What to do when you can't remove your CV Axle

[Movin]

I tried to pry it, but went to the FF.com knowledge base. Apply some pressure with a large screwdriver and tap gently and continuously like a woodpecker (probably about ten to twenty times) with a small hammer on the inner CV housing. It will pop out like butter, with hardly any effort. I was amazed. You will be too. Brute force, multiple prybars and slide hammers are totally unecessary.

Different problem, your snap ring was in the groove where it is supposed
to be. Some 2nd time replaced shafts will displace a snap ring. The snap ring
will have to be sheared by the side gear splines before the axle shaft can
be removed. The proper method ( your suggestion ) will be exhausted
without result before recognizing the snap ring has got you ! At this point
You use the brute force methods needed to shear the snap ring.

Good point though, no need to bring the big guns unless needed!

[neanderpaul]

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38281&highlight=axle

[GenevaDirt]

Different problem, your snap ring was in the groove where it is supposed
to be. Some 2nd time replaced shafts will displace a snap ring. The snap ring
will have to be sheared by the side gear splines before the axle shaft can
be removed. The proper method ( your suggestion ) will be exhausted
without result before recognizing the snap ring has got you ! At this point
You use the brute force methods needed to shear the snap ring.

Good point though, no need to bring the big guns unless needed!

I don't think it is a matter of the snap ring ending up in the wrong spot...just having it not compress to let the axle pop out. By applying the pressure and then using the hammer I think it helps it squeeze the ring back together as it works its way out with each hit of the hammer. JMO

[Movin]

Thats what we hope for, but like bolts breaking off coming apart, it
don't always work thataway! When the snap ring comes out all cut up
and half out over the end of the shaft you know you been had. Once the ring
starts out of the groove it is not coming back..This is when you have to up the
ante to get the job done or abort like the OP did.

I wish we could do something a certain way to make things always work
like they are supposed to but try as we might its never this way!!

Life is all about rolling with with the punches and coming up with a winner!
And having fun doing it!

[Rectilinear]

What's the story on only taking one axle out at a time? My passenger side axle decided it didn't want to come out last night but I already have the driver side out. Do I need to pop the driver side back in before I take the passenger side out? Pretty sure I need a seal on the passenger side and pretty sure I will need a new clip as it has moved out a bit but not enough to release.
Why did they make these so difficult?

[DON SVO]

What's the story on only taking one axle out at a time? My passenger side axle decided it didn't want to come out last night but I already have the driver side out. Do I need to pop the driver side back in before I take the passenger side out? Pretty sure I need a seal on the passenger side and pretty sure I will need a new clip as it has moved out a bit but not enough to release.
Why did they make these so difficult?

Go thru the housing with a big screwdriver and bang it that way if the gentle pressure/CV joint slide hammer doesn't work!

[sc72]

What's the story on only taking one axle out at a time? My passenger side axle decided it didn't want to come out last night but I already have the driver side out. Do I need to pop the driver side back in before I take the passenger side out? Pretty sure I need a seal on the passenger side and pretty sure I will need a new clip as it has moved out a bit but not enough to release.
Why did they make these so difficult?

As Rocket said in post #5 of this post, you can loose the spider gears, they will fall to the bottom of the case if not held in place, the spiders do not always fall but if they do, it's not much fun. cut the cvj end from a junk axle, remove c-clip, re-install into trans, this will hold the spiders in place as the trans is moved or bounced around. Good Luck

[htchbck]

^^ 3/4" PVC is also a good alternative to taking apart an old axle (especially if you need the old axle to get back the core charge on a reman!)

[hot4dl8ly]

There is another tool I have had some luck with. It is a slide hammer adapter, slides between the cv joint and the trans (C-shaped) and a threaded extension to give you roon to work the slide hammer.

[denguy]

The spider gears won't fall out of place unless you rotate the innards of the trans for some reason. If you do, down they go along with that cupped washer- spacer thing. By the way, what can happen if you put the shafts back into the trans with the snap rings?

[sc72]

Well if the Axle came out easy thats great, but if it came out hard, not having the ring might make things more easy.

[denguy]

Yeah, but why are they in there in the first place? I'm asking because I went to a shop and had them install my new shafts. Just recently, while I was installing some newer front spindle knuckles, I noticed the shafts would just slide out of the trans indicating to me that there weren't any clips on them. I wired them in place temporarily to avoid any chance of a dropped spider gear. Or did I just answer my own question or is there some other reason for the clips being there?
Don't ya ever wonder about stuff like that?

[htchbck]

Maybe get a new shop... Also, the trans should have been leaking fluid. The clips have nothing to do with the spider gears, they have everything to do with making sure the axles stay in the trans. Thats why you have to whack it with a hammer to get them out

[gauge_half_inch]

+1 on getting a new shop. A rookie tech should have realize when the axle just slid right into the trans with out a little pop to snap the ring back in, that something was wrong. Did they refill your fluid afterward? If the axle isn't fully reseated into the gears it will leak fluid if its at proper level.

[jawbraeka]

Did my CV (passenger side, australian model, Left-hand side of car) with my tyre iron and a rod, between the engine and CV joint, popped really easy and guess what "I STRUCK GOLD, BLACK GOLD"... BTW, my car is an autralian Ford Festiva 1991 WA model 5 door... i thought someone would have mentioned oil would have come out of the motor... lol.

Anyways, the benefits of me doing this were, the engine is quieter due to the new oil, the car acts like it has just been aligned and the ride hasn't been smoother. i'm thinking i'll do the other one for laughs when it packs it in.

My main question is really since were on the subject of CV's:- was oil coming out of the motor an OK thing or was that bad? and sorry to the OP for slightly hi-jacking this post.