Driver side cv axle seal removal?!?!

[Ls2monaro]

Well I made a post before about the front cv shaft seals a little while back, but now I've come to another issue.

Let's see, the car is a 1990 talon, awd, manual trans. Working on replacing both front cv axles and axle seals. I now have all of the parts and completed the pass side (which was a PITA to pop out!!), but now on the driver side I'm not exactly sure how to remove the seal.

Other posts say to get in there with a claw hammer or a prybar, or puller tool, pull it out and press the new one in... ...ok... easier said than done.

From what I can tell, the exhaust needs to come off, along with the transfer case in order to ACTUALLY access that seal with a flathead screwdriver, etc. to pop it off...

So what's the best way to do this? Keeping in mind I don't have a lift and will be doing this in the garage with jack stands...

 

[hubbazoot]

I removed my transmission in my garage with jackstands, so you'll be fine. You'll want to drop down the exhaust so you can access the two bolts holding the axle to the frame (stabilizer thing for the axle) 14mm, and then you'll probably want to remove the axle as a whole from the hub. From what I recall, the CV joints are held in with a spring clip (get the removal tool from a tool shop... Spring clip removal tool GET THE GOOD ONE) and that'll take care of the cv joint itself. As for the boot... ohhh They're a butt to get off. I'd use a good stanley knife and cut it off, as for the metal strap, you can either a) try to remove as much of the rubber out from underneath it as possible or b) use some pliers to twist/pry it off or c) some combination of both of those.

 

[Ls2monaro]

huh? that post left me a little confused.. um, the pass side cv axle replacement has been done, and on the driver side i've already removed the cv axle and intermediate shaft with the two bolts and carrier bearing. So the seal can easily be seen on the trans,....and what I see is an exhaust and tranfer case standing in the way of popping that seal off the transmission...

little help?

 

[Ls2monaro]

I was hoping to get this done today.... would really like some insight on changing this seal....

 

[hubbazoot]

huh? that post left me a little confused.. um, the pass side cv axle replacement has been done, and on the driver side i've already removed the cv axle and intermediate shaft with the two bolts and carrier bearing. So the seal can easily be seen on the trans,....and what I see is an exhaust and tranfer case standing in the way of popping that seal off the transmission...

little help?

Ohh the seal on the transmission! Oops.

To change that one, I had to remove the transmission and actually hammer it out from the inside. You can PROBABLY pry it out if you remove the t-case (all of five bolts, and you need to disconnect the downpipe from the turbo and let it hang). but it may be a real booger to try to do that way. It's in there pretty good.

 

[1 FAST TSI]

I was hoping to get this done today.... would really like some insight on changing this seal....

its a two part axel..a male end gos into the bearing thats on the back of the block..spray it down with pb blaster very good first..
then get a long crowbar and come in through the TB side past the starter. hook the crowbar in the ribbs of the axle cup..and strike it several times.
.once that parts out the other halfshaft will come out ez when you remove the idle bearing from the block

 

[Ls2monaro]

its a two part axel..a male end gos into the bearing thats on the back of the block..spray it down with pb blaster very good first..
then get a long crowbar and come in through the TB side past the starter. hook the crowbar in the ribbs of the axle cup..and strike it several times.
.once that parts out the other halfshaft will come out ez when you remove the idle bearing from the block

Third time now.. the CV axle and intermediate shaft are OUT OF THE CAR ALREADY....No issue there. I simply want to know the best way to go about REMOVING THE CV AXLE SEAL from the driver side of the transmission. Thank you though

Ohh the seal on the transmission! Oops.

To change that one, I had to remove the transmission and actually hammer it out from the inside. You can PROBABLY pry it out if you remove the t-case (all of five bolts, and you need to disconnect the downpipe from the turbo and let it hang). but it may be a real booger to try to do that way. It's in there pretty good.

Yeah that's what I was afraid of., looks like the only way to do it though without removing the transmission. Now when I remove the bolts for the transfer case to the trans, no fluid should leak out of the transfer case or trans right? I believe a male end comes out of the trans and a female end into the transfer case. Both are sealed right?

Anyone else dealt with removing/installing this seal with the transmission still in the car?

 

[hubbazoot]

Third time now.. the CV axle and intermediate shaft are OUT OF THE CAR ALREADY....No issue there. I simply want to know the best way to go about REMOVING THE CV AXLE SEAL from the driver side of the transmission. Thank you though



Yeah that's what I was afraid of., looks like the only way to do it though without removing the transmission. Now when I remove the bolts for the transfer case to the trans, no fluid should leak out of the transfer case or trans right? I believe a male end comes out of the trans and a female end into the transfer case. Both are sealed right?

Anyone else dealt with removing/installing this seal with the transmission still in the car?

Think about this carefully now. The shaft is sealed, yes, and there is a female end inside the transmission, yes, but you're changing that seal. The transmission may leak some oil, and the transfer case will definitely dump oil out the driveshaft connection, and it takes 1 quart. Since you're already at 2/3 quarts to fill both, I'd suggest just draining the transmission and making your life easier.

Here's a picture for you, the shaft in the middle of the bellhousing is obv. the input shaft. The other male shaft is for the transfer case. The hole above that is the axle seal. Yes, it does push out that way, but I had to wail on it with a 2lb hammer to get it to come out.

 

[Ls2monaro]

Alright, So the best way to change that cv shaft seal is to drain the trans, drain the transfer case, then drop the exhaust and pull the transfer case out of the way. Then beat the hell out of that seal with a hammer and a screwdriver till it lets loose?

Last question on this,... After pulling the t-case, are there any seals that need to be changed or can I just pop it back on, fill it up, and not worry about it?

 

[hubbazoot]

Alright, So the best way to change that cv shaft seal is to drain the trans, drain the transfer case, then drop the exhaust and pull the transfer case out of the way. Then beat the hell out of that seal with a hammer and a screwdriver till it lets loose?

Last question on this,... After pulling the t-case, are there any seals that need to be changed or can I just pop it back on, fill it up, and not worry about it?

Well if you were hitting it from the other side of the casing (as in you had the transmission apart)...yeah. Seeing as how you're on the OTHER side, though... you're going to have to pry it out, if at all possible. Be careful about the seating surface for the seal though.

As for the t-case, there's no seals on it, but do be careful about the drive shaft. The drive shaft needs to be supported when you pull the t-case off. Also, that thing is WAY heavier than it looks, so be careful. But yeah, you can just pop it back on and fill it back up.

If you'd like any pictures, I got mine all apart right now, so I can snap some for you if you want.

 

[Ls2monaro]

Yeah, if you wanted to attach some pictures that would be greatly appreciated. I'm about to go pull at the junk apart now and see how it goes.

 

[hubbazoot]

Yeah, if you wanted to attach some pictures that would be greatly appreciated. I'm about to go pull at the junk apart now and see how it goes.

Of what in particular? I really got all the pictures I think would be useful...

 

[Ls2monaro]

Well I just got it all done, so no need for the pics, but thank you very much. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but removing the transfer case was definitely the key to getting that dr. side axle seal. Just 5 bolts and gently wiggled it away from the trans.

Then I just bit the bullet and filled both the trans and t-case with royal purple 75w 90. Figured it would probably be a little better than penz synchromesh. After a test drive the synchros felt a little smoother