1G Axle issues

[Bigmike4g63t]

I need to disconnect my axles to pull the engine/transmission from my car. I have searched on here but still not sure the best way to go about this. I believe I have everything else disconnected except 2 motor mounts

 

[greekgodchaos]

I just use a prybar and a hammer. Don't be too violent though.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

I have removed no bolts or anything. I'm not sure how to begin

 

[97egl]

-Remove the cotter pin from the axle nut and unbolt the axle nut.
-Unbolt the strut from the spindles (2 large 17mm bolts/nuts)
-Slide the end of the axle out of the wheel hub.

Now just take a pry bar between the axle cup and transmission and pop it out. There is nothing you physically have to remove from the trans to pop the axle. They are held in by a spring clip which compresses and allows them to slip out when you go to pop them out. Sometimes they pop really easy and others are a massive pain to get out. You will loose some transmission fluid out of the axle holes when you remove them unless you drain the transmission beforehand so be ready to catch the leaking fluid.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

Really appreciate that info!!

Of course I don't have a 32mm socket..... Off to town I guess.

 

[97egl]

Of course I don't have a 32mm socket..... Off to town I guess.

1 1/4" will work also if you have that

 

[dwb]

Also the left axle has a carrier bearing bolted to the block that needs to be unbolted before it will come out of the trans.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

Driver side?

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Yep, drivers side. That halfshaft doesn't use a circlip to hold it in the trans either. 2 bolts on the block, at the A/C compressor bracket to unbolt it.

 

[CrackedDSM]

For the passenger side depending on the axle and c-clip condition it may fight you kind of hard. Trick is to get a small/moderate sized prybar, get inbetween the axle and trans, and just flick your wrist/flick the prybar and it should pop right out.

If it doesn't, enlist a helper to hold the axle parallel so it's not at an angle(so that axle comes straight out), and SLOWLY turn it while you pry gently(and only a tiny bit, not a lot, you're not trying to get it all out in one pry) in between axle and case. That's what I had my wife do on my most recent axle pull, and that did the trick perfectly. After like 1/3 of a turn it popped out completely with such little effort I actually said out loud "Did that just work?" and my wife promptly responded with "yes."

But yeah, just little tips and tricks that worked for me. Hopefully they're useful to you.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

Will be tomorrow before I try. Thanks for the help!

Last week I had covid and bronchitis. This week I still have bronchitis and now a bad case of sinusitis.

I worked on it a bit today in increments of laying down and resting in between. The grinding wheel go my right arm today while using the wire wheel on the opposite side of grinder. And I got stung by a wasp right on the jugular today. And wasp is literally the only thing I am allergic to.

I hope I'm not doing too much all in 1 project....

 

[CrackedDSM]

I'd take your time, man. No car or truck is worth your life. Take the extra time to heal up and feel better first. Axles and DSM will still be there.


The sting to a major artery is serious shit. Did you have an Epi-Pen or just run straight to the ER? I'm so allergic to bees/wasps that if I'm stung once, my throat closes and that's all she wrote. It took damn near a full MG of Epi to partially clear my obstructed airway last time I was hit by a wasp on the arm.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

I drunk the benadryl nearly. It helped the tightness in my throat for sure. Passed out a few minutes as well before the benadryl. I ordered a 32mm axle socket today bc I never felt like driving to town. It should be here tomorrow

 

[luv2rallye]

I realize you have a 1g - however on the 2g you don't need to remove the axles from the hubs (which is a real pain) or any ball joints (read just #2 here: https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/wont-shift-into-1st-gear-picture.463935/#post-153268895). Now I know you have a 1g, but look to see if you might be able to do something similiar to where you do not have to remove the axles from the hubs (it's a huge nightmare)! I admit I've never had a 1g but just thought I'd pass this along as I've done it many times on my 2g.

 

[CrackedDSM]

I realize you have a 1g - however on the 2g you don't need to remove the axles from the hubs (which is a real pain) or any ball joints (read just #2 here: https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/wont-shift-into-1st-gear-picture.463935/#post-153268895). Now I know you have a 1g, but look to see if you might be able to do something similiar to where you do not have to remove the axles from the hubs (it's a huge nightmare)! I admit I've never had a 1g but just thought I'd pass this along as I've done it many times on my 2g.

