Jaguar Repair: 1984 XJ6 driveshaft dissasembly, air impact wrench, hammer strikes

Question
Howard,

  I wrote you earlier about setting up the preload on the driveshaft bearings - but I can't seem to get them apart !  I'm trying to remove the big nut which I think its 1 & 7/8ths but it won't budge.  It's got an 'M' or 'W' stamped on it, I assume it's regular right hand threads, I've used an adjustable crescent wrench on it (biggest I have and just fits) with a 3 foot pipe and also a hammer.  The lock tabs of the lock washer are all out of the way, next step is to use heat but I wasn't sure if that may damage the bearings inside.  The bolts that held the whole thing to the diff had been coated in locktite or another sealer, perhaps the same is on this nut.  Any suggestions - heat, longer pipe ?

Thanks,

   Steve.

Answer
Steve, the nuts must have lock tight on them as they are not that tight. Remember the nut is just compressing a crush sleeve to get a preload on the bearings so it can not be that tight. An air impact wrench on a deep well socket or a box end wrench and a few hammer strikes on the wrench should break it loose. I don't advise heat. An adjustable wrench probably has too much flexing in the grip.

So I would get a box end wrench to fit and use hammer strikes on it. Get a flat box end wrench with NO off set in it. The factory tool is extra long deep well socket which I guess could only be purchased from Jaguar. A flat box end wrench hit with a hammer can put more torque on a nut then you could pull with a 3 foot handle.

Howard