advice in breaking apart the front outer CV joint

[alancordeiro at att.net]

I have spent close to an hour and a half trying to break open the front outer CV joint 
so I can replace the rubber boot. Of all the boots, the two front outer seem closest to failure.

The old I have spread the  circlip as far as it goes, but the joint will not off in spite of reasonably hard
whacks with both a rubber mallet, even a good old fashioned steel head hammer.

I tried inserting in the big 16mm bolt, it appeared to press on the outside of the "inner" shaft,
but tightening it while spreading the circlip, and even with a few friendly whacks will not 
break open the joint.

Any BTDT? I have two joints off, ready to replace the boots, but ay just call it quits and
put them both back and get in a used one to practice on while the car runs on old boots.

While I wait for advice...... doe anyone in the Detroit metro area have a good/bad used front CV shaft
lying around?

Alan