Axle Seized in spindle

[nineD5_GS-T]

How did you get the axle out? Did you just take off the whole nuckle from the lower ball joint, strut, and sway bar? I have no clue howto get this thing out.

WTF is the secret to taking out the front axles. They are ####ing stuck in the part by the wheel. plymouthlaser.com says to gently tap them out. I've been bangin the hell outta them and they havent slid out a bit. I disconnected the lower ball joint to swing the knuckle, but that has helped very little.

Any and all advice to get this shit out is appreciated.

 

[Peatry85]

Well, the best thing you can do is take out the axel from the trans and pull the whole knuckle off, heat up the axel to all hell on a bench vise and get out the trusty bfh and beat the hell out of it, Pb Blaster helps too. If all else fails (which it shouldnt if you attempt this long enough) torch it off.

 

[wishihadatalon]

well good luck. i had this prob on both sides. i had to buy a new knuckle and wheel bearing and hub for mine. 14 tons of pressure and it just bent the knuckle

 

[doodie]

Use a prybar. We used a giant flathead screw driver for mine and it came out with a couple of tugs.

 

[crashed97tsi]

I had the same problem. Spent four hours trying to tap, pb blaster and hammer the shit out of it. The I fired up the air compressor and went to town with the air hammer. Just use the bit that comes to a point. In five minutes it was off

 

[dave99gst]

i Broke a rented hub puller on mine.
end'd up spraying the hell out of it with PB -- then wailing on it with a spedge.
It lost the battle
i did mushroom the hell out of the end tho' this isnt the best method if you are re-using the axel.

 

[realhp=turbo]

The way that most shops would do it is to first accept the fact that you will replace the axle nut and seals. Probably bearings aswell. Whip out the torch and cut them off. The nuts melt before the axle does, so just burn the nut off. Clean the threads, pull the whole assembly apart. Replace the wheel bearings, axle seals, and the axle nut. An involved process, yes. But think about the peace of mind when your done.

 

[pr0_re]

ball joint seperator on the lower baljoint and pop the knuckel off. take the he nut off with a breaker bar nd a pipe. then pull the rotor back pound the axel with a ruber malot or a with steel hamer (put a 2x4 on the axel so you wont damage it). once it starts to move pry it with a pry bar or big screw driver.

 

[jfdid]

We had to take the whole assembly to a machine shop with a 50 Ton press and get it heated to high hell. Even with that massive press, it was a total pain, there's no way that mine was coming off with any hammer-or sledge for that matter. We got away with not having to replace the wheel bearing. Try a press with no heat first.

 

[gsxAWDdsm692]

I'm having the same problem. This thing is not moving at all. Any other ideas?

 

[costas14]

WTF SAME PROBLEM ALSO. Drivers side axle has been rebuilt by previous owner so many times because the idiot was probally a jew and didnt want to spend the money. We got the whole spindle off along with the axles thats stuck on it. We took the torch and we tried using this giant bearing presser to maybe presser it out. We've just unbolted the hub from the spindle and were gonna try to cut it.

 

[gsxAWDdsm692]

WTF SAME PROBLEM ALSO. Drivers side axle has been rebuilt by previous owner so many times because the idiot was probally a jew and didnt want to spend the money. We got the whole spindle off along with the axles thats stuck on it. We took the torch and we tried using this giant bearing presser to maybe presser it out. We've just unbolted the hub from the spindle and were gonna try to cut it.

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That thing was a malaka costas!

 

[turbosax2]

Kevin, where did you get that tool from?

 

[DougR]

Any autozone or Orielys will have a large 3 jaw puller.

 

[HIGHPSI4]

Sometimes you have to hit the puller with an impact wrench. Be aware however, that the impact wrench will 'beat' the threads out of the puller if you do it too much.

 

[costas14]

we got one of those just we use it for cranks, we'll try it. though my threads on the axle are gone we took the cutter and got rid of them. also the bearing is complete rust, we noticed my other axles have the proper 1 1/4 nut for them and not rusted. this one had a 30mm. we heated it up so much im suprised it didnt come out. prob will ahve to order a new hub bearing thing since this one will be destroyed by the time we get the axle out

 

[gsxAWDdsm692]

Kevin, where did you get that tool from?

Eric, I got it at Pep Boys but I'm sure you can get it anywhere. It's just a large 3-jaw puller.

