can i remove a rear axle like this?

[idosubaru]

i have a rear diff and axles on a FWD vehicle. if i drop the rear diff and remove the axles is there anyway to remove the axle from the hub side without removing the wheel - like disassemble the CV joint while it's on the car and leave the end still in the hub? cause i still need to leave that end in there anyway.

 

make sense?

 

keeping in mind...this is coming from a guy who has never disassembled a CV before. i can't get my finger nails dirty so i always replace them.

[johnceggleston]

i have a rear diff and axles on a FWD vehicle. if i drop the rear diff and remove the axles is there anyway to remove the axle from the hub side without removing the wheel - like disassemble the CV joint while it's on the car and leave the end still in the hub? cause i still need to leave that end in there anyway.

 

make sense?

 

keeping in mind...this is coming from a guy who has never disassembled a CV before. i can't get my finger nails dirty so i always replace them.

 

sawzall zzz you can remove it anywhere you want.

[idosubaru]

sawzall zzz you can remove it anywhere you want.

awesome, good suggestion! i will definitely make sure i have that out when i go to do it. but the rear diff has to come off too so in this instance it might be just as easy to disconnect it since i have to at some point anyway.

[aircraft engineer]

this is all from interpretation of the BOOK so it's SUPPOSED to work -

 

The axle is held to the differential output with a pin through the differential output shaft/ junction to the axle. you can drive out the pin and disconnect the axle from the diff by moving the (former) connection outboard towards the wheel.

 

You then can remove the axle nut from the hub IF you have enough "hole in the center of the wheel clearance" to turn the 32mm socket (we are talking SUB here, right?) Get a punch and drive the axle out of the hub. Comes right out after the nut is removed (at least in the non-salty roads northwest it did anyway)

 

Now of course, you COULD jack up the car, remove the wheels one at a time, pull the axle nuts and then put the wheels back on and then do the other side. When you have both axle nuts off and the differential connections removed, then pull out the axles and you have a "front wheels up" dollyable car (which is why I suspect you are asking)

 

I found that IF you (or someone else) hold the brakes tight, you get enough oomph to "turn" the axle nuts and remove them without needing to undo that detent on the end (it just form it back into a "circle"). With the axles out, it's "towable" on a dolly instead of needing trailered.

 

YOU WON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO PUSH THE AXLE BACK OUT THRU THE HUB UNLESS IT'S DISCONNECTED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL FIRST!! NOT ENOUGH SLACK IN THE SYSTEM. TO PULL THEM TAKE OFF THE DIFF CONNECTIONS FIRST THEN THEY WILL SLIDE OUT FROM THE INSDE UNDER THE CAR

 

Dunno what would be necessary to do the fronts though if you needed to flat tow it. (same process??)

 

ALSO - I WOULDN'T TOW IT VERY FAR WITHOUT AN OUTER CV AXLE SHAFT HOUSING INSTALLED INTO EACH OF THE REAR WHEEL HOUSINGS. THE ONLY THING HOLDING ON THE WHEEL WOULD BE THE SNAP RING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BEARING. WITH THE AXLE STUB INSTALLED AND THE AXLE NUT INSTALLED, IT'S SECURE

[idosubaru]

sorry - i'm not swapping axles here. this is new and different that what anyone else does. i converted an AWD to FWD. so i don't need the rear drivetrain parts any more. i just need the outer CV cup to remain in the hub.

 

i'm pretty sure this can be done without removing the axles though.

i'm sure there's a way to just knock a clip out...(or whatever holds that CV joint onto the axle) and remove the axle without ever undoing the axle nut or removing it from the hub. this would remove the axle but leave the outer cup in the hub.

 

in other words - can i disassemble the axle while it's hanging from the rear hub?

[johnceggleston]

i remember from the repair manual that there is a ring/spring clip inside the cup on the trans end of the axle. this is the one you have to remove to re-do the boots. the outer joint doesn't have to come apart to do the boots so i did'nt read up on it, but i'm sure you are right, it can be done as long as you have enough room to get the axle off the diff stub, or disassemble the inner joint. there is a diagram in the haynes manual i think.

 

suggestion, go to the DIY car wash, cut off the outer boot and spray it off with hot water and degreaser. drive it home and disassemble.

 

if there isn't enough room to get the axle off without taking the hub apart.....

 

drive the car till the axle fails. then take them apart.

 

or cut it in the middle zzzand then disassemble the thing.

