Saving rust seized EA rear axle stubs & CVs

[czny]

Found a way to save these hard-to-come-by pieces from death by rust. Start by removing rear axle & seized stub axle as a unit from rear trailing arm. Hammer out with block of wood & BFH or dead blow hammer Or my favorite though some will object - a ball peen in  stub end & 4 lb drilling hammer.

Next remove axle shaft from inner CV/DOJ cup. DOJs are easiest. Boot, outer lock ring, then pull everything else as one. Swab out old grease with rags.

CVs require a few more steps, like rocking inner race & cage to one side, removing 2 balls, back the other way then last 2. Then work cage & inner race out - they do come out. 

Notice hammer marks on CV. Futile attempts to get the bugger off the stub.

Note difference in how cup plugs are installed. CVs - plug hollow side up. DOJs - hollow side down. Use an awl to punch a starter hole in cup plug then screw a 1 inch or longer #10 sheet metal screw in which will lift the plug out of the recess. This exposes the end of stub axle.

You might have to give seized parts a good soaking overnight with Kroil or other penetrating spray before press work.

Install bearing clamshell around DOJ/CV just above dust shield, then place this in between heavy duty plates in 20 ton press.

Use 4-6 inch piece of 5/8-3/4 inch round stock with ends squared up on end of stub to press with. Not too long or it may become angled & then bend easily.

 

Plug for swagoffroad products:  http://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-MACHINED-ARBOR-PRESS-PLATES-PAIR_p_7.html

Pump press until either stub starts moving or feels like all 20T pressure is there. Rap on outside of cup a little with hammer to jar it. Helps align things for removal. Relieve pressure & turn cup some.

Rinse & repeat until stub comes loose. Did this for alexbuoy & one of his took everything my old Enco press could muster. Finally came loose with a loud bang causing everything on press to jump. 

Bead blast or wire brush stubs. 

Hammer holes in cup plugs flat then soft solder holes shut. Clean up flux on plugs. Install with Permatex No. 1 or similar.

Remember DOJs  - cup plugs down.

CVs  - cup plugs up

Apply anti-seize to splines after re-installing in rear arms. Both ends. Don't forget the rubber washers on short ends of stub axles.

Hope this helps save a few axles & stubs in the future. Parts for EA cars are getting scarce.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by czny

[SuspiciousPizza]

I've got a seized rear stub. I'm lost as to how the shaft is removed from the CV joint. 

From what I've read on here it is technically possible to remove the shaft from the CV joint, as is shown above, but this takes some finesse. 

I do not have a press and I don't want to wallop on the joint since the hardened steel is brittle. Does anyone have any pointers on how to remove the shaft? 

Is it possible to angle the joint with the shaft still in place, then use a brass punch to shift the cage enough to remove the balls without removing the shaft? 

Isn't all that retains the shaft is a circlip, similar to the DOJ retaining clip but smaller in diameter? 

Thanks :]

P.S. I'm trying to remove the stub since I'm doing my rear wheel bearings. Technically I can reinstall the axle without removing the stub and get everything lined up. But in the future if I need to replace the stub (sheared splines, etc) then I'm basically SOL and have to replace the entire axle. 

[SuspiciousPizza]

I've been reading some more and it sounds like a BFH is the way to go with this. So I made a drawing of what my idea is.

I'd need to source some hardwood or some polypropylene sheets (thick maybe 3/8") to absorb the hammering and transfer the forces to the CV cup rather than into the brittle hardened bearing surfaces. Also the grooves in the boards/sheets would have to be perfectly sized to fit around the axle, but not let the bands fit through. I'd also need to figure out how to prevent the axle from articulating as I'm beating it up for lunch money.

Here's my idea, though if anyone has experience doing this without damaging any of the axle components then please share.

[el_freddo]

That looks about right and should do the job. 

Another way to do it is with a piece of pipe with a slot in it, weld a bar at a right angle to to the top edge (when pipe is vertical on a bench). 

This bar will be used to hold the pipe on the outer CV’s inner race component that holds the shaft. Use a BFH of choice and go hard on the bar section to knock the CV off the shaft. 

Have the other end of the shaft held in a good vice like you depict in your diagram.