NEED HELP Another Axle Half Stuck to Hub Question

[tony blais]

Hi All, attempting to remove the left side axle half to replace leaking outer seal and find the axle half not separating from the bearing hub. Attempted the usual methods to separate, (soaking with oil penetrate, banging with big hammer). Reassembled and drove around with the 35 mm cv axle nut loose an still did not budge.

Since both parts are still in good shape, (for now), the question is: has anyone removed the knuckle/axle half as an assembly?

Thanks for any response.

 

[Sparky]

Dang even my rusty bucket came apart with only minor persuasion.

I would be concerned with ripping joints apart trying to take the entire heavy knuckle off along with the axle. It was hard enough sometimes to not pop the tripot joint apart when I was handling just the axle itself.

 

[tony blais]

Thanks for the response. This truck has low mileage and garage kept until until got a hold of it, 3 years ago. My son seems to think it got screwed up when assembled from the factory, and the reason for not coming apart now?

Anyway, the wife is driving it around town with the loose axle half nut, and probably later on today douse in with more penetrating oil, let it sit for another day and hope for the best?

 

[TJBaker57]

Mine gave me issues back in 2015. Luckily I had access to some large threaded rod and nuts, washers, etc..and was able to employ a rented puller along with the rods to get mine off.

 

[TollKeeper]

There is another option. If you pull the upper control arm off, and drop the tie rod end off the knuckle. You can then pop the CV axle out of the differential, and swing the CV to the side. Then you dont have to worry about anything on your HUB, or CV axle end... Unless it doesnt pop out of your Diff.

 

[tony blais]

Thank you for the remove upper CA: (at the ball joint I guess)/ remove tie rod end method. Seems, I'm headed in that direction.

 

[Mooseman]

If you have air tools, try an air hammer on it.

Unusual that it would be stuck. With all the rust buckets I've had, I never had an issue pushing the axle out of the hub on GMs, even with all the salt we use here.

 

[tony blais]

I was finally able to access a puller similar to that shown in picture, and it solved the problem. Thanks again for all the input.