February 6, 201313 yr The stubshaft or whatever you call it that goes through the hub is VERY VERY stuck to the axle (yes the roll pin is out). It's all out soaking in atf/acetone right now because I broke my vice, and got tired of hitting it with a hammer. What's the best way to get this stupid thing apart? I'm really pissed off at it.... Sure I can install it like that, but I don't want to.
February 6, 201313 yr I'm not sure what you are talking about from your discription it sounds like its stuck where the axle comes through the hub? The part about the stub shaft and the roll pin makes it sound like the doj cup is what is stuck though. Best thing for stuck axles is what you are doing, if you can put heat on it before you start hitting it that would probably help make sure to heat up the outside only that makes the metal expand and easier to break it loose. If you post up a pic I can probably give you a better idea of what to do.
February 6, 201313 yr Pretty sure the OP is talking about where the rear half-shaft ("axle") attaches to the stub-axle in the hub. I have no words of wisdom for the OP, other than there is a recent thread on a similar issue, except its at the rear diff end of the halfshaft. You might want to check-out that thread.
February 7, 201313 yr Pretty sure the OP is talking about where the rear half-shaft ("axle") attaches to the stub-axle in the hub. I have no words of wisdom for the OP, other than there is a recent thread on a similar issue, except its at the rear diff end of the halfshaft. You might want to check-out that thread. Yep the thread is called "stuck rear axle cup" I posted in that thread as well. If it is the doj cup that is stuck then heat up the cup itself and use even striking force on all sides hope this helps Edit: here is a link to the thread I believe northwet is talking about, the one I mentioned above http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=139022 Edited February 7, 201313 yr by mikaleda
February 7, 201313 yr Author That thread is going to be very useful when I start tearing other crap apart. But for now, I'm stuck with the other end. I have it out of the hub. It's the axle with the stub axle stuck in the CV (outer) end of the shaft. I don't even know how to apply force to it, there's no good way to beat on it, and now my vice is broken, stupid POS. I'm completely sure someone has beat the crap out of these things before and knows how to get them apart. I don't feel like taking a picture of it. It's a CV shaft stuck to a stubshaft. If you've taken one of these apart before, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you obviously haven't had this problem.
February 7, 201313 yr That thread is going to be very useful when I start tearing other crap apart. But for now, I'm stuck with the other end.I have it out of the hub. It's the axle with the stub axle stuck in the CV (outer) end of the shaft. I don't even know how to apply force to it, there's no good way to beat on it, and now my vice is broken, stupid POS. I'm completely sure someone has beat the crap out of these things before and knows how to get them apart. I don't feel like taking a picture of it. It's a CV shaft stuck to a stubshaft. If you've taken one of these apart before, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you obviously haven't had this problem. Yes I have had this problem but your description was lacking,you need a puller Put pressure on the axle and beat on the end of the puller with a BFH that will help a lot Edited February 7, 201313 yr by mikaleda
February 7, 201313 yr Author Yes I have had this problem but your description was lacking,you need a puller I have no idea how a puller is going to help. I'm not talking about the diff end. I have a puller, and there's nothing to attach it to.
February 7, 201313 yr I have no idea how a puller is going to help. I'm not talking about the diff end. I have a puller, and there's nothing to attach it to. There is only two ends to an axle I have covered both I don't know what you are talking about this is why I asked for a pic. Whatever figure it out yourself
February 7, 201313 yr Author Grumble, whatever. I took a pic of the stupid thing. The other one won't come apart like this....
February 7, 201313 yr Okay now we're cookin with gas. Heat it up and spray some pb on it an let it sit. The heat will allow the pb to soak in or you can use accitone/ATF mixture as well. And the thread I linked to still has suggestions that can help you even though it is not the same thing some of the tips will work for any two prices of metal that are stuck together. As for a way to clamp it I don't see how other than a good vise Good luck I hope this helps Edit maybe put the nut and a large washer on the end of the stub and use that for something to grab onto just don't mess the threads up Edited February 7, 201313 yr by mikaleda
February 7, 201313 yr do the pb dance.....run the castle sut to the bottom of the threads and stack another on top to cover all the threads. beat the heck out of it with the axle side clamped into something. option two: get a new one, youre already into it the cost of a vise....
February 7, 201313 yr Author do the pb dance.....run the castle sut to the bottom of the threads and stack another on top to cover all the threads. beat the heck out of it with the axle side clamped into something. option two: get a new one, youre already into it the cost of a vise.... The vice was gonna break sooner than later anyway. Even if I were to get a new one, I still need to get the stubshaft out.
