So why do axles get stuck?

Whisper · Post by **Whisper** » August 15th, 2007, 11:02 am

Guys at the shop have been wrestling with the notorious driver side axle for several days now. I need the seal replaced and the thing just won't separate from the tranny. They say they've used pry bars, they tried knocking it out through the hole on the other side, and a bunch of other methods, and they still can't do it.

I know there's a c-clip holding it in place, and it's a mofo to pop out, but I suspect there's more to it than that, because the clip alone should be workable.

What are other reasons it could get stuck? Grime build up under the c-clip? Vacuum lock? Welded solid from the heat? Are those even possible?

What are my options here? Do I have to get a new transmission and put a new axle in it?

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » August 15th, 2007, 12:10 pm

Mainly if they get really bad like your describing.. its cause no one ever changed the gear oil in it.. when oils heat up... they put a carbon varnish all over everything they come in contact with over time. The longer it goes without a "Oil Change" the harder it is to get them to come apart. This isnt all inclusive.. but it is one factor that could be causing it to be that much more difficult than it normally would be. You know how you find those Oil Filters that take a act of God to get off? Usually those are the same sort of thing.. left on too long and got too hot.. they bake themselves into place. I dunno if you will need to replace that tranny.. but if I were in your shoes.. I would at least have it inspected before I put it back in.

Tunes67

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » August 15th, 2007, 12:45 pm

Often the problem is that pressure is being applied from one side prying it out it causes the splined shaft of the CV joint to bind. Often the trick is to apply equal pressure at point 180deg apart. In a really bad case tapping 2 ball joint forks between the CV and tranny at the same time will get it to pop out. You can also use a small bearing separator so that when it squeezes round the shaft it force itself between the CV and tranny case popping it out as well.

BTW what were that banging on trying to knock it out from the other side. There is a pin the holds the spyder gears in place that would block most of the access to the end of the drivers side CV joint. Chances are that the damaged this pin that hold the diff. gears together it they were putting a lot of force into it.

Brad · Post by **Brad** » August 15th, 2007, 2:17 pm

I just went through this. Actually, the drive's side (US car) came out OK, but the other side wouldn't budge. I also tried whacking the axle from the other side and all it did was nick the axle. I don't recommend that technique.I removed the tranny (since I was putting in a clutch) with the axle still installed. I found out the clip was deformed and apparently wouldn't compress to let the axle out. The way I finally got it out was by grinding some small rods I had into a triangular cross section and inserting them into the splines from the other side of the transmission. This compressed the clip enough to get the axle out using a slide hammer type puller. If you look at the end of the axle that's out already you can probably figure out what I'm talking about. This was tedious and in my case the little shims I made had to be placed just right to compress the deformed part of the clip. I supppose you could do the same thing with the tranny still in the car. I took the inner CV joint out to attach the slide hammer, but you wouldn't have to do that if you had the right kind of puller/slide hammer.

Whisper · Post by **Whisper** » August 15th, 2007, 6:49 pm

Aight, thanks.

ScooterBovine · Post by **ScooterBovine** » August 15th, 2007, 7:01 pm

At least it's good to know that the axles won't just pop out of place randomly

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » August 15th, 2007, 7:03 pm

I had no problems with mine.. they popped out and popped in normally.. but both my tranny's and axles were all low mileage too.

Tunes67

Limegreen mx-3 · Post by **Limegreen mx-3** » August 15th, 2007, 11:09 pm

i know what ya mean but when i have that problem thats when 2 pry bars come to place but it gets it out after a while..

note the kia g-series isn't as hard to get out as the mazda g-series..

driver side axles i mean.

jaydog5678 · Post by **jaydog5678** » August 16th, 2007, 11:59 am

If you need more prying room, you can remove the crossmember to get a little better angle with a prybar from the bottom side. One prybar on the top and one on the bottom would get it out for sure. I wouldn't suggest trying to punch it out through the otherside of the diff hole, although I have done that in the past.