Its an 04 Impreza with a manual. Went to change front CV axles. First one went fine.  I punched out roll pin from the unbeveled  hole side of the DOJ housing as per write up I found. The second CV axle has the pin sticking out about 20% of its length on the beveled side so I went to the unbeveled side to knock it out.  It did not come out and the part sticking out snapped off.  I soaked the stuck pin for and hour and then went back to work from the unbeveled side again with a 5 lb hammer. I have been using the correct punch, and I cant get it out.  I think the common mistake of installing it half a tooth off was made.  My questions are 1) SHould I keep trying to hit it harder from only the  unbeveled side  (as opposed to swicthing sides) and 2)  I am afraid if I keep hitting it I will damage the tranny? or should I just whale away.   Any suggestions.  I have done a this job a few times and never had this problem.  Thanks. 

Yes, sounds like someone drove the pin in when the half shaft was 180 out.  

The other option is to pop out the half shaft with the stub axle attached.  It's held in with a circle clip.  

Remove the strut to knucle bolts and lower ball joint then use the weight of the hub as a slide hammer and the stub axle should come out.

Use a smaller punch and come from the other side.   i see this all the time. 

4 hours ago, lmdew said:

The other option is to pop out the half shaft with the stub axle attached.  It's held in with a circle clip. 

Maybe they vary over the years but I thought manuals won't pop out like automatics will?

Do what he just said - use a smaller punch that will clear the available space you have to work with.  Don't keep hitting it.  Currently as you hit it - you're not making contact with the pin so  you're just slamming the stubby shaft. 

Get good light and visibility down in there and verify what you're dealing with - that the pin is offset sounds likely, but confirm it. 
Then try to determine how much material you have to work with and where the pin is located/crossing the existing hole. 

Then do the smaller punch from the other side as he said.  The punch needs to pass through the "half a hole" where the cv hole and stub shaft hole overlap imperfectly from being out of alignment - and then the punch will contact the pin. 

 

If the punch size you're using isn't entering at least 1/2+ the diameter, you are npwhere near knocking out the pin - as said above, locate a smaller dia. punch.

If you have the old axle from the other side, you should be able to test and mark the punch/drift at a point where 1/2 it's length is inside. It's a tiny clearance.

Edited July 10, 20187 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

Thanks for the tips guys, I will try the smaller punch from the other side!

20 hours ago, lmdew said:

 

The other option is to pop out the half shaft with the stub axle attached.  It's held in with a circle clip.  

Remove the strut to knucle bolts and lower ball joint then use the weight of the hub as a slide hammer and the stub axle should come out.

If you do this the circlip will drop into the gearbox. It's not a push in shaft arrangement. This clip is accessible only be splitting the gearbox and using appropriate pliers to remove and install the clip safely.

these aren't fun jobs by any means. I once ground the cv cup down to the axle to remove it from said axle. Once this was done the remainder of the pin could be removed. 

A positive of your situation: it's in the front diff which means you've got solid axles to help guide the pin, not hollow stub axles like the rear diff...

Cheers

Bennie

the pin is usually a 'spring pin' so, just wondering if a small extractor is worth trying? maybe pull it out from the insertion side if there's not enough to grab with vicegrips or similar? longshot I know.....

Edited July 11, 20187 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

This is a very common issue, just use a small punch and remove it.   I can't tell you how many times this rolls into the shop.   5 minutes to punch it out and turn 180 degrees.

tom, recall about what size punch fits thru the misaligned parts?

Probably a 2 or 3mm pin punch I reckon...

I still don't know how this is done!

Cheers

Bennie

3/16 is the proper size  , I think its an 1/8" long neck punch and stay on the outside edge not the center.   Might be 1/16" but i'm not in the shop to look.

Edited July 11, 20187 yr by montana tom

Harbor freight sells a set of like five sizes in a set and it has the one that fits and the one to get you out of that jam really cheap