Stuck front sprocket nut.

[joethebrave]

I've been trying to get my front sprocket nut off for a few weeks now, trying different methods but nothing seems to be working.

I lubed the nut each time I tried something. I started off with the brace the back wheel and wrench it off method, this didn't work, but I did manage to snap a 6" extension on my wrench.

Moved on to breaker bar... didn't work. Extended the breaker bar, and the sledgehammer handle I had bracing the back wheel snapped in two.

So finally I took it to a garage, and they tried everything they could to get it off, huge breaker bars, air lines, eventually even tried heating it a bit as I was really running out of patience. Still nothing.

Is my only option to grind the thing off? I`m going to be putting a new one on regardless as it's now in pretty rough shape.

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/9554/5f2x.th.jpg (http://img841.imageshack.us/i/5f2x.jpg/)
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4215/l4lb.th.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/l4lb.jpg/)

Any help or guidance much appreciated, I've really had enough of this damn nut!

[embee]

If penetrating oil and an impact wrench haven't touched it. I'd suggest you're right in thinking grinder. The threads may have "picked up" when it was fitted.

You don't want to bu99er up the shaft thread so keep well to the side, work on opposite sides of the nut and try undoing it again as you go, you my well find some serious grinding will be enough to break the hold or the nut will eventually split. Some penetrating oil on the threads while you do it may just get in there with the heat.

[joethebrave]

I`ll give it a go and see what happens. Just got to hope my chain holds together so I can get to Loughborough and back tomorrow. It's sagging really badly now so I wanted to get it fixed today. Ah well! Thanks for the advice.

[andrewsmith]

I'm with embee the grinder may be the best option, or try to drift it

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[Murley.]

Oxy acetylene. Get the nut glowing red but do it fast so you don't knack the oil seal. Big ass breaker bar and something jammed in the wheel. Some types thread lock need heat to break down.

[apchara]

id use some shock and unlock spray, works a treat
where are you based joe?

[maviczap]

If penetrating oil and an impact wrench haven't touched it. I'd suggest you're right in thinking grinder. The threads may have "picked up" when it was fitted.

You don't want to bu99er up the shaft thread so keep well to the side, work on opposite sides of the nut and try undoing it again as you go, you my well find some serious grinding will be enough to break the hold or the nut will eventually split. Some penetrating oil on the threads while you do it may just get in there with the heat.

Yes

I'm with embee the grinder may be the best option, or try to drift it

Sent from my ST25i using Tapatalk 2

+1

Oxy acetylene. Get the nut glowing red but do it fast so you don't knack the oil seal. Big ass breaker bar and something jammed in the wheel. Some types thread lock need heat to break down.

Possible

id use some shock and unlock spray, works a treat
where are you based joe?

Hasn't worked for him or the professionals so I'd say no

Get the big ass grinder out, I'm surprised the garage didn't do this?

[rb8989]

I have used a carbon electrode in an arc welder for localized heat without burning things close by on a set of alloys. I had to remove the temper from the hardened mcgard locking wheel nuts as if you've tried to drill one you'll understand why.

[maviczap]

One question did you bend the tab of the security washer behind the nut, seems obvious but...............

Although I can't see it holding back the onslaught of impact guns, breaker bars ete etc.

[Ninthbike]

Try a nut splitter - much less risk involved than with a grinder and should be easy to get to. If you are anywhere near me I have one you can borrow or they are quite cheap to buy

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.Xnu t+splitter&_nkw=nut+splitter&_sacat=0&_from=R40:)

[maviczap]

Try a nut splitter - much less risk involved than with a grinder and should be easy to get to. If you are anywhere near me I have one you can borrow or they are quite cheap to buy

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.Xnu t+splitter&_nkw=nut+splitter&_sacat=0&_from=R40:)

All well and good, but its a 30mm nut, and I don't think they make one that big, if they do, you'll struggle to get it onto the nut :)

[DJ123]

Why not drill the nut and split it that way?

