The Official 356Talk Forum

So, do i need to remove the castle nut to get to the point where I can reattach the cable? If so, adding to the fun, my transmission just spins so taking off the castle nut should prove to be fun.

It makes it easier and if you have a torquemeister and an adapter for disc brake wheels you don't care if the trans is not locked. You can remove it with an 11 mm wrench and holding it from moving with one hand. I made my own adapter from half a 12 volt VW flywheel. Pm if you want details and pictures, though there is a tech article in the archives on removing axle nuts. Do a search.

One way to remove it is to take a piece of steel about 4’ long and drill a pair of holes to fit over a pair of adjacent wheel studs, and use that as a lever. Then use your breaker bar and 36mm socket. Torquemeisters take all the fun out of it.

I use an impact wrench. If necessary, put a short (16") bar between the studs to hold the wheel. .............Jim.

Greg Spreeman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 23, 2022 9:58 pm So, do i need to remove the castle nut to get to the point where I can reattach the cable? If so, adding to the fun, my transmission just spins so taking off the castle nut should prove to be fun.

Re: Stopping the spinning: Use your pneumatic brakes to clamp the drum. A helper can stand on the brake pedal, or you can make a simple helper strut from wood to hold the pedal down hard, hands-free:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50009&p=363814&hilit=pedal#p363814

Leave the full weight of the car on the ground to loosen the castle nut. Use a serrated plastic wheel chock, kick-wedged hard under the tire to assist the brakes in keeping it from rolling. (The serrated type will try to be sucked under the tire.) Or, with wheel removed and swing arm jacked up, you can also use a stout stick of wood across the drum between the lug studs, one end stopped from turning by the floor. Kind of like "The Club" device for your steering wheel.

With the wheel thus immobilized, a good 3/4" breaker bar and 36mm socket with a pipe cheater will do the trick. I use a short extension between the socket and breaker bar, to clear the rear fender, then support the head of the breaker bar on a chuck of railroad tie, or a length of 4x4 lumber, the right length to keep the extension parallel to the floor, and act as a fulcrum.

Before moving the castle nut, I suggest you take a sharpie and make witness marks on the nut and axle end. By later tightening it down so the witness marks line up, you will be back to whatever torque it had been before.
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Can your dash really hold 75-100 pounds of pressure without bending when you wedge your brakes on? Also , you have pneumatic brakes? Do they stop as well as the hydraulic ones?

Martin Benade wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 1:27 am Can your dash really hold 75-100 pounds of pressure without bending when you wedge your brakes on? Also , you have pneumatic brakes? Do they stop as well as the hydraulic ones?

Of course I meant hydraulic (as opposed to mechanical emergency.) Good catch, sir! 8)

Yes, my dash really, really holds without bending. I was surprised how stout the dash edge is. Try it yourself, it's quite gratifying.
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Luckily I have the perfect tool- a pneumatic impact gun. And a rechargeable one too. I am spoiled.

I did see someone put a breaker bar on the nut then back the car up.

I'd rather the strain be taken up by a flat piece of steel as Dave E. suggests than any part of the drive train. That's just my opinion however and there are other ways. Jim's method is close to what Dave suggests.

Actually, the first time I needed to remove an axle nut, I already had a piece of steel with one hole in it large enough to fit over the wheel stud. The bar rested against the second stud and the ground. I like using a bar with a hole because it does not fall off, but I agree with Jim's suggestion that a bar between two studs will also work.

Wow, I got my ebrake this far. Didn't have to remove the axel nut to get there. Now, the castle nut. I am guessing I tighten the castle nut just enough to get a cotter pin into the cable?

Correct, adjustment is by cable and star wheel.

Do you know the size of the cotter pin?

About 1/16, but not critical. A locking wire loop will work.