caneman8

Hi, I'm helping a friend replace his differential after he raped it at the track Friday night and have come to a hurdle. We got the powertrain supprt brace off and the driveshaft disconnected, but I can't get the axles off. I searched, and what I've come up with is that I need to get the axle off of the hub then pop it off the diff, but I can't get it off the hub. I believe that I need to take off the 36mm nut then pull the brake assembly off and disconnect the lower arm. Only problem is that I can't get the nut off, when I torque on it the brake caliper can't hold it and the rotor spins. Should I replace the worn out brake pads to give a better clamp or is there something I need to do? And after I get the nut off, will the axle just pull out when the suspension parts are disconeected or will it need some force?



Thanks in advance for any help,

Matt.

fc3sboy1

the axel nuts are torqued to 160 to 180 ft and the way you need to remove them is an impact gun and a good compressor. there also tanged in some way. also you will need a air hammer more then likly to slide the axels out the hub. just pull the upper control arm bolt out and tilt the hub out to slide the axel stub out then unbolt the axels and remove them. its way way easy if you have the proper tools, pullin the brakes and braker bar just doesnt cut the cake man.





randy

caneman8

Alrighty, that's what I was thinking with the air compressor, but mine is shitty and I can get more torque without it. I guess I'll be borrowing one...thank you very much for the help.

Signal 2

There is one other way. I've replaced the diff/axle seals without removing the axle from the hub.

Try removing all the lower pivot points of the suspension...trailing arm, toe-link etc and e-brake cable.(NOT the brake lines). Then, using an appropriate length of 2X4 and a floor jack, jack against the upper 'A' arm, compressing the spring just a little. You should then be able to swing the entire hub assembly outward and away from the car as you use a pry bar on the axle at the diff. A quick pop, and it should come's out and away from the diff.

http://img220.imageshack.us/my.php?image=a...ment010medi.jpg



http://img324.imageshack.us/my.php?image=a...ment004medi.jpg

Not a good pic, and this was done on a two-post lift, but it shows what I disconnected. And there shouldn't be any reason you couldn't do it on jack stands. The only caveat would be that I have coil-overs, which might have given me a bit more room to swing it clear that stock suspension would. I'm not sure but you've got nothing to loose.

Signal 2

Edit: I also removed the ABS sensor (IIRC 2 bolts) and outer 'I' Arm bolt at the upright. Took about an hour each side to replace the seals this way.

caneman8

Alright, after the driver's side axle slid out of the hub and popped off the differential fairly easily we were prety confident. But after moving on to the passenger side we soon realized we had began a war. We've yanked and pulled on it for awhile now and the axle will not come off the hub. We tried buying an air hammer, but the only one at the auto store was pretty small and it didn't do the job. So I guess we're going to try Signal's method...If that doesn't work than I'm not sure what we're going to do, but I'll keep you guys posted.

Thanks for all the help!

caneman8

we keep tryin to get this damn axle off and it aint working..any last resort methods...i think its rusted pretty bad.. tried wd-40...it aint budging at allll...tried everything...

rfreeman27

I beat on my axle with a 15 lbs sledge HARD and didnt budge it out of the hub.



Try a slide hammer, and pull the hub off of the axle.



I reccomend replacing the bearings while you are in there, as you will be pulling them apart.



Signal's method will def work if you are just working on the differential, I have done it several times (ive blown up 3 stock diffs )

freak07

Signal 2 s method is the way to go. It took me about an hour to pull the diff by my self .