Removing Drive Shafts

Normal. They are supposed to be very tight, when they are not they get broken from shear loads.

Since removing a fastener is always harder it is not unusual to need to cut them off if any rust is involved or any damage to the socket head. I keep spares in stock for just that reason.

 

I literally was on my back and lifted my whole body off the ground with the leverage of a breaker bar (did we mention breaker bar?...nice long one) and finally got mine off after many attempts! Ugly job!

 

Use an impact wrench from the wheel well (with loooong extension) then replace any bolts that break. Note location of the spacers.

 

I haven't touched mine in at least a decade so I am going by my feeble memory.

I unscrewed the bolt from the nut which is held by an open end wrench (spanner) which was wedged against something so that it didn't turn.

Cleaning out the head of the bolt is TOP PRIORITY. A small pick or screwdriver will get the debris out, it is important to get it ALL out.

The proper socket MUST be used, IIRC, it is a "triple square" drive commonly used on VW and Porsche cars. Using a conventional hex or a Torx socket is an invitation to disaster.

I used a couple of long extensions connected together with sufficient length for the socket to engage the bolt and reach out past (and resting on top of) the brake caliper. The axle should be rotated so that the straightest possible alignment of the bolt, extensions and the top of the brake caliper is achieved. Take a fair size screwdriver and jamb it into the brake rotor fins and against the brake caliper so as to prevent the axle from turning when you apply torque to the ratchet or breaker bar. Note the direction that the axle will want to turn and position the screwdriver on the correct side of the caliper.

When everything is set up hit the end of the extension with a hammer to drive the socket as far as possible into the head of the bolt, you will need as much surface area engaging the socket as possible. I had a jack or stack of wood under the rotor or lower A arm to keep the suspension from moving down when you start pushing down on the breaker bar.

At this point the breaker bar should be outside of the body where you can apply maximum torque, positioned so that you are pushing down. The extensions should be resting on top of the caliper which serves as a fulcrum point. The caliper/rotor/suspension can not go down when you apply torque because it is supported from underneath and can not turn because of the screwdriver in the fins and against the caliper.

When you start to turn the bolt the wrench on the nut will swing around until it hits something. Once it seems secure apply full torque. You will have to reposition the axle/rotor as you move to the next bolt.

Using this method will loosen even the most stubborn bolt and reduce the possibility of stripping the bolt head to a minimum. If someone has already damaged the bolt head this my still work if you concentrate on hammering the socket home in the bolt as noted above.

 

Those nuts have fingers designed so they come off. Ferrari recommends replacing them as the fingers don't grip as they did once they are broke loose. A little gentle heat (not red hot!!!) and they come off with ease and then replace.

 

Miked summed it up pretty good; specially about cleaning out the bolt head to get a good fit for your 8mm hex head. I'd add:
Keep them soaked in PB Blaster for several days, then use a long breaker bar. If you're sitting on jack stands you'll need the loooong extension(s) to gain access; make sure you have support on both ends of that long extension(s) to avoid unwanted torque in a wrong direction. BTW, you don't need that 17mm open spanner to keep the nuts from turning until after they've been broke loose. The nuts are kept from turning by the hub. I've had mine out several times - mostly to replace boots. It's doable, but takes patience and determination. Use some anti-seize when you put it back together, and make sure you put the extra washers back where they belong to keep the bolts from sticking out so far as to catch on something. Good Luck!

 

I've used a screwdriver in the brake disk to keep the assembly from rotating, laid under the car and pushed the long breaker bar with my feet. That worked. I also discovered that who ever pushed in my bumper didn't do anything to secure the shock and I pulled the bumper back out when I used it as a handle. Scared the crap out of me. I thought it was going to land on my head.

I've used an air impact gun with extensions and that has worked.

I've also used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to persuade those bolts to let go.

On the our (stupid) VW the bolts were the triple square (mentioned above) or 12 point or something I needed to go buy a special tool for, but the 308 CV bolts I've played with have been standard 8mm hex. I don't know that they were OEM bolts though.

 

Andy, get some heat in the bolts, they are possibly seized due to age and different metals. First time I did mine it was the same now mine all undo nicely due to good lubrication. Your right you can only get a spanner on one side, but they are locked against to hub so initially it's the Allen key headed bolt socket you need to loosen. Just be patient heat and lubricant.

 

What is the principle behind heating the bolts? That would cause them to temporarily expand, obviously. Do they then break loose when they cool?

 

The expansion from the heat breaks the rust loose.

 

I did this last winter. Those bolts are torqued to 150 ft lbs so they are tight. Read the guide on Birdman's site and do just as he describes, it worked perfectly for me.

 

Good point hammering the socket for getting as much surface as possible inside the bolt head.
I also did it that way after cleaning out the heads. I even purchased a new, good socket to have a tool without ANY wear and did even grind the tip on its face-side to get it sharp-edged, because most sockets are rounded or slightly chamfered on their tip.
But it's no special socket needed. The bolts are simple hex heads.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Andy,

don't want to hi-jack this thread but it's slightly off-topic and just comes to my mind.
How are things going along regarding your steering rack?

Best Regards
Martin

 

See this:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328-sponsored-yellow-compass-group/506851-torque-specs.html

One of mine just broke off so I had to buy a replacement. 57ft/lbs they are tightened to! The Birdman instructions may help you with the whole job.

 

Note: If you are going to remove the half shafts, remove the inside CV bolts first (Diff side). This way you can use the brake / rotor to lock the CVs in place while breaking loose / tightening the CV bolts.

 

Andy, if you need new bolts I have some for sale as well as some off those scraping plates.

PM me if you need them.

 

so a chisel and hamer will do the job. You have to brake the bolt open when its impossible to remove them.

enzo52

 

That's what I did and it works really well.

 

Got all mine out at the diff end using long breaker bar and plenty soakings with plus gas. The ones at the wheel end were rustier (looked like yours). One needed the nut 'fingers' grinding off to get it free. If you look at yours - all the rusty bolt sticking out of the nut has to go through the nut so it will be a struggle. I got myself 12 new bolts and nuts from superformance as I knew the hex ends would get chewed extracting them. Remember to put the '2 bolt washer' and the individual washers on before refitting bolts (or find them on the bench when getting your torque wrench like I did - how I laughed!)

 

I did this last week. As others point out the nuts are held by a shoulder on the hub (if the correct nuts.) My hex/Allen bolts had never been off and were full of crap so cleaned them out after rounding the first one (hammered in a torx bit to get the rounded one out.) I used several 1/2" extensions through the wheel well and a long breaker bar. Good luck!

 

Do these bolts have the same strength category like the originals? IIRC they are at least 10.9 or even 12.9
I also doubt, that you get nyloc nuts in strength category, which fits the bolts. Most nyloc nuts are just 8.8

They need a very high torque on reassembly. Don't forget. There is no positive locking on this connection, just force closure created by this nut and bolt connection, which has to bear the whole engine torque.


Best Regards
Martin