Rear axle shaft removal - one out, one won't budge - Help!
 

So I've got my E-locker junker axle that I'm painting up and putting new seals in. One axle shaft slid out nicely, but the other side has been pulled, pounded, and pryed and will NOT come out. Any help or experience here? I'm stumped.... :bang:

sounds like the axle tube is possibly bent?

other than that, try a BIG slide hammer attached to the end of the axle.

Since its a semi-floating design, pounding on the backing plate really doesn't do much except bend it all to heck if the bearing is tight in there.

I'm with DeathCougar, a slide hammer is your safest bet. If you don't have one now's the time to buy one. Harbor Freight has one for $16.99

What exactly would that slide hammer do? I put a 2x4 across the metal piece and pounded like crazy, still nothing. Looking at the side I have out and down the tube, I don't understand what could even be holding it in.

it does this
http://www.timgilles.com/photogaller...meronrear2.jpg
notice this pic is of a fwd car. same principle though....

you have to disconnect 6 things...

4 14mm nuts
1 brake line (10mm)
1 E-brake cable

Loosen the third to get some play in that axis too.

If the axle is that tweaked to hold a shaft, I am impressed it doesn't look worse to the eye.

Not sure how much you are saving/swapping, but a 2x4 against the backing plate, a large hammer and potentially larger friends, just let it rip.

Have you removed the four bolts that hold it to the tube? Beat on those too if the 2x4 trick doesn't work.

I beat on those 4 bolts to the point they popped inside the drum break. Should I loosen 3rd to try and get it out, and then completely remove the 3rd for easier cleaning/Por15 and change the seal? Based on the rusty brakes and chopped ABS sensor wiring, it's looking like I'm going to have to either steal parts from my existing non locker 4:10 axle (prefer to keep it together for resale) or buy some complete axle shafts from a junk yard.

You cannot remove the third until you've removed the shaft.

Loosening the third should help loosen the shaft inside the third, and help with removal.

a big hammer and some wood should do the rest.

Loosening the diff did it. Now that it's all apart, I'm amazing what a piece of rusty crap I have on my hands. Can those metal backings on the drums be replaced? How about the studs that hold the diff to the housing? Now that I have it all ripped to crap I might as well replace everything I can. Thanks for the help getting the shafts out... this is going to be another project that is way harder than it should be!

If loosening the diff did it, your axle tube is bent. I would take it to a shop and have it checked out. Also, check the side gears where the axles go it...when the axle tube is bent enough to hold the axles in, it often ruins the side gears.

It may not look bent to the naked eye, but the tolerances on these axles are so tight, even 1/4" could screw the pooch

I always clean everything with the wire wheel on the bench grinder. If it is too pitted, i'll replace.

You can replace the studs without any problem.

I don't know about the other thing.

So you think the housing is bent or the shaft on that side? How would one go about checking these tolerances?

I think the housing is bent. Usually the axle doesn't bend, it just breaks in half.

Take it to a frame shop and have them check the tolerances.

btw the tube being bent completely explains why loosening the diff allowed the axle to slide out.

Thanks for the help, I found a new assembly that is hopefully as straight as an arrow!