help: PS halfshaft removal on '87 QSW

[Ken Keith]

I forget where I got mine, Sears may have them. Try an import parts 
place.  Just be sure not to get a torx one.

For my '88 5kcstq, I recently had to buy a 8mm allen driver socket from 
Sears.  I had to get a 6mm one as well for the rear driveshaft.  

The way I did my car was to break the (32mm on my 5kcstq, smaller on 
a Coupe GT and such) axle nuts loose first, while the car is on the 
ground.  I undid the middle allen bolts by bolting a wrench to the hubs 
using the lug bolts, and spinning them around until the wrench got 
stopped by the brake caliper.  Had to put the wrench on each of the lug 
bolts to get the right angle to remove all the allen bolts.  Did something 
similar with the rear driveshaft, using the e-brake instead of the bolt 
method.

Do the ball joints last, if you have to undo them at all.  I seem to 
remember being able to pull the driveshafts without undoing the strut 
housing at all on my Coupe GT, but I could be wrong.

Be sure not to put too much stress on the wheel bearings after you 
break the axle nuts off, they require that the nuts be tight so that they 
don't get damaged.  I'm not sure if you have to roll the car around to 
destroy them, or just having it sit there like that might be enough.

That said, I'm not sure if I on my car I have to undo the strut housing to 
pull the front axles off, or if I should turn the steering wheel, or what.  I've 
got most of the stuff removed to drop the tranny on my '88 5kcstq.  I'm 
doing the clutch and steering rack, and I still have to remove at least the 
following items:  starter, downpipe from turbo, slave cylinder, shifter 
linkage

Everything else I've removed, as far as I know.  What a project.  So 
many little steps and stuff to remove, and just about every one of them 
is a total challenge.

I'm going to be pulling the rack from my donor car, so I guess I have to 
go through almost all this stuff over again on that car after I get the 
tranny dropped out of this one.  Patience and persistence has helped so 
far, but it's a big undertaking.

Good luck,

Ken

Audimobiles at aol.com wrote:
> 
> first off, by browsing through the
> archives I now realize that I need an 8mm 12 point nut removal tool to
> remove the inner cv joint - where can I get this tool? Sears or maybe Napa?
>        Second, what's the best way of removing the halfshaft? Undo the ball
> joint nuts, axle nut then the inner cv nuts then pull? Its a nice
> afternoon, so I'd like to get started soon. Thanks in advance for the
> advice.        Dave Farrer
>        '90 V8Q
>        '87 QSW