[maviczap]

All well and good, but its a 30mm nut, and I don't think they make one that big, if they do, you'll struggle to get it onto the nut :)

Whoops, just seen they do a 36mm one!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDGTOOLS-4PC-NUT-SPLITTER-9-36MM-GARAGE-WORKSHOP-HAND-TOOLS-HEAVY-DUTY-/290926927700?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item43bc989f54

Could work I suppose :D

[Ninthbike]

Whoops, just seen they do a 36mm one!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDGTOOLS-4PC-NUT-SPLITTER-9-36MM-GARAGE-WORKSHOP-HAND-TOOLS-HEAVY-DUTY-/290926927700?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item43bc989f54

Could work I suppose :D

I just thought that pressure rather than heat/power tools would be safer and less likely to damage the thread and/or shaft and/or seals.

[maviczap]

Just depends if you can get it on, apply enough torque without it slipping to split it.

You are correct it trying to do it this way, although you might need desperate Dan arm muscles :p

[joethebrave]

Thanks for the advice guys but the garage tried the localised heat trick and that nut is one stubborn little guy, he wasn't going anywhere!

I`m based near Nottingham. The new nut arrived from Robinsons today and the washer I got with it looks NOTHING like the washer that's currently there, so I think on my last sprocket change the garage must have used a different lock washer, which might have something to do with it. Damn them!

£20 for a nut and washer, my wallet is crying.

I saw the nut splitters but was concerned they might damage the threads? I`ll give it a go with the rotary tool tomorrow and see what happens.

[andrewsmith]

Thanks for the advice guys but the garage tried the localised heat trick and that nut is one stubborn little guy, he wasn't going anywhere!

I`m based near Nottingham. The new nut arrived from Robinsons today and the washer I got with it looks NOTHING like the washer that's currently there, so I think on my last sprocket change the garage must have used a different lock washer, which might have something to do with it. Damn them!

£20 for a nut and washer, my wallet is crying.

I saw the nut splitters but was concerned they might damage the threads? I`ll give it a go with the rotary tool tomorrow and see what happens.

The nut and tab are meant to be replaced with the Sprockets IIRC.

[wideguy]

It looks like a particularly nasty type of locking nut, and both the nut and the shaft look completely dry and rusty in your pictures.
I've never tried to do it, but you might be able to break the locking tab out of the inner radius of the nut, which would likely make it possible to turn it off.

[joethebrave]

They look that way because they got blasted by the garage, the shaft should clean up once I get the nut off. I don't know if the nut was changed last time but if if was I'd love to meet the guy who tightened it up.

[jambo]

In my experience these nuts come in 2 flavours when you need to undo them: finger tight or properly stuck.

Jambo

Sent without a real keyboard

[wideguy]

Suzuki asks for a serious lot of torque on that nut. I install it with about half of what they ask for, since it's secured by a tab washer. Never had a problem getting one back off.
Once they're mothered up like the one in Joe's picture, which looks like someone either tried to hammer on a socket that was too small, or didn't have the socket fully on the nut (maybe because the tab washer tab was in the way?) and wrenched it off, and rusty too- it certainly is a challenge now!

[admin]

I invested in one of these many moons ago. Long scaffold poles and a wrench often won't work. The multiple impacts from this drive usually works far better. Air powered items that quikfit use are even better.

sent via carrier pigeon.

[Dicky Ticker]

Club hammer and a good sharp chisel-----just split the nut.

[yorkie_chris]

I would grind to within half a mm or so of thread on each side then use those flats to knock it around. You'll find it will probably split at that point, if not grind a bit closer to threads.

If you take couple of thou off tops of threads don't worry about it but try and avoid obviously.

[joethebrave]

Managed to get it off finally. Took about 10 grinding discs and made a hell of a mess of the nut. It literally wouldn't budge until I'd hacked half of it off. New one went on fine. It was pretty much welded to the shaft. Thanks to all who offered advice!

[yorkie_chris]

sounds about right! However you might want to buy better grinding discs!

[Red Herring]

Took about 10 grinding discs ....

What were you using, a dremel?

[embee]

You weren't using grinding discs intended for stone by any chance? They don't cut steel/metal very well at all, wrong grit.

[joethebrave]

I used my rotary tool with some metal cutting discs, but they were very flimsy. The thicker discs just seemed to bounce off rather than cut.

[yorkie_chris]

Lol you poor bugger. Get yourself a grown up angle grinder.

[joethebrave]

I would have used one but there was no space to get in without slicing the bike in half. On a more positive note my bike is running perfectly at the moment, so I`m enjoying it while it lasts!

[yorkie_chris]

I would have used one but there was no space to get in without slicing the bike in half.

Ye of little imagination, you can do it fine.