CV Axle Stuck

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

I've been working on this axle for over 24 hrs. Passenger side pulled right out. Drivers side I've used PB blaster, heated it with a MAP torch for 7-10 minutes with my large gear puller on it. Beat the thing all about with a hammer to try to shock it loose. Broke my gear puller...repaired the puller and heated it again with the puller on as tight as I could go without breaking it again, heated it for 10 minutes and smacked the puller shaft with a sledge hammer.

Damn thing won't budge:mad:

Anyone got any ieads how to get this damn CV axle out?

1997 318is

Thanks, John S

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Oh man no help so I'm taking a Oxy/Act torch to it to get it real hot.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

No luck. Got it glowing bright red with a 8" puller on it and cranked it as tight as I could get it then hit it 5 times with a 8 pound hammer. No luck:mad:

I'm not going through drill bits and will drill the center out in two stages then press through the drilled holes and collapse the splines on the shaft. I'm desparate

[CirrusSR22]

I used a Craftsman steel drift and a standard hammer and got mine out no problem. But, it sounds like you are using bigger guns that I did.... Hmmmm

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Been drilling that hoe out for the past hour a little at a time. This sucks...

[wolferj-RIP]

That just sucks... By all accounts that thing should have jumped right out by now..

Damn, I wish I knew a trick to help you...

Good luck, don't stay up too late.

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Worked on it until midnight. Drilled it in three stages. I'm 1/3 through the final stage which will leave 1/4" of the solid metal before the splines. I had a co-worker show up with the torches at 6:30 and he stayed until 12 taking turns drilling. I feel like I took a tumble down a flight of strairs. Hands all sore, feet sore from standing on breaker bars, muscles sore. Ding in side of head

We broke the 8" forged puller at 9 and that's when we started drilling. Never seen anything like it:mad:

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Well I started drilling again at 8:30am.

Let me tell you how I really fell right now...Mother F'r, piece of $hit...F'en slut, b***h w***e, etc, etc. etc.:mad::mad::mad:

I've rode my bike to the hardware store twice this morning for a 5/8th bit then again for a 3/4th bit, got about 3mm to go and I'm all the way through without damaging any splines. I've got a 7/8th bit but don't think I will need it. I've had to drill this with 4 different bit sizes. I don't wish this on anyone and can't remember ever having a problem like this on any vehicle I've worked on.

Well back to drilling, then heat it up real hot and put a 3/4 rod in it and beat it hard with a #8 sledge. F**k:mad:

[roadrash]

Man, this really sucks! It's this sort of thing that keeps me from attempting a lot of stuff myself. (that and a lack of a place to do any work on the car) I just hope it's not one of those weird situations where the 2 sides aren't exactly the same, and this side has a bolt that the other didn't. :-(

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Man, this really sucks! It's this sort of thing that keeps me from attempting a lot of stuff myself. (that and a lack of a place to do any work on the car) I just hope it's not one of those weird situations where the 2 sides aren't exactly the same, and this side has a bolt that the other didn't. :-(

Thanks you made me think. I check the Bently again and nothing is holding this in but corrosion. I think I'm about there. I'm all done drilling and need to wait for my Bud with the Oxy/Act torch to show back up and it's hammer time. If the hub is messed up I will be pissed.

I still have to put in the LSD and ZF trans..Been working on this since Thursday afternoon:mad:

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

It's out...Hub is perfect:biggrin:

[tiFreak]

nice, feels like a huge weight off your back I imagine ;) I've had to deal with stuff like that where I work, especially living in Vermont, where any car over 5-years old is coated with rust on the bottom :mad:

[wolferj-RIP]

Congrats on getting that CV out... Persistance and persperation!

That tranny and diff swap should seem like a cake walk after that!

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

Congrats on getting that CV out... Persistance and persperation!

That tranny and diff swap should seem like a cake walk after that!

After I got all the Loc-tite out of the hub:mad:. It took me 30 minutes to remove the differential, install both new axles and install the LSD unit and tork everything back together.

All I have left is the transmission which has been out of the car 3 times in 2 months so no surprises expected. Starting in the morning

[szed]

Geez quite the struggle you had there. I have a trashed trailing arm that I had a hard time separating the half shaft from.

After getting advice from the techs at work, I bought a 32oz ballpeen hammer, put the ball end against the halfshaft with the axle nut on but not tightened (keeps the threaded end of the half shaft from mushrooming) and kept banging the **** out of my 5lbs sledge against the ballpeen. Worked like a charm! :biggrin: No heat needed although I did have a MAPP torch just in case.