How to remove a stuck CV axle shaft

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2010 Infantry Vet

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(Spray tie rod, upper ball joint, CV acle shaft nuts with PB blaster, let soak for 5 minutes.)
1.) jack up front end, put jack stand under frane of the side you will be removing. Then place jack under the control arm of same side.
2.) unplug speed sensor on upper right side of wheel by the frame.
remove axle shaft nut.
4.) Remove the caliper and rotor. Use bungy cord to hold to frame in place so it doesnt fall later.
5.) remove tie rod nut to where its flush on threads, and tap the nut up with a hammer to break it free. Then remove nut and pull tie rod out of socket and move it out of the way.
6.) remove upper ball joint nut. (Same as tie rod removal). Might have to hold wrench on bottom of shaft to keep from spinning.
7.) pull spindle out towards you, and remove the CV shaft threaded end...if its stuck and wint come out, you can try taking a pair of vise grips and taking off the nut that tightens them. Put a piece of all thread 3 feet long with a 4# sledge head running threw the middle of the all thread, and a nut and washer on the end thats big enough so the 4# head has something to hit against. (What you are making is a makeshift slide hammer).
If that doesnt pop the CV loose, continue to step 8.
8.) cut off CV axle shaft at 4” bell where it comes out of differential with a 6” wafer wheel on a grinder. (Be careful to nit cut into differential splines). Keep making small cuts and spinning bell to keep from cutting into splines. (Do not cut all the way thru). When you think you have less than a 3/32 of uncut bell material, start beating a chisel into the cut. It should break free the cut line and seperate.
9.) remove CV bell and throw as far as you can (You will feel good at this point).
10.) now that you just have a 3” shaft overtop of the splines, use a 1” cutoff wheel on a dremel and make two cuts on opposite ends. (Do not cut all the way thru).
11.) when shaft cut has less than 3/32 smack it with a chisel and hammer. Cut line should break and seperate. If it doesnt, cut a little more and repeat.
12. Remove one half of the cut shaft. Will pribably have to put truck in 4 wheel drive and then beat off other half shaft with a chisel.
13.) Now go drink a Miller lite beer in a beer bong, and celebrate. Your nightmare is over. For extra feel good, (Wear saftey glasses), pack cut axle shafts in tannerite (explosive target material) and set up far away at a gun range. Then shoot with your favorite gun. Because you live in Merica!!!

In all seriousness, if you have any questions, please ask. Hope this helps, it worked for me.

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dpost01

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Digging up an old thread but thank you. I bought a slide hammer with the big socket end that is supposed to make it easy to get off but so far no luck. May have to start cutting.

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pir8t

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After 2 days of beating the S@#T out of the cv axle I came across this..... Going to do this tomorrow will post results...
Update.. This did not work the 3/8 rod kept losing threads. It could work if you wanted to weld a rod to the vice grip screw.. I ended up removing the entire axle housing (passenger side) and cutting around the the housing on the cv axle.
 
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Noah davis

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(Spray tie rod, upper ball joint, CV acle shaft nuts with PB blaster, let soak for 5 minutes.)
1.) jack up front end, put jack stand under frane of the side you will be removing. Then place jack under the control arm of same side.
2.) unplug speed sensor on upper right side of wheel by the frame.
remove axle shaft nut.
4.) Remove the caliper and rotor. Use bungy cord to hold to frame in place so it doesnt fall later.
5.) remove tie rod nut to where its flush on threads, and tap the nut up with a hammer to break it free. Then remove nut and pull tie rod out of socket and move it out of the way.
6.) remove upper ball joint nut. (Same as tie rod removal). Might have to hold wrench on bottom of shaft to keep from spinning.
7.) pull spindle out towards you, and remove the CV shaft threaded end...if its stuck and wint come out, you can try taking a pair of vise grips and taking off the nut that tightens them. Put a piece of all thread 3 feet long with a 4# sledge head running threw the middle of the all thread, and a nut and washer on the end thats big enough so the 4# head has something to hit against. (What you are making is a makeshift slide hammer).
If that doesnt pop the CV loose, continue to step 8.
8.) cut off CV axle shaft at 4” bell where it comes out of differential with a 6” wafer wheel on a grinder. (Be careful to nit cut into differential splines). Keep making small cuts and spinning bell to keep from cutting into splines. (Do not cut all the way thru). When you think you have less than a 3/32 of uncut bell material, start beating a chisel into the cut. It should break free the cut line and seperate.
9.) remove CV bell and throw as far as you can (You will feel good at this point).
10.) now that you just have a 3” shaft overtop of the splines, use a 1” cutoff wheel on a dremel and make two cuts on opposite ends. (Do not cut all the way thru).
11.) when shaft cut has less than 3/32 smack it with a chisel and hammer. Cut line should break and seperate. If it doesnt, cut a little more and repeat.
12. Remove one half of the cut shaft. Will pribably have to put truck in 4 wheel drive and then beat off other half shaft with a chisel.
13.) Now go drink a Miller lite beer in a beer bong, and celebrate. Your nightmare is over. For extra feel good, (Wear saftey glasses), pack cut axle shafts in tannerite (explosive target material) and set up far away at a gun range. Then shoot with your favorite gun. Because you live in Merica!!!

In all seriousness, if you have any questions, please ask. Hope this helps, it worked for me.

View attachment 131332

View attachment 131333

View attachment 131334
 

Noah davis

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What other thing have been tried before resorting to this, I only have a 3" cutoff and am worried about cutting the splines
 

dpost01

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I used a torch and heated up where the cv axle connects to the differential. I cut the metal band so i could remove 80% of the cv axle and just deal with the inner bell housing. I keep spinning it to get a good heat around it. Then used a hammer and hit it several time in an outward direction. I would spin it around so I hit different areas. After a few heat cycles, I got it to finally pop off..

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Noah davis

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I used a torch and heated up where the cv axle connects to the differential. I cut the metal band so i could remove 80% of the cv axle and just deal with the inner bell housing. I keep spinning it to get a good heat around it. Then used a hammer and hit it several time in an outward direction. I would spin it around so I hit different areas. After a few heat cycles, I got it to finally pop off..

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Noah davis

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**** I keep pressing quote instead of reply sorry, yeah that's what I tried last night, got the bell so hot it blew off the inner joint so now all I have there is the bell so it's drive able at least in 2wd, still no luck getting it to pop though
 

dpost01

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**** I keep pressing quote instead of reply sorry, yeah that's what I tried last night, got the bell so hot it blew off the inner joint so now all I have there is the bell so it's drive able at least in 2wd, still no luck getting it to pop though
That worked for one side of mine. The other side wouldn't budge. I ended up coming to the conclusion that I would have to cut it off so I started the process. I was pretty close to cutting the bell housing off, because I was going really slow, and thought I would whack it a few more times with my 3 lb hammer and it finally popped off.

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Noah davis

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That worked for one side of mine. The other side wouldn't budge. I ended up coming to the conclusion that I would have to cut it off so I started the process. I was pretty close to cutting the bell housing off, because I was going really slow, and thought I would whack it a few more times with my 3 lb hammer and it finally popped off.

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Well I hope I get that lucky lol
 

caulk04

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This was a particularly stubborn stub shaft in an 02 Ram I did exactly one year ago today. I'm still rather proud of this solution. I do not have a welder.

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Bluto

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I pulled the entire input shaft with it. Scared the crap out of.
 
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