Rear axle removal

[empie1]

I have a rear axle nut seized and I know theres been a million threads about it, I have a new axle ready but my numerous attempts to get the old one out failed. I am now at the point of simply disconnecting everything hooked to the knuckle (lower strut, trailing arm ect ect) Then taking it to a friend with an Acetylene torch

The trailing arm as well as the lower strut bolt are giving me quite a hard time as theres not much wiggle room to get at them so I got to thinking, is it possible to simply unbolt the 4 bolts holding the hub on and then pull the axle out by the hub through the knuckle? THen I could simply cut it right at the boot as I show in the 2nd picture

**EDIT** This is my brothers 97 TSI AWD

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[squeak104]

If you have a new bearing to replace it with, then just unbolt the bearing and pop the axle out. If i remember correctly the outer boot won't fit through the hole to get the axle out, but the inner boot will. You don't need to mess around unbolting the trailing arms or anything. When I reassembled it, I had the axle back in the diff, then rebooted the outer, and then installed the new bearing. Been about a year and a half since I've done a rear bearing.

If you are curious, Raxles sells the outer cup with a new boot, grease, and clamps but is only for non abs as it doesn't have tone ring. Sells for about $100-120.

 

[empie1]

I unbolted the rear hub assembly (the 4 bolts) would I be able to pull the entire axle out through that hole (since the axle nut is stuck)?

 

[squeak104]

I unbolted the rear hub assembly (the 4 bolts) would I be able to pull the entire axle out through that hole (since the axle nut is stuck)?

Did you read my post at all? I shall say it once again. The outer boot won't fit. Everything else will come right out through the spindle.

 

[empie1]

Did you read my post at all? I shall say it once again. The outer boot won't fit. Everything else will come right out through the spindle.

Ooops didn't see that part, but im not sure as to how im supposed to get it out since i cant get the nut off

 

[squeak104]

If I were you I'd get another hub assembly. They are about $135 from "Mitsubishi Parts" | Online Parts & Accessories Catalog. Then you don't have to worry about taking apart the old axle and bearing.

 

[empie1]

I plan on it but that still doesnt help me with getting the axle out, What I'm asking is how should i go about getting the old axle out since the nut is rust welded on there, ive tried heating iy, 4 foot breaker bar...I figured id take the whole assembly out

 

[talondave]

If you can get it off with a 4' breaker bar, then you only choice is to torch it off!

 

[empie1]

I have tried everything to get the axle nut off. I have a new axe and a new hub assembly..I just need to get the other ones out. My idea was to unbolt the entire knuckle ad putt the whole thing out to have better access to try to torch that nut off at a friends house. I thought maybe i could simply unbolt the 4 bolts holding the hub assembly on and then i could just pull the axle out through the knuckle but I guess that wont work as the outter boot wont fit through. I cant get the knuckle out because i cant get the lower strut bolt and the trailing arm bolts loose...Im out of ideas. It's quite frustrating since i have the new parts ready to go...I just cant get the junk out

 

[talondave]

I feel for you man! My buddy had the same problem last year. We got the nut off but the axle still wouldn't come out, ended up taking the hole thing to a shop and pressing it out! I took 11 tons of pressure to press it out! Spay every thing with pblaster and keep tring.

 

[dSmgs-T]

damn rust!

i personally can not STAND dealing with axles... GL with it though!

 

[squeak104]

Cut the outer boot off the old axle that's in the car. The axle will fit through the spindle then. When I did the bearing on mine and my wife's talon, I didn't replace the whole axle, just the outer cup. So I had room to get the axle in the rear diff, the slide the boot on, pack it with grease, slide the clamps on, pop the outer cup on, and tighten the clamps. Then I slid the new hub assembly on.

 

[Turbo Juice]

Since most of the axle is toast, Just cut the boot off. Then you should be able to slide the axle and hud out.

 

[ACM]

Don't waste your time on the nut - once you remove it you'll simply discover that the axle has corroded into the hub and still won't come out, not even with a 20-ton press.

Do what the previous poster stated - remove the clamp on the outer clamp from the outer boot, peel the boot back; remove the hub bolts and then pull the hub/axle joint through the upright and throw in the nearest trash bin. Once you've done that, the remainder of the axle will come off easily, remember to coat everything in anti-seize otherwise it will bond together again.

This won't work for front axles as the joint diameter is too largeto fit throug hthe upright.

HTH,
Charles

 

[empie1]

Got it. Appreciate all the help.

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