a bit sticking out sideways to support the bar with a jack or stand, to avoid slipping off.

Then, driver in the car with brakes HARD on, car on the ground, chock in front of wheel, in first gear with handbrake on.... and bounce on the bar.

Fchatter 360C recently had similar trouble with his F50. He's errmm, heavier, than me and couldn't undo it. I did it first go... technique is everything, you DONT need to heat or destroy/damage anything.

 

It's unreal how parts can sometimes just weld themselves together. Your probably right, having to cut it off with a dremel may be the only choice. At this point you would probably do more damage to the spindle continuing to unscrew the nut. Did any of the others seem to have a binding problem?

 

Forgot to say also...

Don't use impact guns to do up the nuts. Most guns are designed to UNDO more than they DO UP, but on a LH thread, this works against you, as the gun can't undo it's own nut when working "backwards".

Before you cut anything, make sure the air supply to your impact gun is maximised... large flow fittings, fully charged compressor (or better use a bottle with hi pressure regulator).

Also, try driving the car hard and getting the brakes really hot. This is what made it go tight, so it might help loosen it without damage.

If you DO cut it, be very careful as the wheel nut seat is on a taper, and when you're nearly through, it will bind up and trap the cutting tool.

Cutting it off is VERY redneck. A proper tool (breaker bar) will serve you well now and in the future. My breaker bar is designed to be used with a std 1/2" drive torque wrench... when I fit the nuts I torque them with ease, accurately. They can still go tight, but I can always get them off.

 

Good luck, and lets us know how you get on.

Forgot to say also, the original tool Ferrari supplied for the wheel nuts was just a plastic coated steel tube, pressed into an octagon shape, with a steel strap welded into it to reduce distortion. these are woeful, and the later alloy machined tools are much better. I made my own (double ended, one end F40, other F50)

 

Jeez, remind me never to buy an F40

 

Isn't it amazing how strong little old ladies are. LOL

 

I have heard that the Makita electric with a 1 1/2 in socket is the best tool for this job. Not sure if you can find one, but it might be worth looking.

 

Phil, do you have a machined F40 tool for sale, or contact info to order one.
My original Ferrari supplied one is really looking beaten up with the plastic coating stripped away on parts of the tool.

 

If a 1" drive impact (1500-3200ft/lb) won't get that nut off your likely going to destroy the whole setup in an attempt to save the wheel.

The thought of taking a dremel to that setup is more than scary, good luck and please take pics.


Curious, have you tryed CO2? Put a small (very very small) butane pen torch on the nut and slowly heat the entire thing. Shoot the drive snout/hub with CO2 and get it frosty. Soon as you do that SLAM that nut with the biggest impact gun you can find. If it moves at all be sure to get it ALL THE WAY OFF or it's never going to move again.

I have a feeling this hub/spindle will find it's self mounted on a mill and cutting the whole hub/nut off.

 

Alex, have you asked http://www.hill-engineering.co.uk/ (site sponsor) not sure if they have them for F40's but they do for Testarossa's

 

Not really, but I could make one if needed.

My own cost me AUD$850 to get made as it's the special F40/F50 dual purpose one, and my breaker bar was another AUD$600

I'm sure there are resources in the USA that could do it for you much cheaper than that.

 

Here's a tool we use to put my KO's on and off which works really well.

http://www.customfabandwelding.com/gallery.asp?id=157307&page=1&shopperid=

 

I once had to destroy the nuts on a 911, which basically welded themselves on due to incompatible alloys. I found it easier to use a hole drill and drill just outside the threads, then pick the threads out with a tool than using a dremel tool, which was too hard to keep steady. The hole drill worked well and it was a fast job once I found the right tool.

 

There is one small problem with attempting that on an F40...

http://www.tarox.com/images/ferrarif40-wheel-large.jpg

 

is the spindle aluminum?

somewhat related, i have a mag flashlight -aluminum- that the cap has welded itself together. i can not get it it to unscrew, so it stays dead and i bought another one. i tried everything down to filing wrench flats on it and clamping it in my 12" vice. i only ended up twisting the stupid thing. for what ever reason the aluminum decided to chemicly weld itself together. might also be attributed to
the caselated thread pitch, giving more surface area for positive contact.

 

That is just an attribute of aluminum, much like titanium it does not take well to friction or repetative forces. Seen it a million times in everything from threaded aluminum sections to aluminum or ti seatposts in bicycles. You just have to grease the living chit out of them and all is well with the world.

There is no way that car has an aluminum spindle, my guess is stainless or ti. Either way everyone needs to put some good grease on their studs/nuts especially if they will see heat or disimillar metals... are you listening CS owners