My driver's side front axle has given up the ghost. I went to drive the pin out, and it is stuck. I thought, well, I've dealt with this sort of thing before... But my usual tricks aren't working because of the following.

 

Upon further inspection I can see the diff stub on the non-chamfered side and the roll pin sticks out 1/4" on the other side. I can see that the holes aren't quite lined up, just like when the axle is 180 degrees out of alignment. My usual tools (3/16" punch/little screwdriver/etc...) won't work to remove this thing since the holes aren't aligned.

 

Any ideas to get this spring pin out?

 

For the record, it was the PO that installed it like this.

Edited November 25, 201015 yr by kanurys

If it really is 180 out its gonna be hard. Use a punch that can fit in the smaller gap and hit it really, really hard. but every time I've ever had an axle 180 out the gap is so small that there's no way i could pound a roll pin in. So Idk.....

I used a 4 1/2" grinder to remove one that had been installed 180 out.

 

Use the edge of the stone to grind down the protruding pin. Then just go after it. Grind as far down as you dare before you get into the stub. Done correctly, you can have it done in minutes. In the end, you may have to drift out a chunk of pin from the other side, but it'l come out easily.

you will just need to used several different punch sizes until you can get it hammered out.

dont break off the punch in there..

Thanks guys. I appreciate your support. I've already tried the different sized punches, so I guess it's on to the grinder(interesting suggestion Mark).

I've broken a punch off in an axle roll pin hole... That sucked to get out.

It's hard to imagine it's not just wicked rusted in there. I can't believe someone actually pounded hard enough on the pin to get it in 180* off.

I've put axles on 180* off on accident and not noticed until I hit the pin and it won't budge.

Maybe that's the case... but it sure looks off. It's not an original axle, so it might be a re-man and the hole is not drilled quite right... none the less this thing is a bastard(can we say that on here? ).

The one I had problems with was unbelievable. I put an extension on my drift and was able to deliver solid blows with a three pound sledge from above, in the engine compartment area. The roll pin would not budge. I was hitting it so hard I was worried about the front diff, bearings and seals associated with the stub. I only was able to destroy a fleet of punch's that I had in my tool box for yrs.

 

I never did figure out why it wouldn't come out 'cause by the time I was done doing the grinder work, there wasn't much left to look at.

The one I had problems with was unbelievable. I put an extension on my drift and was able to deliver solid blows with a three pound sledge from above, in the engine compartment area. The roll pin would not budge. I was hitting it so hard I was worried about the front diff, bearings and seals associated with the stub. I only was able to destroy a fleet of punch's that I had in my tool box for yrs.

 

I never did figure out why it wouldn't come out 'cause by the time I was done doing the grinder work, there wasn't much left to look at.

 

I was kind of surprised at this one. I got it to budge with a NEW 3/16" punch and 3lbs sledge, but it is still hanging up on the way out. This is after a little splitting of the actual pin on the protruding end. Waiting for cutoff wheel as a last resort.

 

I know this subject is like tires. It has been beat into the ground on this forum:horse:, but I thought I'd give the new thread a shot... thanks.

aaaand we're on to the cutoff wheel... update with a pic of the old axle after the break.

Sometimes you gotta tear stuff up.

Well I tore some things up. Turns out (no pun intended) it definitely wasn't aligned correctly. Pics:

 

 

I used a depth guage to cut just the right depth, using the new axle as a reference.

 

 

Somewhere on here a member was analyzing the differences in axles. This re-man looks smaller in diameter than the previous one...

 

 

Thanks for your help, again, everyone.

Edited November 28, 201015 yr by kanurys