Joe, I've been using a pair of 18" pipe wrenches with cheater pipes on them (makes 'em about 30"). The jaws can dig into the surfaces a bit, but not enough to be a problem, and only on those that haven't been off in decades. There's an easier way!! Take the rear universal apart with the shaft on the car. Pop the caps off the cross in the yoke, twist it, then drop it right out. The catch is the rear wheels MUST have the weight of the car on them, otherwise the shaft is in a slight bind (too long) and it won't come out. I've run the back up on ramps, but then jack the front up and put it on jack stands to keep proper weight on the rear -- a forward angle would take some off. It's a bit tight working under the car like that, but it's quicker and easier than sliding the rear axle back and messing with that big nut. If the nut isn't properly tightened and the splines dry the shaft WILL sling out -- found out the hard way years ago! An old Rambler dealer mechanic told me to take the rear universal apart. I just pop the internal snap rings and use a heavy mallet to knock the end of the shaft over one way then the other (just make sure you hit on the shaft end, NOT the tubular shaft!). Used to be able to drop a drive shaft in 15 minutes once the car was jacked up! ----------------- Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:19:22 -0800 From: tom jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx> On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 12:36, Joe Fulton <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > TOM J where did you buy your "big nut" wrenches > > I bought them from some seller on Amazon ultimately. THey are "FULLER" brand, drop forged. THere are a lot of wrenches that size that did not state "forged"... 1-3/4". I got combo wrenches. They were around $25/each, which is pretty cheap (both senses of that word). I thought it something I ought to just own. Since they get so little use I figured the cheapo's would be OK as long as they were actually forged. They seem to be (they ring when tapped etc). -- Frank Swygert Publisher, "American Motors Cars" Magazine (AMC) For all AMC enthusiasts http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html (free download available!) _______________________________________________ AMC-list mailing list AMC-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://list.amc-list.com/listinfo.cgi/amc-list-amc-list.com