i am in the process of doing my rear wheel bearings and am at the point (after removing the axle nut etc) where i just need to remove the rear axle flange assembly from the rear axle. the axle is still in the diff. the shop manual suggests you use a copper hammer and beat on a nut on the axle. is that the best method of separating the two?

how about a harmonic balance puller? or would that just pull the wheel hub from the axle flange?

finally the shop manual says you can just pry the axle out of the diff.. isn't there a c clip or something?

i will be doing a bit of drag racing this year so i had better learn all about axles...

any help would be greatly appreciated.

howard coleman

 

FD? They get stuck and a puller won't help. Use lots of penetrating oil, then lots of heat from a torch on the spindle then hammer the axle out using the old nut. Even then it takes POUNDING to get it apart if it's never been apart before. I mushrooomed the end of the axles and had to grind it slightly so the nut would go back on. As for removing from the diff end once you remove the boot you can just pull the tripot out IIRC. The tripot joints themselves also just pry out of the diff case.

Full write up here. I highly recommend replacing all the studs while you have it apart.

For future reference anytime you remove the spindle you get to buy a new wheel bearing.

 

thanks for the info. i bought a super new prybar and popped the axle out of the diff. after some consideration i decided to farm the assembly out to my trans guy. i do have a large press but would have had to make a fixture and have enough to do at the moment.

thanks again,

howard coleman