Stuck stub axle - advice needed!

[sdutton007]

My driver's side stub axle refuses to come out even after using half a can of WD-40 and going at it with a lump hammer for ages. It won't even pry out from behind either.

Any useful advice?

 

[sdutton007]

Forgot to mention - one of my friends mentioned a tool he saw at Halfords that screws onto the wheel-studs and pushes it out. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember what it was called and I can't find it anywhere on the Halfords site.

Alternatively, would one of those freeze/shock sprays be worth a try?

 

[sdutton007]

Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness lol

Just been having a good look through Amazon and found a couple of possibilities:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-13916-100-115-Universal-Puller/dp/B0001K9PL4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top - £8.66 but some reviews say it snaps on the first use
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clarke-CHT240-Universal-Puller-Tool/dp/B005UVO01Y/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t - £25.95. Much more expensive but seems to be a much better tool...

I'm bored of talking to myself now, so feel free to join in

 

[Jay]

Drive shaft stuck in the front hub mate?

Been there before to the point where I just replaced the driveshaft and hub complete lol.

Haven't used either of those tools but if you have a local motorfactor they might be able to show you both types before you make up your mind. At least if it fails you can go back to them and complain. Come to think of it they might have something a bit more industrial that would suit better.

Let us know how you get on. I've got a few shaft/hub door stops in storage that could do with a separation period!

Jay

 

[Tercel]

The axle nut is off right?

 

[sdutton007]

Drive shaft stuck in the front hub mate?

Been there before to the point where I just replaced the driveshaft and hub complete lol.

Haven't used either of those tools but if you have a local motorfactor they might be able to show you both types before you make up your mind. At least if it fails you can go back to them and complain. Come to think of it they might have something a bit more industrial that would suit better.

Let us know how you get on. I've got a few shaft/hub door stops in storage that could do with a separation period!

Jay

Yep, exactly. I had the same problem on the last EP82 I scrapped and to make it even worse, the bolt and 2 nuts that hold it onto the wishbone were seized as well so I couldn't even get the hub off.

TBH, I think I'm going to buy that £25 clarke tool - will let you know if it works!

The axle nut is off right?

Yep. I'm not *quite* that daft lol

 

[Phil]

jay we should get a sledge hammer at those door stops!

Phil

 

[weeJohn]

Shock sprays can work sometimes but I think the shaft is just to big a lump of metal to shrink down with a spray. If you have been at it with "special tool number 1" its possible the bearing is going to be on its way out after the impacts, so the hub may not be much use after. But, if you take the hub off and get it sitting on something solid with the shaft pointing down, a bit of WD and a good hammer may get the shaft out so it can be saved.

 

[sdutton007]

Update

The Clarke Hub Puller tool I purchased arrived today. It is quite a heavy tool that looks like it is of reasonable quality.

I tested it and it sheared in half as soon as I applied a bit of force to it. Not impressed at all... :'(

 

[weeJohn]

And that was supposed to be the good one! Bad feedback going on there I would say. Sounds like it has to be a hub off and a large hydraulic press to push the shaft out, maybe a bit of heat as well to break to seal. You could try a set of bearing pullers, with a heavy home made plate for them to gran onto, but it would be in the same territory as the Clark let down. Only other home made option I can think of is a bottle jack with a bracket to jam the back of it attached to the hub, but for the amount of pressure this sounds like its needing, it could damage a stud or more.

 

[dac69er]

The Clarke Hub Puller tool I purchased arrived today. It is quite a heavy tool that looks like it is of reasonable quality.

I tested it and it sheared in half as soon as I applied a bit of force to it. Not impressed at all... :'(

bit of a trek for you. but i have a hydraulic press at work. can get it out for you for nothing if you want to travel into the baron wastes of suffolk

 

[sdutton007]

And that was supposed to be the good one! Bad feedback going on there I would say. Sounds like it has to be a hub off and a large hydraulic press to push the shaft out, maybe a bit of heat as well to break to seal. You could try a set of bearing pullers, with a heavy home made plate for them to gran onto, but it would be in the same territory as the Clark let down. Only other home made option I can think of is a bottle jack with a bracket to jam the back of it attached to the hub, but for the amount of pressure this sounds like its needing, it could damage a stud or more.

Yep, but the Amazon marketplace seller was very good. They told me to bin it and processed the refund

bit of a trek for you. but i have a hydraulic press at work. can get it out for you for nothing if you want to travel into the baron wastes of suffolk

Thanks for the offer. I've FINALLY managed to get it out although it is now destroyed oops lol...

I took the hub off and held it in a workbench with the driveshaft hanging down and the CV gaitor off, soaked the top of the stub axle in Acetone, set fire to it for 10 minutes and then kept hitting it with my lump hammer for a while. The driveshaft fell out of the stub axle fairly quickly then the stub axle finally decided to move (although the top was so mangled I had to hacksaw it off)

Result: 1 destroyed stub axle & 1 hub with loads of play. Dammit....

 

[sdutton007]

New problem

Now that's done, it's caused a new problem...

Since the car has ABS, the drive-shaft & hub are different. Since I have no ABS shafts or hubs, I've put a non-ABS shaft and hub on it for now.

Am I safe to assume this will be fine but will bring up an ABS warning light ?

Cheers

 

[dac69er]

Now that's done, it's caused a new problem...

Since the car has ABS, the drive-shaft & hub are different. Since I have no ABS shafts or hubs, I've put a non-ABS shaft and hub on it for now.

Am I safe to assume this will be fine but will bring up an ABS warning light ?

Cheers

i would remove the ABS fuse just to be sure. in theory it should be fine.

 

[Jay]

soaked the top of the stub axle in Acetone, set fire to it for 10 minutes

I like your style!

 

[weeJohn]

The toothed ring from the ABS shaft will pop off and can be refitted to your non ABS shaft, but you will need an ABS hub to have a sensor fitting position.

 

[sdutton007]