February 7, 201313 yr If you were Portland, I would have guessed that someone took the car to the largest Subaru mechanic in Portland, and they pulled the CV axles out, and squirted epoxy made for fusing metal. It is a little game that they play on clients when those client's enemies eavesdrop on their phones and simply call up the Subaru mechanic to have their vehicle sabotaged in some fashion. They did BOTH of my rear CV axles. I ended up installing a replacement LSD rear differential that I bought off of EBAY, and a couple of almost new CV axials off of my parts car. So I ended up with a better car than what they had sabotaged.
February 7, 201313 yr Just out of interest, why do those parts ever need to be separated - isn't it possible to rebuild the whole driveshaft/driveaxle (in UK we call them driveshafts) without separating them?
February 7, 201313 yr Author Axle, half shaft, driveshaft, it's all the same thing to me. Although I usually accosciate driveshaft with the one that does from the trans to the diff. Yes, it can be installed the way it is. And if I can't get it apart today, that's what's gonna happen. I just want it to be apart... that's all. It needs new rear wheel bearings again anyway at some point, so I'll take another crack at it while I'm doing that.
February 7, 201313 yr Ah! Interesting difference in nomenclatures - Trans to Diff we would call Gearbox to Diff and we would call it 'prop-shaft' rather than drive shaft. 'Half shaft' is what we call the removable axles in a 'live' axle assembly. Anyway, linguistic comparisons aside, why do you want to separate them? Still don't get it.
February 7, 201313 yr ...Anyway, linguistic comparisons aside, why do you want to separate them? Still don't get it. A) OP has requested info on how to separate the parts. It does not matter why. I have been on boths sides of this type of "discussion", and unless you know that it is a bad idea, seems best just to offer useful assistance. Parts need to be capable of being disassembled in order to be maintained. The axle between diff and hub is sold (new/remanufactured) without the stub-axle/spindle attached. Much easier to service when sitting on a bench, so great time to unsieze the parts. Back to the original question: Perhaps a bearing separator would work. (The type that looks like 2 guillotine blades with a neck-cutout.) These act by wedging the parts apart. You might need a piece of iron pipe-and-axle-nut on the stub side to push against. Something to pursue afterwards... Why is it eating rear bearings. This seems to be a VERY uncommon occurence.
February 7, 201313 yr Author The seals are hard and cracked letting water in. It seems I used poor quality of seals. I took the bearings out, and they look fine. So I washed everything, repacked the bearings with new grease, and put in new seals. All should be well. I actually thought about using a bearing separator as a wedge between the two parts, unfortunately I don't have one. I made a wedge thing like that, and that's how I broke my vice... As to the reason I want it apart. That way I can replace axles easier without pulling the damn thing through the hub (and as NorthWet stated, new axles come without the part that goes through the hub). If I'm offroad or at a rallyX, and I blow up a rear axle again. It's a 2 minute swap, and I don't worry about getting dirt and mud in the bearing. I can leave that nightmare to the front axles
February 8, 201313 yr Our local auto parts stores often have loaner tools. You might check that out. Or, if you are friendly with a machine shop, they might do it for a reasonable fee.
February 8, 201313 yr Author I try to avoid giving in and taking things to the local machine shop. haha. But the know me pretty well, and ya, they'll do stuff for $5 for me if it's something really easy. There is only one autoparts store around here, it's NAPA, and they don't loan tools. Which is unfortunate.
February 8, 201313 yr Northwet, thanks; that's the info I was looking for. As it's not a job I've done on a Subaru, I did not know it was necessary - hence my lack of offering advice on the matter.
February 8, 201313 yr What if you cut a piece of pipe that is a diameter that will slide over the spindle, but rest on the collar of the CV joint with some of the threads for the castle nut protruding from the end of the pipe when it's installed. Then with a couple washers you can tighten down the castle nut with a little heat on the CV joint. Without a vice you might need to stabilize the half-shaft with a pipe-wrench or something. If it resists, then you can tighten the castle nut down on the pipe and if the end of the spindle is not protruding from the castle nut, you can whack the castle nut with a hand sledge, tighten & smack, tighten and smack, until it breaks free.
February 8, 201313 yr Author Oh wow, that's a fantastic idea!! That's an amazing way to pull it straight off. I'm gonna go find the right size pipe for this asap and see what I can do. I might have to destroy the sheet metal shield thing around the base of the axle, but if that's what it takes to get it apart. That's not really that bad. What if you cut a piece of pipe that is a diameter that will slide over the spindle, but rest on the collar of the CV joint with some of the threads for the castle nut protruding from the end of the pipe when it's installed. Then with a couple washers you can tighten down the castle nut with a little heat on the CV joint. Without a vice you might need to stabilize the half-shaft with a pipe-wrench or something. If it resists, then you can tighten the castle nut down on the pipe and if the end of the spindle is not protruding from the castle nut, you can whack the castle nut with a hand sledge, tighten & smack, tighten and smack, until it breaks free. Edited February 8, 201313 yr by 987687
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