I think the axle nut is just tight. The amount of indented surface is too small to provide any significant resistance. This nut can take 400-500 ft-bls or more to break. A good 1/2" air impact will usually do the job, but a good bit of repetitive pounding may be required.

If the axle is stuck in the hub and won't back out don't hit it w/ a hammer and damage the end. There is an Autozone tool (front axle hub puller) that will mount on the studs and allow you to push the shaft out of the hub.

good luck

 

Thanks folks, I appreciate the thoughts.

I have a pretty tough SnapOn 1/2" impact and a 4' breaker bar, neither seem to budge this bad-boi staked hub-nut.
(the snapon had no problem with the other side)

So then I thought I would just pull the whole spindle and axle together by poppin the ball joint stud out of the lower control arm, then I could put it in a vice or take it to a shop with a large compressor.

As soon as I put the press on it I noticed a new grease boot held on with some clips to my same old ball joint cup! It's covered in years of corrosion! The bolt itself doesn't even look new![:@]

How is this possible? If my ball joint broke apart, can that be put back together somehow?

*****Is there any way to put a ball joint stud back in a used cup and make it stay?

I'm baffled and thinking about taking it to the dealership [].
I put it back together for the moment but I'll take some pix tonight and post em to see what yall think.

Thanks again!

 

So here's the rub.

The Steering knuckle that isn't new:
http://picasaweb.google.com/2bmatthe...42978118219618

The "remanufactured" drive axle and CV assembly:
http://picasaweb.google.com/2bmatthe...42973823252306

The Bill:
http://picasaweb.google.com/2bmatthe...42205024106306

Sorry it's blurry, I didn't have time to scan it in so I had to use my laptop webcam.
Basically it says:
Ball Joint - 54.77 for the part and 153.48 for related labor
CV complete - 129.88 for the part and 99.76 for related labor
Bearings- 185.93 for the part and 61.70 for related labor

Edit: BTW last time around when working on the other side I bought the bearings for $90, and the joint for $40 - from the dealership!

Whatchya think guys?
Any idea how he actually even put this back together without replacing this stuff?

 

Wow, you got screwed. Parts were 2x what they would have cost you and that labor is rediculous.

Don't know that there is anything you can do about it.

I put in all new suspension on the front of my car and honestly the crap they put on the roads here already has it rusted and looking like it's years old. And it's only been a couple weeks.

 

They may have only replaced the ball joint boot on your lower ball joint.

As oma93 pointed out corrosion can progress fast, so maybe the axle is a reman unit.

I would get someone w/ a big, air impact to break that nut loose. Once out it will be very difficult to restrain for such a high torque. Many 1/2" air impacts may not be up to the job. I threw in the towel after breaking my inexpensive 1/2" breaker bar w/ a 4-ft breaker bar, but my 1/2 IR air impact finally broke it loose after quite a bit of impacting. One other option is to support the breaker bar/extension in a jack stand, and use a hand jack to lift the 4-ft cheater pipe end. You can get some seriousuplift this way,...if you can keep the socket in place on the nut. It will break the nut or more likely your breaker bar.

good luck