[aircraft engineer]

ah - different question. you might be better off IF you can find a couple of axles with bad outer CV and take them apart for just the "outers" and save the existing axles. Lots of JY actually cut the axles when removing the diffs so the outers are literally "junk" to them. If you are just pulling out the guts and leaving the axle shaft in the hub, you will need to clean out the grease or it will get "messy" - and that's easier to do with the full axle out

 

I'm not familiar with Sub axle CV construction, but on my Tempo (and Caravan), it's not held in by anything. The CV cage and balls are held to the end of the axle shaft with a small circlip but the axle/cage subassembly just slides right out. the circlip might serve as a detent, but I never paid attention.

 

The axle just pops out of the CV axle end hub (and leaves all the joint grease behind).

 

Why the reluctance to pull the entire axle? It's just an "out/in" job without "consequences" - pull 2 pins, 2 axle nuts free them up and pull them out. Sure makes getting the "other parts of the CV" out a lot easier.

 

I'm pretty sure you can drop the diff without adverse impact (it's in its own "carrier")

[86BRATMAN]

The easiest way to geet the cv end off an axle, especially if you don't want to use it again is to take the out of the car. put the axle in a vice or something of that nature to hold it. And take a hammer, larger than a normal nail driving hammer but smaller than a sledge, and hit the crap out of it on the end where the boot connects. A couple good hits and it should come off. Granted the cv joint itself will usually break but it will come off there. I've done a few this way, front two on the xt since they were both bad and I wanted to rock rwd for a while.

[Reveeen]

It should "pop" out, but that is easier said than done. The usual it to hold the axle in a vise and "pop" the end off by strategic application of a BFH and a punch. Here you are coming at it the other way around, and would be looking to fabricate something, to give you a slide hammer effect on the axle shaft, at horizontal.

 

Easiest: hit it with a torch and cut it flush.

[aircraft engineer]

There's a large circlip right inside the CV cup that has to come out to separate the axle shaft/ CV race and balls subassembly from the axle cup.

 

Pull back the boot and scoop out the grease.

 

Book shows it coming out by using a large screwdriver.

 

Would still be a lot easier to do it with it out of that car

 

Don't need to use no steeenkin' hammer

[86BRATMAN]

There's a large circlip right inside the CV cup that has to come out to separate the axle shaft/ CV race and balls subassembly from the axle cup.

 

Pull back the boot and scoop out the grease.

 

Book shows it coming out by using a large screwdriver.

 

Would still be a lot easier to do it with it out of that car

 

Don't need to use no steeenkin' hammer

 

Have you ever actually taken one apart? You aren't going to get a screwdriver to where that clip is at. It clips into the cv assembly at a point of no access. These things were made to stay together. And its this coupled with sub standard aftermarket parts that yeilds such a high failure rate with the majority of rebuilt axles.

 

And Gary, yes, if you drop the rear diff the axles will slide right out of the hub without having to remove them from the diff. I don't know if you've ever removed a diff from an ej era car or not, but its a little more envolved than ea/er stuff.

[aircraft engineer]

I was just readin' the CHILTON. They "say" the circlip is easy enough to get out

 

No, I haven't tried axles on a Sub yet - just Tempo and Caravan - but the same principle

[86BRATMAN]

Go test your chilton's in real life practice and get back to me.

[aircraft engineer]

might try if I had a Sub to try it on.

 

I don't and the axles are OK on the one I was fixing.

[idosubaru]

you guys are right, the simplest method is to pull the entire axle out. i'll have another axle already disassembled and ready to go.

 

pulling the rear diff...i don't think i ever have on an EJ. i've already got the driveshaft and protector plate removed. i'm not reinstalling it so once it's off i'm done at least.

[johnceggleston]

you guys are right, the simplest method is to pull the entire axle out. i'll have another axle already disassembled and ready to go.

 

pulling the rear diff...i don't think i ever have on an EJ. i've already got the driveshaft and protector plate removed. i'm not reinstalling it so once it's off i'm done at least.

 

some one posted a tip for removing the rear diff. DO NOT spray pblaster on the 2 rear mounting nuts/bolts. with luck, the studs will unthread from the housing allowing the diff to drop down instead of having to move forward the length of the stud and then drop down.

 

good luck.

[Gloyale]

If you want to keep the Inner cup and axle shafts for later use:

 

Remove the Diff. Once dropped, it will come off the inner stubs with one twisting, one at, a time. Don't let it drop to the floor, or you might over extend the axle. Use a jack to cradle, drop it a few inches then twist it (swivle horizontally)on the jack.