On a 1G it’s super easy. Axle nut, two bolts from the strut, and the whole assembly drops down with plenty of room to pull the axle from the hub nice and easy. Macpherson strut vs the 2G wishbone style.

 

[luv2rallye]

Ah nice! So the axle isn't rusted into the hub like it always is on the 2g (where you need a hub puller to get it out)? Or is there enough room to pull the axle out of the tranny without even removing it from the hub?

 

[CrackedDSM]

Ah nice! So the axle isn't rusted into the hub like it always is on the 2g (where you need a hub puller to get it out)? Or is there enough room to pull the axle out of the tranny without even removing it from the hub?

Honestly if the axle is seized into a 1G hub, I think you'd have to remove the hub/axle assembly in order to get the trans out. No way is there enough play in the passenger side axle boots to remove the hub from the trans. Unsure on the driver's side.


Also: can't say about rust. Mine weren't installed when I got the car, so they've only ever been drowned in anti-seize and always come out with the push of a single finger.

 

[luv2rallye]

Can you also unbolt the stabilizer link and lower lateral arm (and tie rod end only if necessary) to swing the whole assembly out far enough to get the axle out of the tranny without removing the axle from the wheel hub? Removing the axle from the wheel hub is such a nightmare when it's rusted in [and PO didn't put lots of anti-sieze on the splines or it's over 10 years old] (personal experience), that you're better off just leaving it if you can.

 

[97egl]

Can you also unbolt the stabilizer link and lower lateral arm (and tie rod end only if necessary) to swing the whole assembly out far enough to get the axle out of the tranny without removing the axle from the wheel hub? Removing the axle from the wheel hub is such a nightmare when it's rusted in [and PO didn't put lots of anti-sieze on the splines or it's over 10 years old] (personal experience), that you're better off just leaving it if you can.

Yeah I've been there on my FWD on the passenger side. I had to separate the tie rod to get the axle to clear the trans can't remember but I don't think i had to remove the sway bar link but it bolts to the LCA on a 1g. At that point I just separated the ball joint and remove the brakes so the whole spindle would come out. I brought the spindle and axle assembly in to work and used the 100 ton press to separate them. The pressure gauge on the press came up to almost 30 tons before it finally popped apart.

Of all the cars I've owned this is the only one that I had the front axle seized in the hub on.

 

[danl]

I’ve had 5 1g’s and none had seized axles that couldn’t be resolved with anything more than a night soaking with pb blaster and a hammer / brass drift.

 

[luv2rallye]

Just to warn you how rusted hubs & nuts can sometimes get. I had to replace the RF hub on my 2g (bearing went out). The axle nut was rusted on so tight I had to heat it up, PB blast, and let it sit overnight. Did that procedure for 3 days. Then I had to put a 3' heavy pipe over the end of a 2' breaker bar and jump up and down on it to break the nut loose. I then put a hub puller on the hub but it was rusted on so tight that I actually broke my hub puller in HALF! So I rented a heavy duty hub puller used for trucks. After finally getting it off, I noticed the axle threads were messed up even though I had the axle nut on it properly for the pull. So I had to get the axle re-threaded and a new nut. And this was all with anti-sieze on the spines when I had it off last. The next time I used a 100 ton press which went much better and didn't damage the threads.

This is why when pulling the tranny, I always now leave the axles in the hubs.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

On a 1g, you can take the strut bolts out and it allows "just enough room" to remove the axle out of the back side by pulling out and pointing the hub assembly as far towards the rear of the car as you can and the axle WILL JUST CLEAR the back side, then you can pop it out of the transmission. You can put the 2 strut bolts back in until you are ready to put the motor/trans back in so the car can sit back down on all 4 wheels.

 

[Bigmike4g63t]

Had to hose down the 32mm nuts with pb blaster again. Can not budge them.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Had to hose down the 32mm nuts with pb blaster again. Can not budge them.

Oof. Sorry to hear that man.

 

[dwb]

Large breaker bar. Like a jack handle or a pipe that will fit over your tool.
If possible pop the center cap out of a wheel, reinstall wheel and let the car down. Use a socket through the wheel and torque on it with said breaker bar. Alternatively use a jack underneath your tool to apply torque.