Axle removed, now what?

Are you asking about removing the joints from the axle? Hold the axle shaft securely in a vice, near the middle of the shaft. Padded jaws would be good. Then using a large aluminum or brass punch, tap the center part of the joint down off the shaft. Some are on much tighter than others. When it comes off, try not to let it fly off onto the floor. Mark everything so that it goes back together the same way. When reassembling, don't forget to slide the boot on first.

 

Dirk, are you talking about removing the CV joint from the shaft? If so, it's held on with a C-clip on my 348. Remove the C-clip and it will slide right off. Clean the grease off if the clip is hard to find.
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Sometimes they can be a little stubborn even after the clip is off.

 

Sounds like a job for a sliding hammer?

 

Make some aluminum vise jaws from a piece of aluminum angle as you will need it secure without damaging the axle shaft.

I've had to heat up the knuckle on a few over the years but not many.

Be sure to use a good solid piece of brass or aluminum and hit it with the hammer to the knuckle...don't hit the cv with the hammer!

Also you could go ahead and disassemble the balls and the housing of the cv and its a lot easier to get at the knuckle.

 

Sorry - missed in your original post that you had removed the clips. I'd just try some penetrant on the splines, let it sit, and keep tapping to try to work it loose. Repeat the penetrant a couple times, and keep tapping, and see if you can avoid using the "big iron". Good luck!

 

Quick related side note on this CV thread - when attempting to remove nuts, such as stubborn CV nuts, be sure to use a 6-point socket rather than a 12-point socket. A 6-point socket will apply a much greater force on a nut before rounding off the corners than will a 12-point socket. If a nut has locktite blue or red on it, for example, don't even think about trying to use a 12-point socket.

Your tool chest should include both 6-point and 12-point sockets and 6-point and 12-point wrenches. Obviously, the 12-point is easier to use in a small space where it's difficult to get much span of movement. If you're really going for a full complement of tools then have both 6-point and 12-point wrenches in standard length and stubby length...

 

This is totally normal. You wouldn't want a CV joint to be so loose that the c-clip is all that is holding it on. There is an interference fit on the splines. All you need is a puller that has two or three jaws that will grab the back of the CV joint while the bolt in the center is sitting in the dimple on the shaft. A gear puller will do the job just fine. Just draw up on the bolt and you will see the joint slide off the axle shaft. Hammering is the wrong way to do this. If you mushroom the axel shaft you will have a much harder time getting it off and the c-clip may not go back on correctly. Good luck.

 

What he said(my Ferrari Mechanic Buddy). I got a set of 3 pullers from Harbor Freight for $19.00. The CV Joint came off using the 3 eared puller. One was a bit of a pain, but popped after some effort. I put some antisieze on the threads when I put the CV joints back on the axels.

FYI, Again as I stated in an earlier thread on this subject when you put on the new boots on just take care to not crimp the clamps where the bolts slide through the holes to secure the half shafts to the diff and hub. Make sure they are in the middle of the space between the holes.

 

I recently completed this job and tried the Harbor Freight gear puller route without success. I ended up using my hydraulic press to get them off.

 

Wow. How did the splines look when you got them off? much rust?

 

Splines looked great. Not a hint of corrosion/rust.

 

CV rebuilding shops use a special jig for the press being used that allows the CV to be pressed off the splines using the shoulder of the inside race rather than the outer race. This is a better way to get the CV off than pulling on the shoulder of the outer race with a puller, but understandably not everyone has a press with a special jig. We have one of the largest CV rebuilding shops in the world in my home town and they're good guys, happy to show off all the steps in the process and do custom work for high hp/tq applications.

 

This is basically how I did it as well, however I skipped the jig part. I first removed the inside flange off of the CV joint. This then allowed me to remove the balls, outer race, and cage leaving the inner race on the splines of the half shaft. After removing the C-clip, I pressed the half shaft out using the shoulder of the inside race. Sorry, I didn't take any pictures as it was a greasy mess and I had strict instructions from the wife not to mess up the digital camera.

 

Cliff:

Do you have a name & address or an Internet Link for the company?

Thanks,

Scott