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I figure this little bit of information may help many a Festiva owner in the future. So here it goes.
I decided to change axles, wheel bearings, and rotors this past week. I had an odd vibration, and wanted to clear the slate. The car had needed axles since I purchased it in January, so fresh axles, rotors, and wheel bearings were to go on. I pulled the spindles off to get the bearings pressed out and back in. Came back home, and just could NOT get the *stupid* axles out!!!
I must have spent over an hour, prying with a screwdriver and various other tools, trying one side, then the other, getting no where. I ended up breaking three different Harbor Freight tools (That doesn't take much). I came inside and started browsing the forum. I saw how Conor got his axles out. In the thread that was suggested, I read up on how a floor jack was used to tug on it, and I came up with a solution.
I tried the "On-The-Fly Hub Separator" technique earlier (it works wonderfully!), so I had these three chains of a foot each. I took one, and wrapped it around the axle, right where the axle nut is. I bolted the other end of the chain to a scooter handlebar and gave it a light tug. Nothing happened, so the second tug was slightly harder, and the axle just popped out!
Now, I was in shock. I couldn't believe that it only took all of seven seconds to pull it out! Worried that it might have been a once in a lifetime axle removal, I walked over to the passenger side. Slid the chain over the axle, put the nut on, and gave it a light tug. It just popped out on the first try!!!
I decided to change axles, wheel bearings, and rotors this past week. I had an odd vibration, and wanted to clear the slate. The car had needed axles since I purchased it in January, so fresh axles, rotors, and wheel bearings were to go on. I pulled the spindles off to get the bearings pressed out and back in. Came back home, and just could NOT get the *stupid* axles out!!!
I must have spent over an hour, prying with a screwdriver and various other tools, trying one side, then the other, getting no where. I ended up breaking three different Harbor Freight tools (That doesn't take much). I came inside and started browsing the forum. I saw how Conor got his axles out. In the thread that was suggested, I read up on how a floor jack was used to tug on it, and I came up with a solution.
I tried the "On-The-Fly Hub Separator" technique earlier (it works wonderfully!), so I had these three chains of a foot each. I took one, and wrapped it around the axle, right where the axle nut is. I bolted the other end of the chain to a scooter handlebar and gave it a light tug. Nothing happened, so the second tug was slightly harder, and the axle just popped out!
Now, I was in shock. I couldn't believe that it only took all of seven seconds to pull it out! Worried that it might have been a once in a lifetime axle removal, I walked over to the passenger side. Slid the chain over the axle, put the nut on, and gave it a light tug. It just popped out on the first try!!!
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