How to: Remove an axle

Jack and support the car.

Zip the tire out of the way

34mm socket for Bonneville axle nuts, 36mm socket for W bodies. Remove axle nut

Thread nut back on so it's flush with the end of the axle. This way when you hit it, the threads on the axle do not become hurt. Hit until you see axle move inward. This is to free it from the tapered splines of the hub/bearing.

Remove cotter pin from the castle nut on the balljoint

Using your 18mm wrench remove the castle nut from the balljoint

If the nut won't come out.. do your best to have it fully loosened.

Undo your endlink to facilitate the control arm moving.

Unbolt the brake like from the body/strut

Bring in a 4-5 foot prybar (I use my steel floor jack handle) from by the front bumper where the wheel well meets it toward the body between the body edge and subframe bolts. Slide it under the axle and over the control arm.

Pry down. It helps to have a helper. At the same time as the prying, hit the balljoing on the side (not where the grease zerk is, other side ) and after a few hits the ball joint will come free from the knuckle. Move the strut/knuckle behind the ball joint before letting the control arm back up.
I like to sit/kneel facing the hub. My hand that is closer to the rear of the vehicle grabs the caliper and pulls outward and toward the rear of the vehicle. At the same time, the hand that is closer to the front of the car reaches around and cups the CV between the hub an the outter CV joint. Pushing backward on the CV and outward and back on the knuckle you pull the axle out of the hub and then lay it on the control arm. Pics for this part are poor because I was basically blocking all the shots with my body to do the work.

I moved my hand off the CV for a second for this shot. My hand was between the hub and the outter boot of the CV.


Crawl under and use a prybar etc (usually I use a block of wood and hammer on the pass side and prybar on driverside). to give the CV a quick pop like hit from the back. If you put tension on it the clip will hold it in. A quick pop is what is needed to remove it. Here we have the prybar in place.

And the axle is out.

You may notice that somebody forgot that the axle seals, seal the axles from leaking trans fluid because the level of fluid is above them.
That someone then got under the car and drained the trans.

Technically this step should be before now. For anyone wondering $5 Steralite or Rubbermaid from Walmarts storage section.

Nice write-up!!!!! What is the size of the walmart storage bin that you are using?

Also, while out in the junkyard trying to get my parts from a GTP, the axle nuts were 35mm. So, I guess it's good to have all three. I got mine at Parts Plus for 7.99 each.

Not sure..it's a large 6" deep or so bin. Never hurts to be too big of a bin.

Technically yes you'll find most W bodies are 35mm but all the manuals etc usually say 36mm. It's a little sloppy, but at that large of a size...it's typically ok to use 36mm.

Is that an aluminum pan on the tranny? Just looks kinda odd...

ok so these pics are great and they helped me alot in removing the cv axle . so does the new cv axle just push in and snap into place?

Originally Posted by selftaughtmechanichicky

ok so these pics are great and they helped me alot in removing the cv axle . so does the new cv axle just push in and snap into place?

Basically, you have to wiggle it around a little bit to get everything to fit snug and go in properly...Grab and push it it by the solid cup piece on the inside end when you are trying to snap it in.

What is the best axle for a higher HP and TQ application? My C.V. boots are leaking and Im getting ready to bore and stroke as well as .......possibly if I have monies left over.........IC it. Should I have my old ones rebuilt? Thanks!

Originally Posted by SleeperGS

What is the best axle for a higher HP and TQ application? My C.V. boots are leaking and Im getting ready to bore and stroke as well as .......possibly if I have monies left over.........IC it. Should I have my old ones rebuilt? Thanks!

Boring and stroking is a waste of your time and money. Just Intercool it and get a beast tune and go rape honda accords and some toyota corrola's.

And yes, I am being cereal about not stroking the motor, you will make more power for cheaper if you dont.

Motor threw a piston, motor is done......figured what the hey. Having a new/used block and head done. bored .30 over. Any thought on the axle's?

I thought that these blocks don't have too much meat to Bore them, let alone .30... I have no idea from a knowledge point but remember having read there no benefit from it. I think a CAM which would definitely help on HIGHER RPM range where these 3.8L flatten out and an IC would probably give the most benefit.

I've been looking at this cause I'm currently going to work on car and plan out future upgrades for later. Anyways, just trying to save ya' from throwing good $ and receiving little(HP) in return from it.

Regards,

I assume he ment .030" not .300"

Bill, can you describe how you use a piece of wood and hammer on the passenger side to pop the axle out? I see a photo with the prybar, though, behind the cv "cup", yet you said putting tension on it will cause the clip to hold it in place. I'm unclear on this.

Lay under the middle of the car and look to the passenger axle. You can see the back of the metal CV cup where it enters the transmission.

Take any piece of wood or thing..I often use a long handled hammer and put the handle end against the back of the cv cup..then hit it with another hammer. One or two quick smacks is all it usually takes. Basically just get something against the back of that cup when you are laying under the car and you'll have no trouble. The driverside is the pain in the neck. My best tool for that is the Gearwrench 82248 indexing prybar. Ask Scottydoggs, Intrigue98 or Drunkie.... it makes that axle a piece of cake. Downside is most people won't use a prybar that size enough to warrant spending the coin on it.

I was trying to pull the driver's side. After struggling for a few hours I removed the sway bar brackets to give me some more room to use the pry bar. Two whacks on the pry bar and out pops the axle!

Thanks for the write up!

Just to add:

You can get this:

OEM/FWD Axle Puller Adapter (27058) | FWD Axle Puller Adapter | AutoZone.com

And this:

OEM/5 lbs. Slide Hammer (27033) | Slide Hammer | AutoZone.com

Should pop them right out.

Nice write up, alot of good info and pics!

Pure..I had that and the one I got wouldn't fi on the driverside. Being the side that it would be helpful...I was let down.

Will it not fit behind the axle? I thought I saw there were two types of adapters but if they won't fit behind the axle then they are useless.

The one from Autozone:



Would this one work better?

Some of the side covers on the transmissions have a lump in that area. I was dealing with one that had the lump. And then...I got the best axle tool ever produced.

Gearwrench 82248 It's an indexing prybar. Axles jump out faster than you can try and put that tool together.

Do you use that thing all the way extended to 48"?

I was thinking about picking this up (33") because I can get it for $53 shipped:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950816000P