The axle in my pics was completely seized. I ended up mushrooming the end of the axle where the cotter pin is supposed to go in after the castle nut is on HAHAHAHA Wouldn't come out with hitting it with a hammer with the hardest force or with an Air Gat on the puller. So I took the axle out with the spindle attached to it and took it to a shop to try and have it heated and pressed out. The guy said he had it CHERRY RED and in a like 50 ton press and it still wouldn't come out. Like someone said on this site before, "I swear those axles weld themselves to the wheel bearings". It was true. The press was supposedly the largest press in the county HAHAHAHA

So I ended up just getting a new spindle and bearing together at a Philly junk yard for $75

They told me it was for a turbo but it was for a N/A. No biggy, same part...just the brake dust shield was too small and scratching up my powerslots I just bent it up and its fine now.

 

[costas14]

im gonna call a local junk yard just for the spindle and im gonna order a new hub and bearing and i already got the axle in

 

[twicks69]

This is a very common occurrence on our vehicles.

The first time I had to replace my front right axle, I ended up needing to use a 50-ton press to remove the axle from the hub; all for a hub assembly replacement. I started out with a 3-jaw puller, then a hub puller, then a 15# sledge hammer, then a sawzall with rescue blades to cut off the mushroomed section. The splines were fully seized to the hub assembly -- and this car had never seen snow or salt in its life at this time.

Be sure to clean your splines on the axle and hub assembly upon reinstallation along with using anti-seize on the splines so you don't have this problem in the future.

I would reccomend new axles when doing new hub assemblies if either one is corroded -- it is worth it in the long run if you are intending on keeping the car for a long time.

 

[costas14]

anyway if ## axle is seized in the spindle just junk the whole thing. not worth it since the bearing will be toast. i just orderd a new spindle from mitsubishi which is 104 but he just called back and said they can get it with the 2 lower control arms for only 124 bucks. which is a great steal. the hub and bearing from the dealer is about 166 but i just bought one from an autoparts store for 60 bucks. so total im spending 240 bucks for this.

also junk yard is 35 off the non turbos and if they pull it off its 75 bucks so its sorta a waste to get a used one and then have fun trying to get the axle out

 

[gsxAWDdsm692]

Yea, I lube'd that bi*** up when I put it back in the bearing Like the Holocaust, NEVER AGAIN!

 

[ACM]

I've done probably a dozen of these - it's a 2G problem, the axles corrode to the hubs and that's it, not even a 20 ton press will separate them. If it's going to come apart, a 2 or 3lb dead-blow mallet will get them apart, after that...I have a 5 ton hydraulic puller I bought for this purpose - never worked once, similarly, the 20 ton press with heat failed every time.

When you install the new hub/axle, liberally coat the entire splines with anti-seize. That has worked on every one I've done, they've come apart easily after over 5 years/50,000 miles later. I also cover the end of the axle and axle nut with brake grease to reduce the corrosion - brake grease will withstand the heat from the front brakes without vanishing - re-apply each time you switch between summer and winter tyres.

 

[costas14]

yea i put brake grease but my gear head uncle that came by the shop today which i made him help me put it back together didnt let me put brake grease on the axle that went into the hub, saying it might slip at high speeds but its okay the spindle is only 124 bucks with the control arms, no bigger this week costed me 240 bucks to get it running

 

[knochgoon24]

yea i put brake grease but my gear head uncle that came by the shop today which i made him help me put it back together didnt let me put brake grease on the axle that went into the hub, saying it might slip at high speeds but its okay the spindle is only 124 bucks with the control arms, no bigger this week costed me 240 bucks to get it running

Slip at high speeds? WTF How? I'd almost want to take it all apart and lube it up. That is crazy. I'd spend a few hours now instead of another $240 later. I don't understand how he even thinks the axle with move in the hub. The splines keep it from rotating and the axle nut keeps it from coming off the end. It can't go anywhere! Lube the axle and hub up!

I've gone through a 24 oz bottle of antiseize since I bought my car 2 years ago. I use it on everything. Living in the rust belt sucks.

 

[costas14]

i need to do the right side now, before i did the left the whole front end squeeked. now its just the right. but it seems all the other axles and the rear have been replaced but i just want to do them since all the ball joints look worn out and its better to get them all done