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Stub axle pull out force?


cygnusx1

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I have the slide hammer hanging off one of the axles right now and I have spent at least an hour hammering and hammering. The stub axle has not budged one bit. Yes, I took off the stub axle nut. I checked about seven times!

 

Is there a trick to doing this? I have had the stubs out before about 10 years ago when I replaced the wheel bearings but now they are not moving.

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If you have an air hammer you can try pushing from the other side. Use the pointed bit in the center dimple of the axle.

 

That might work. I know what you mean though, when I put my CV axle adapters on I was going to pull the stubs to check the bearings and re-grease everything. I finally just gave up and packed as much new grease as I could get in from the back side.

 

Good luck.

Wheelman

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Yes, I took off the stub axle nut.

 

If you haven`t, take the inside flange off. May need a small puller to remove it, they can be tight making it hard to get the stub axle out.

I would not use an air hammer and bit on the end of the stub axle until all else fails.

If you have a big enoungh slide hammer it should come out with some good hard pulls.

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How heavy is your slide hammer? I have a 10lb OTC which usually pulls them in about 3-5 swats. I assume you are using the axle flange puller attachment to pull on-center. I would second the recommendation to pull off in inner flanges first. If the splines are worn together, it may be locking the shaft in.

 

Doug

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Guest Phil1934

I added barbell weights to mine. Still would not budge. Dropped unit and hit it with BFH. Success. Just had to dress the end and chase the thread.

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I am going to eat a good lunch today and take vitamins. When I get home tonight, I will prepare mentally and go back at it. I took off the nut, washer and companion flanges. My slide hammer must be too light. I will see if I can find a heavier chunk of steel to make a new slide weight today. Yes, I am using a crossbar bolted to two of the studs diagonally so that the hammer pulls from the center of the STUBborn axle.

 

I really appreciate all the feedback. You have given me new hope and that's 90% of what I needed.

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The air hammer method has been well established by many members here. It more vibrates the axles out than "hammers" them. It actually seems less brutal to me than a slide hammer. Vibration is extremely helpful in breaking pressed fittings like ball joints and even steering wheels loose.

 

Absolute worst case is you unbolt the whole strut assembly/control arm and take it to a machine shop to have the axles pressed out. BFH works but like said above can damage threads.

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I actually tried hammering it out from the inside. I screwed the nut back onto the threads untill the end of the shaft was flush with the nut. Then I found a socket that would fit over the shoulder of the nut without damaging the bend-area of the nut. I taped the socket to the nut and hit it with a large aluminum head hammer. I even tried a steel hammer but the swing room under there is not enough. I am thinking about running a long bar all the way across the car and hitting it from the opposite side of the car with a sledge. It will require two people though. (EDIT: the differential is out of the car making this possible)

 

Battle number three, tonight!

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Guest Magnum Rockwilder

I tried the air hammer and it didn't work. I ended up using a 5lb sledge hammer. I didn't have much room to swing, but the weight of the hammer made up for it. I put the nut on the shaft first to keep from damaging the threads.

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Has anyone tried using a Porta Power to press them out? I am not exactly sure what you would push against, but maybe there is something strong enough under there. Then again, maybe it would bend something else instead.

Just a thought,

Joshua

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Has anyone tried using a Porta Power to press them out? I am not exactly sure what you would push against' date=' but maybe there is something strong enough under there. Then again, maybe it would bend something else instead.

Just a thought,

Joshua[/quote']

 

Thats not such a bad idea (porta-power)! Place the pushing end of the hydraulic cylinder against the threaded end of the stub axle (with nut removed of course) and secure the body of the cylinder to the stut housing using chain, high tensil straps or something. Then push it on out! Always sound simple, doesn't it?

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Thats not such a bad idea (porta-power)! Place the pushing end of the hydraulic cylinder against the threaded end of the stub axle (with nut removed of course) and secure the body of the cylinder to the stut housing using chain, high tensil straps or something. Then push it on out! Always sound simple, doesn't it?

Sounds like a slingshot to me... :wink:

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Yeeehaw!

 

I couldnt get the air hammer today so I added weights to my slide hammer and it didn't work so I thought again. I had an old, 5-foot, rusty, steel pinchbar laying around for digging rocks out. I put a socket over the axle nut and threaded the axle nut onto the stub about 1 inch. Since the diff is out of the car, I duct taped one end of the pinch par to the socket and the other end of the bar sticks out of the opposite wheel well. Now you have a REAL GOOD swing at it with a hammer and after four or five shots it started to move. A few more and boink, it's out! Just another trick for the books.

 

Thanks for all your encouragement.

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