Axel shaft removal

[John Larson]

On 11:59 AM, Al wrote:
> This is to reply to all who helped me into the world of changing 
> axles. I lined up all the necessary tools, reread your emails until I 
> was doing it in my sleep. I had to wait about 3 weeks before the 
> rebuilt CV driveshaft arrived on island.
>
> This was going to e a two part project. 1. The front passenger axle 
> and replace a badly leaking gasket on the oil pan.
> I built a support for the engine per Huws suggestion, a 2x4, a ring 
> bolt, “S” hook and a few fender washers to spread the load. I cut the 
> 2x4 to span the distance from fender to fender, leaving enough 
> overhang to fit a small notched 2x4 to rest on the inside lip of the 
> fender. Having notched both the long 2x4 and the ends it placed the 
> 2x4 a little higher, so it didn’t touch the fender.
>
> Well everything went well, the axle stub partially fell out of the 
> hub. I dropped both control arms, one so I could move the hub around 
> and also to remove the sub frame. By doing that, I had lots of room to 
> move the axle hub out to the side. The inner flange was presoaked with 
> PB blaster so I used an eighteen inch 3/8” shaft to reach the 12 point 
> bolts. I cleaned them out as best I could and proceeded to insert the 
> appropriate socket. Once I had it in, I adjusted the depth by a few 
> medium taps to drive it to the bottom. I then attached my 1/2” impact 
> driver and reversed the bolt out. Not one problem.
>
> I finished the axle late yesterday, sore and beat up. I did the oil 
> pan this AM, it really helped having the sub frame out of there. 
> (Still have some leaks.)
>
> Again Mahalo, and my ‘90 80 thanks you.
>
> Al
> Honolulu
>
> PS. I must have received a bad CV driveshaft. I ran it for about 5 
> miles doing small shopping trips yesterday 2/7/12. Today I was taking 
> the wife to dialysis and it sounded like big marbles rolling around or 
> like a lose nut rolling around in a hub cap. The only difference I 
> could see between my old axle and this new one, was the balls looked a 
> lot bigger on the inner joint of the new axle. Other than that, they 
> appeared to be the same.
>
> So I may need to reorder from the mainland, again. No stock on this 
> island.
>
> More later.
>
>
>
.................snip.......................

Have you considered a new aftermarket drive axle? It may surprise you 
how inexpensive they can be. While I prefer new CV joints for 
performance cars, I sell a lot of the cheap ones to people with "mobile 
appliances" such as most Japanese cars, and to German car owners who 
can't or don't want to foot the bill for the "real deal". I could 
probably help you with finding a new axle, but I need to know the 
specific application (Q, non-Q, stick, auto, front, rear, left or right 
side). BTW, an auto parts store is the LAST place I'd look for 
remanufactured auto part.

John