I've been trying to pull out my axles but I'm not having much luck. I've got the tranny and engine out and all the bolts that go to the remaining CV joint ( outter one's). I've tried pulling on the join with no progress.

Is there something else I need to remove first?

Pull harder?

take the rear wheels off?

Any words of wisdom will help greatly!

i think there's a nut on the outside of the wheel, held on by cotter pin or some such thing, that needs to be removed first. (i'm sure somebody here knows the terminology )

Yeah the stub axle can be removed from the rear hub. Making it easier to separate the outer cv from it (on the bench vs under the car). Yes there is a cotter pin (should be), and a big nut. It should then slide out, if not "tap" on it with a brass hammer or brass drift. You dont want to mess the threaded part up.

There are two role pins besides the four bolts, you just need to convince it

to come out. Rock it back and forth it will come out.

So,is it imperitive that the axel nut and the cotter pin be removed to get the CV off, or do I just need to convince the roll pin to loosen their grip?

If I take the stub axle out willI be able to easily ( EASILY!!!) get it back in?

What sized nut is on the outer axle? Is it the same as my '74 VW bus? I have a HUGE wrench that I use to get that off. It's like 4 feet long!

No you don't need to pull out the stub to get the CV loose. For some reason I

want to say 27mm but don't quote me. unless you need to R&R your Rear

wheel bearings I would not pull the stub axles.

30mm, IIRC. Bus is 46mm. Remember, DO NOT move the car with the wheels on the ground and the stub axles removed! Ever! The Cap'n

Cap'n - ya didn't say Y you shouldn't move the car with the wheels on the ground and the stub axles removed! I haven't attempted this - but it's just a matter of time.
???

Let's see...

I removed the outer CV first by removing 4 bolts, then pulling on the halfshaft umpteen different ways ramping up from gently to violent. Then came hammering on it for 20 minutes. Then came five minutes of prying with a crowbar. Then I went ballistic and cut the bearing housing OFF of the control arm with an angle grinder. Then, all it took was a light tap from a hammer to separate the CV from the stub axle.

Good thing I had a spare control arm.

<<Then, all it took was a light tap from a hammer to separate the CV from the stub axle.>>

Ok... so, where did you tap? please be specific.

Take a look at the inner CV see how its made, how it attaches and thats what you

are dealing with on the outer CV. Take a measurement from the outer to the inner

surface now do tne same on the other CV that will tell you where the seam is.

The CV sets in aways in the trailing arm you can use an extention and tap(not

bash) the CV from different directions until it relents. Remember the CV's are

NLA so if they are good be nice.

Ok, this seems more clear now. I'm to tap on THE SIDE of the CV to looesen the grip of the roll pins. I'll get these sukkas off tonight!

thanks for everyones help on this stuff!

Yeah, and he didn't tell me not to do it. So I did. After removing the axles (stub and all) I lowered the car to the ground. Tried rolling it backwards. Wheels flopped around enough that the rotors would rub the brake pads and make the brakes engage. When I jacked the car up again, I could just grab a wheel and flop it around as if the lug bolts were all backed off 1/2" or so. That is not a good thing. My guess is that the bearing consists of an outer and inner race, and the only thing holding them snug against the balls is the tension in the stub axle/nut.


bottomend, as long as you don't make the same mistake I did then removing the stub axle might be worth it. Find the right sized socket (you can come real close using SAE sizes, if neccesary), use a 1/2" breaker bar and a piece of pipe as a cheater, and stand/jump on it if neccesary. Once the castellated nut is off, the axles slip out of the hub. The advantage is that now you can put the CV/axle up on on a workbench AND you can use a fine edged screwdriver to gently pry the CV apart from the stub axle. I'm betting that once you get the tiniest amount of motion, it will come right apart. Also, you'll have a much easier time cleaning it and reassembling w/o getting any crud in.

Good luck

Well, I tried to get the sukka apart today to no avail...

There is absolutly zero room to "tap" anything on the side of the CV while it's still in the arm that support it. I'm gonna try to get the big nut off tommorow and pull the thing with the stub axle.

Is the big nut a reverse thread? or normal?

Also, can we all come to a agreement as to the EXACT size of the wheel nut? I'm gonna need ot go buy one before i start this operation and I dont want to keep wasting trips to the store buying huge wrenches I'll never use again!

Thanks!

30mm - get a deep 6point socket if you can. Use a breaker bar with a pie extension over it. The torque value is quite high.

You may also have to use some sort of metal rod, etc. to hold the rear assembly from turning - I made an angle iron piece about 3 feet long to hold the assembly in place.

Once you've pulled the stub axle out, you'll never want to remove the CV any other way. It's much easier to work on them on the workbench rather than under the car.

Consider getting Dr. Evil's drilled CV bolts while you're at it!

I'm going in for the kill tommorow!

I found that a 6" ( I guess a longer one would work too) ratchet extension works great as a way to prevent the wheel from turning. i can put it into one of the lug nut holes and it presses up againts the brake mount nicely.

Be careful, you will use enough force on the cheater bar/breaker bar to really "break" things. My method usually involves my wife in the car with her foot hard on the brake.

hummmm. The brakes are all unhooked. Now what do I do!? It seems like the mount for the caliper should be able to with stand the 250 FT/LBS it should take to break the nut loose,right? I'm not accounting for the rust on the nut though... theres a lot!!! uh, ohhhh.....

Just proceed with caution. With the engine out you will be using enough leverage to lift the car off jack stands. A long piece of angle iron with holes to allow bolting to the hub will hold it. You may also need to apply heat to the nut.