Any special tools for a drive shaft replacement

JYOUNYA1 · Post by **JYOUNYA1** » February 8th, 2006, 10:22 am

Do I need any out of the ordinary tools to swap out my passenger side drive shaft besides wrenches, ratchet set, crow bar, and a breaker bar?

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » February 8th, 2006, 11:59 am

Make sure you have lots and lots of alcohol. That driver's side can be a real b---- if the retainer clip is stubborn. You could be prying for HOURS.

JYOUNYA1 · Post by **JYOUNYA1** » February 8th, 2006, 12:06 pm

what would I need alcohol for? And it seems you have tackled this before...I have too but a long time ago when I was sixteen (9years ago) on a 1988 ford escort 4 cylinder...me and my friends dad(he let me do majority of the work so I could have some experience)...took about almost 2 hours if I can remember correctly...and of course my friends dad is a professional. How long did it take you by yourself? Thanks

~Jay

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » February 8th, 2006, 12:58 pm

JYOUNYA1 wrote:what would I need alcohol for? And it seems you have tackled this before...I have too but a long time ago when I was sixteen (9years ago) on a 1988 ford escort 4 cylinder...me and my friends dad(he let me do majority of the work so I could have some experience)...took about almost 2 hours if I can remember correctly...and of course my friends dad is a professional. How long did it take you by yourself? Thanks

~Jay

The alcohol goes in your throat hole.

How long did it take me the first time with the OEM axle? A couple hours. How long did it take me when I went to go take out the Autozone replacement? I NEVER got it out. I spent DAYS. I ended up just ripping it off at the upper boot, swapping for the new one, and putting just the bottom part of the replacement on the old upper part and reclamping the boot on.

XxantwawnxX · Post by **XxantwawnxX** » February 8th, 2006, 1:14 pm

Same story with me, second time i had to get it out i NEVER got it out...had to rip oof the boot also, which was easy.

Spinkx79 · Post by **Spinkx79** » February 8th, 2006, 1:51 pm

You will need a 32mm socket.

FYI i broke my breaker bar, and my 1/2 inch drive with a 6 ft pole on it and it still didnt budge. The next day it took 20 min with an impact gun then my 220lb friend standing/bouncing on my new breaker bar to get it off.

Have fun.

Oh and for the passenger, to split the axel off that little mini axle, look in the online shop manual, you have to hit it just like the pic shows or you will waste a day like i did smashing/banging/pulling it with everything...i even tried wrapping a chain around it yanking did nothing.

g/l

oh and one more thing...lol... if your end links are in bad shape your gonna have a hell of a time geting it off and will end up cutting them off, take peek at them b4 u get started and may want to get some replacements. If you do get them off, you will need a ton of lube.

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » February 8th, 2006, 2:45 pm

Spinkx79 wrote: Oh and for the passenger, to split the axel off that little mini axle, look in the online shop manual, you have to hit it just like the pic shows or you will waste a day like i did smashing/banging/pulling it with everything...i even tried wrapping a chain around it yanking did nothing.

The passenger I haven't had to do yet, but it doesn't bother be because it's at least easy to get out of the tranny, and you could always have a machine shop split the halves apart for a few bucks.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » February 8th, 2006, 3:55 pm

After hearing all of this I'm starting to have second thoughts about separating the inner part of the drivers side stub shaft from the newly acquired tranny. In the Lantis LSD thread, Kiwi was looking for the measurement of the spline length to the circlip. Since I haven't heard many "ease of separation" stories, I'm considering not removing the drivers side shaft at this point for fear of damaging that stub shaft. Or even possibly not being able to put it back in. I was told by the importer that I can use the inner stub shafts and just attach new outer shafts much like what LF1 and XxantwawnxX seem to have done. The splined portion of the passenger side joint shaft should be able to slip right back in the tranny since there doesn't happen to be a circlip used - right?. I'm assuming since the outer end of the joint shaft has the 3 bolted mount that goes into the block will retain that shaft snuggly into the tranny - right?. A slight divergence from topic but still closely related.

