GrayES300

Hi all,

Any tips for removing the passenger side axle? Mine appears to be frozen in the axle bearing. I cannot get the clip to come out either. I'm using long needle nose pliers. The bottom of the clip will compress, but the top will not move. I tried hitting around the bearing to try to loosen the clip, but that didn't do much. I'm thinking of removing the motor mount the bearing goes in, but I'm worried about breaking one of the bolts going into the engine.

Am I missing any tricks?

LeX2K

I've been in your situation, although I was able to remove the retaining clip, but no way in hell the bearing was coming out. I took an angle grinder and cut the shaft between the carrier bearing and the transmission, then removed the engine mount. An alternative is to use heat to free up the rusted clip and bearing, but I don't have an oxy/acetylene kit, my propane torch does not produce enough heat to do anything.

You could also try soaking the bearing with PB Blaster, hit it several times in the space of an hour, then let it sit overnight. I have my doubts that will work but if it does it will save you a lot of hassle.

GrayES300

Glad I'm not alone in this! I've been soaking with PB but no help there. I also do not have a hot enough torch. Luckily, I am in the middle of replacing my transmission and actually have it out of the car so I can hit the axle from the trans end. I tried to ignore it and get the new trans on, but I can't get the angle right and the shaft gets stuck 1/2 way into the trans.

I need to get the clip out. Next I might try getting the "loose" side to come forward and pry around it with a screwdriver and try to get it to pop, but I'm afraid of breaking it and getting stuck on the axle. Maybe I will have to remove the mount and cross my fingers that I do not break any more bolts!

BigDaddy59

first make sure to remove the lock bolt at the bottom of the housing. remove the passenger side wheel/tire and the plastic splash panel. remove the cotter pin and locking cap from the axle bolt in the hub. remove the 3 bolts/nut from the bottom of the ball joint and push the end of the axle out of the hub. remove the six 8mm cap bolts from the axle that hold the two halves together. if you don't have an impact gun you can put the end of the axle back in the hub and have a helper hold down the brake pedal to keep the axle from moving while you loosen the bolts. you should now be able to get to the snap ring with a pair of channellock pliers. now here's the real trick- the bearing is most likely seized in the housing by corrosion. To get it out you need a plate of steel about 4x6" 1/4" thick, a 2 ft length of allthread 1/2" a couple nuts and washers and about a 5lb barbell plate. drill 5 holes in the plate -1 in the center and the other 4 spaced so you can bolt the plate to the end of the axle. use the nuts and washers to attach the allthread to the plate, bolt it to the end of the axle and then slide the barbell plate onto the allthread. add a couple nuts and washers at the other end to make a stop for the barbell weight. you've just made a slide hammer. slam the weight against the stop about 5/6 times and that axle will pop right out.

LeX2K

Seeing the tranny is out of the car, that will make things a whole lot easier. I would hit the clip with a propane torch, that should help free it up. But yes remove the bolt at the bottom and there is also a little rubber plug in there, get that out if you can or torching the housing will destroy the rubber. If the clip does break, then you will just have to end up replacing it.

BTW I tried getting inventive to get the bearing out while still in the car but I never had any luck. After I removed the mount I smashed the end of the axle (tranny side) onto a concrete block that pushed the bearing out fairly quickly. But the amount of force required was tremendous there is no way I could apply that amount of energy while under the car.

GrayES300

That's an interesting idea. Wouldn't the boot break though? I would like to reuse the axle if possible.

LeX2K

If you want to re-use the axle then 100% remove the mount, how else can you put the axle into the new transmission otherwise? I personally think you should put in a new axle, it is much easier to do it now then when everything is back together, you'll be hating yourself if the axle goes bad a year later.

GrayES300

Hmmm...since I have the front brace off, I'm wondering if I can remove the mount, put the new trans in and then put the axle in the trans and rebolt to engine. Do you think there would be room for that? Then again, if it worked, in a couple of weeks my axle will need replacing with my luck!

GrayES300

Very true and then I won't have to worry about wrecking the end of the axle with the hammer. I think a new one at Autozone is like $60

LeX2K

In theory that should work but I've never tried doing that way. I can see it being tricky but possible, I would be worried about damaging the tranny seal though.

BigDaddy59

No, you will have already separated the half with the boot from the axle. you should have only the portion that goes from the mount into the transmission. I know I should have taken a bunch of pictures the last time I did this, after seeing that video on youtube where the guy cut the axle in half to get it out. That method destroys your core and of course you can't reuse your existing axle.

LeX2K

On the generation 3 ES, the axle is one piece, it does not have the convenience of removing the hex bolts and splitting the axle into two pieces.

GrayES300

True. I'm afraid that I damaged it already while trying to feed the axle into the trans when I went to mount it to the engine. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is not an issue.

BigDaddy59

Hmm too bad then, ours is a 2ES. thought that the third gen would be similar.

GrayES300

Well I was able to get the retaining clip out. I got it started on the side that was free and used two screwdrivers to work it loose until it got stuck at the bottom. Tapped the screwdriver a couple of times with a hammer and it popped out of the groove. Gave it some tugs, but it is definitely frozen in the bearing.

Next I tried to hit the axle end that goes into the trans with a rubber mallet to try to free it. No luck. Next tried a wood block with a claw hammer. Still not budging. Been spraying it with PB Blaster all around the bearing and in the hole the retaining bolt goes.

Failing that I turned my attention to trying to remove the mount. I tried an upper bolt with a breaker bar and 14mm socket. Loosened fairly easily. Went down to the lower bolt. Can't get a socket on it because the end of the axle that bulges out is in the way! Geez I can't catch a break!

Looks like the only way to remove the bolt is with a box end wrench. Tried that, but it wouldn't move. Don't have a bar to put on it the right size. Tried the "lock the crescent end to the box end of another wrench" trick to get more leverage, but not good enough.

Gave up for today