2003 Forester, how to removal 32mm nut on wheel shaft?

FOUR FINGER MECHANIC

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2003 SUBARU FORESTER

Suspension problem
2003 Subaru Forester All Wheel Drive Manual 2.5X miles

How do I get the 32mm nuts off to remove my rotor assembly? I want to remove the front left shaft driving the wheel in order to fix the inner CV joint. I see each nut has a small depression which is locked into a key hole on the shaft, this is obviously a safety against loosing a nut / wheel. Is is a job for an impact wrench, and a a new nut when you reassemble? I've already broken a long handled socket wrench that I leveraged with a pipe, no way I'm budging it.

2 Replies

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,937 POSTS

Hi there,

This it the locking device, often the bent rim will open when you apply sufficient force, you will need a 3/4"drive socket set ant a min to undo these as they are extremely tight (as you have found) and you should replace the staked nut as well, although you may find that if you swap them Left to right you may find that the used staked section is at a different position on the nut.

Mark (mhpautos)

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Thursday, July 17th, 2008 AT 1:13 AM

FOUR FINGER MECHANIC

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Hi Again Mark

Is it OK to keep the wheel on the ground when I try to loosen off the nut? Otherwise the wheel will spin as I have no drive shaft to act as resistance to my pull. The point of using at least a 3/4" socket makes total sense, mine was easily broken from the force.

Thanks for the help.

FFM

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Thursday, July 17th, 2008 AT 11:23 AM