5 replies to this topic

[Mini_Down_under]

Hi Everyone,

We recently finished restoring a 71 Mini 1000 for my son. One of those little job that we never did was change the diff pinion seals (did not need to do any engine work) and I finally got bored with cleaning the garage floor and thought today was the day.

Problem is we just can not get the castle nut on the output shaft to release. I have tried a long bar on my driver and hit that with a 4 pound mallet as hard as I can. I put some extensions on and passed them out into the wheel well so I could put a rattle gun on and rattled it for ages and it is as tight as when we started.

I don't have an impact driver, but can soon buy one. Do people think that is my next best option or what other ideas do people have?. The passenger wheel ways chocked and a pinch bar locked in behind the rubber universal coupler flange to lock the engine so the energy imparted on to the nut should have been mostly transfer to help break it free. Running out of options.

Been 25 years since I changed on of these. Memory does not tell me it was that hard.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Regards Blair

[03jkirk]

id say try and get hold of a stronger impact gun see is that brings it off, also try using sum more substantial socket sets such as 3/4 inch drive because you would be amazed how much force you loose by the flexing of bars and extension so stronger bars transfer the force much more effciently

[Vipernoir]

Without rummaging in a cold dark shed to look at a gearbox, are you sure it isn't a reverse thread on one of them like a rear hub ?
I can't remember as it's ages since I undid one, and it probably isn't, but might be worth checking !

[tiger99]

I an not sure if there is sufficient access to do this easily, but you may have to destroy the nut by drilling or grinding through one of the flats. You can usually centre punch and drill a small hole parallel to the shaft, and using successively larger drills, open it out until it almost breaks through the outer surface or into the threads, by which time the nut will have spread slightly and will unscrew easily. Or, and it needs more space, you grind in from the side until you almost meet the threads. Try unscrewing well before you are in danger of hitting the threads, as it will be loose well before that point. The heat generated by the grinding helps, as well as thinning the metal.

For limited access you most likely can't use a common angle grinder and will need something like a die grinder.

[Guess-Works.com]

From what you've described so far I assume the engine is in the car, and you have removed the drive shafts and coupling joint.

Which should leave you with the nut exposed and the yoke.

You need to put a bar ( I use a cold chisel ) between the Yoke and the gearbox case and then using a socket and breaker bar, remove the castle nut, obviously after removing the split pin which holds the castle nut on. It's not easy to do unless you have the car off the ground on a ramp for example as you need room to work.

In a confined space you would be better off with an impact gun, mine has no trouble as all with them, but it does throw out 450ftlb of torque.

The main thing is to get the yoke locked into place.

[Mini_Down_under]

Thanks Guys,

Got it sorted. Bought a longer Breaking bar and put 5 ft pipe on the end. It still took a lot of force but eventually got it of.

The best part of it is this morning the floor in clean.

Appreciate the suggestions.

Regards Blair