Well, nut removal might be easier with  Sweeney Wrench.

Envision a 5 inch diameter splined shaft with threads, and 12 foot or
bigger four bladed propeller, mounted on it - and a nut big enough to
hold it on. Now what on earth do you supposed could tighten and loosen
such a monster. Well, that would be a Sweeney Wrench. The thing is a
geared, chain drive device that screws onto the threads, locks on to the
nut, and as the mechanic down below reaches up and pulls the chain
through the tackle block that drives it - the torque is multiplied a few
hundred times to get torques values - or to relieve torque values of
2500 lbs or so.  A small version would be handy for cranky and difficult
Vanagon Axle Nuts.

John

On 9/29/2013 6:01 AM, Stephen Grisanti wrote:
> I'm not looking forward to ever needing the 46mm socket for the big rear axle nut, but have always kept that measurement (and its standard 1 13/16" equivalent) in mind in case I trip over one, which I recently did.  Of course, after buying I find that NAPA stocks the non-metric one for $25 (on sale this week for $16!) but that Ohio antique mall was fairly boring until I hit a huge booth full of tools and the $5 find that is now living under the back seat of the '87 Westy with its new Harbor Freight 3/4" drive breaker bar.
>