 

Cut the DOJ(inner joint)clamp and pull it back. There IS a circlip around the rim of the cup that needs removed. This is where the afore mentioned screwdriver comes in. A skinny one IMO Find one of the ball grooves with you're finger and feel for the thin round clip at the rim, inert the screwdriver under the clip at one of the groove and pry it out, carefully, going round to search for the open end before fully removing. It is skinny, and easy to bend if you just yank.

 

Now slide off the DOJ cup(outboard). There is a small circlip holding the inner CV race to the axle shaft. Remove it. Cut the clamps off the inner joint and pull the boot off. You now have just the spring clip on the end of the axleshaft holding it into the Outboard CV. All the above is basically the procedure for changing the boots.

 

 

 

So...... now it is time for a slide hammer. Attaching it to the end of the axle is the tricky part. Clamps are available, or easy to fabricate.

 

 

 

Or...... skip all the above, cut the axle shaft:zzz: , weld a hook onto into it for a slide hammer. If you wanted to preserve just the shaft, you could sacrafice the inner race, by welding a hook or clamp to it, and using the slide hammer on that.

[idosubaru]

wow, if i need a slide hammer i'm definitely just going to buy another set of axles and have the outer joints ready to install before i attempt this. for $20 each i can't go wrong anyway and i'll just keep the axles in case i ever need them (in 15 years!)

[aircraft engineer]

What am I missing here? I thought the intent was to pull the CV bearing out of the outer axle cup.

 

According to "the book", remove the boot clamps and push back the boot, fish around in the grease and as gary says, find the circlip end and pry it out. (or spray wash the thing before getting "messy")

 

The CV bearing cage and the 6 big balls come right out of the axle cup attached to the end of the axle shaft. Clean up the cup and put it back into the housing and torque down the axle nut.

 

You can pull out the diff if you want but aside from the extra weight it won't matter once the drive shaft is out.

[86BRATMAN]

What am I missing here? I thought the intent was to pull the CV bearing out of the outer axle cup.

 

According to "the book", remove the boot clamps and push back the boot, fish around in the grease and as gary says, find the circlip end and pry it out. (or spray wash the thing before getting "messy")

 

The CV bearing cage and the 6 big balls come right out of the axle cup attached to the end of the axle shaft. Clean up the cup and put it back into the housing and torque down the axle nut.

 

You can pull out the diff if you want but aside from the extra weight it won't matter once the drive shaft is out.

 

I think you are getting the procedure for the doj cup(diff end) confused with the cv(hub end) confused from your manual. Or you manual has it confused from the fsm.

 

 

Gary I've got a couple ej rears here i can pop the ends off of and send to you for the price of shipping later on in the week if you like.

[idosubaru]

Gary I've got a couple ej rears here i can pop the ends off of and send to you for the price of shipping later on in the week if you like.

oh my word that would be awesome. give me a thumbs up if you're down for this. that's a huge help, i'll just be able to drop bolt and go. you got paypal? i'll PM my mailing address.

[WoodsWagon]

From someone who has a lot of experience with broken axles:

 

Drop the diff, remove driveshalft ect. Cut clamps on both outer CV boots. Shove boots up axles toward diff. Put on safety glasses. Pick up large cold chisel, not some crappy wood chisel, a real steel busting chisel. Use dominant hand to pick up 3lb hand sledge, the short handle type. Place sharp end of chisel on the edge of the CV joint bearing cage, right above where one of the 6 balls is. Apply libral impact force. Move to the next thin spot above a ball, shatter that off. When you have enough of the race busted, you should be able to jerk the axle around and have the balls fall out. This will leave you with an empty CV cup, which is what you want, and no screwing around with the bearings.

 

If you saw/torch the axle off, the stub will flop around and cause wierd vibrations.

[idosubaru]

From someone who has a lot of experience with broken axles:

 

Drop the diff, remove driveshalft ect. Cut clamps on both outer CV boots. Shove boots up axles toward diff. Put on safety glasses. Pick up large cold chisel, not some crappy wood chisel, a real steel busting chisel. Use dominant hand to pick

WOW! awesome - this sounds like someone who's tried about 13 different tools and combinations of things lying around in the garage to do this! i can think of a few similar "learning" experiences myself!

 

bratman is supposed to be sending me some rear cups so i can just install them. this is my daily driver and would rather not risk tearing them apart and not being able to get them apart. but now i know for the next time!