Mazdaracer · Post by **Mazdaracer** » February 8th, 2006, 4:05 pm

if the axle nut is the same as the BG Mazda's, you'll need a 32mm socket.

and ya, don't even bother with a breaker bar, 8 outta 10 ppl bouce on it for hours and it dosen't budge and it's hard to not spin the wheel even with all the cars weight on it....hit it with an airgun and it'll come off MUCH easier.

I have also found that stock axles come out from the trans MUCH easier than autozone reman'd units...when i did my clutch last year, i could not for the life of me get the drivers axle out of the tranny...i brought it to the dealer, they had it for 2 days...and even they couldn't get it out without tearing down the trans...of which i said...is the axle good? YES, is the boot good? YES, then f--- it, i'll be right down to pick it up

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » February 8th, 2006, 4:29 pm

Mazdaracer wrote:and ya, don't even bother with a breaker bar, 8 outta 10 ppl bouce on it for hours and it dosen't budge and it's hard to not spin the wheel even with all the cars weight on it....hit it with an airgun and it'll come off MUCH easier.

then 8/10 people must be over torqueing their axle nuts because 4 or 5 jumps on a breaker bar is the ONLY way i can get mine off..... and im by no means a heavy person

lakersfan1 · Post by **lakersfan1** » February 8th, 2006, 4:50 pm

JWMX3 wrote:
Mazdaracer wrote:and ya, don't even bother with a breaker bar, 8 outta 10 ppl bouce on it for hours and it dosen't budge and it's hard to not spin the wheel even with all the cars weight on it....hit it with an airgun and it'll come off MUCH easier.
then 8/10 people must be over torqueing their axle nuts because 4 or 5 jumps on a breaker bar is the ONLY way i can get mine off..... and im by no means a heavy person

I can break the axle nut on my California MX3 easy. It's my 626 that's already been through 3 winters in Chicago that I can't break the damned nut loose. It's rusted like crazy.

twoie · Post by **twoie** » February 8th, 2006, 5:36 pm

I ended up using a dremel tool and cutting the passenger axle nut off. My 350lbs friend, who is built like a hairy gorilla, couldn't get it off with a breaker bar a 5 foot pipe. Good luck and pack a lunch. Oh ya, send out for more beer!

XxantwawnxX · Post by **XxantwawnxX** » February 8th, 2006, 5:45 pm

jschrauwen wrote: The splined portion of the passenger side joint shaft should be able to slip right back in the tranny since there doesn't happen to be a circlip used - right?. I'm assuming since the outer end of the joint shaft has the 3 bolted mount that goes into the block will retain that shaft snuggly into the tranny - right?. A slight divergence from topic but still closely related.

Correct the passenger side alwasy slides out of the tranny with ease once u un bolt it from the block. but man that clip on the drivers side : (

kiwi_MX3 · Post by **kiwi_MX3** » February 8th, 2006, 6:03 pm

Laffs , i had to take my spare MX6 axles to a TRUCK! shop
to get them to rattle gun off the nuts as a 400lb's rattle gun
would'nt even move the S.O.B's...... Frozen on......

The Drivers side ( well for you northern lot anyway ) stubshaft
into the gearbox takes quite a hammering so the circlip over time
does get very stubborn, if you can't get it out with a slide hammer
and a crows foot ( or pry bar for you rough buggers ) leave it.

If you HAVE! to replace it remove the passanger side axles Assy
and use a drift and Impact hammer to Blow it out throught the diff.

( note when you get called up by the local mazda dealer and asked
cos they know your building a mean as one and for the life of them
they could'nt get one out hell i must be good! )

Now Heh if you have a LSD, your another kettle of fish altogether,
if the drivers side does'nt wanna play ball leave it cos its not accessable
through the diff....

However, and this fall's into the AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!!

You can use a bearing splitter tool to remove the stub from the gearbox
however access is a bit of a issue and you could quite easy crack the
diff housing if the splitter is not sitting on the diff shaft....and presses
against the ali box.....

slimmyslim1420 · Post by **slimmyslim1420** » February 8th, 2006, 8:50 pm

Is there anything that can be done to possibly prevent the drivers side axle from sticking? Or is there a certain brand that isn't as bad as others? I'm sure if there is something that can be done people would gladly do it given that whatever it was wasn't as bad as the circlip getting stuck.