Ideas wanted: removing stubborn stub from diff

[Eidolon]

I've got a stub stuck in the rear differential. It's the GForce 1400 HP axle stub, so it's made of adamantium and clipped in like crazy. Luckily, I can unbolt the axle itself, so all I've got is the stub.

A 42" "wrecker bar"/crowbar didn't do the trick. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can find a slide hammer that will fit. If that doesn't work, I'm pretty much out of ideas!

Anyone else got suggestions? Thanks!

[TooManyHobbies]

Can you slide a pipe in from the other side and give it some persuasion from that direction?

[tchr49]

Can you slide a pipe in from the other side and give it some persuasion from that direction?

Make sure it's stout. If it mushrooms, you could be screwed...

[Chewy]

I know you've thought of this, but... How about saying F it and leaving them in the car when you sell it? I know you'd like to sell them to offset the cost, but...

[Eidolon]

Can you slide a pipe in from the other side and give it some persuasion from that direction?

Make sure it's stout. If it mushrooms, you could be screwed...
I actually had some help one night and stuck a stout blunt-nosed punch in from the passenger side. Whacks with a 3-lb hammer while someone else used a pry-bar (18" or so) on it produced... nada.


I know you've thought of this, but... How about saying F it and leaving them in the car when you sell it? I know you'd like to sell them to offset the cost, but...
I have thought of this, and I'm loath to do it since I could probably get something like $800 for the axles. Last ditch would be to find a GXP M6 owner who wanted to swap the diff wholesale. But that's a bit much. So... at the end of the day, I might be forced to leave them, as much as that sucks. It'd make me more motivated to sell the car to someone who appreciate the axles, though.

[donkeyGT]

I can't help you with your axles Kevin..but it's a crying shame that someone didn't buy your car as is..so well and tastefully done. GL

[Eidolon]

I can't help you with your axles Kevin..but it's a crying shame that someone didn't buy your car as is..so well and tastefully done. GL
Yeah, I wish. Woulda saved me the trouble and allowed someone else to enjoy it as it was. But... people want a car that's at least stock-ish so they can make it conform to their vision, not someone else's. It is what it is. Thanks for the well-wishing!

[BuildItYourSelf]

Big plastic mallet while prying.
HIt opposite sides. Might help.

Other then that I'd say something with the clip could be wrong. Might have to take the rear cover off to see what's going on in there.

[THE Adam V]

Air hammer. Has worked for me every time.

[Eidolon]

Air hammer. Has worked for me every time.
For getting the stub out of the differential? Or the stub out of the wheel hub?

[THE Adam V]

Both. If you have the right bits.

[Eidolon]

Both. If you have the right bits.
I don't, unfortunately. Don't even have an air hammer.

Thankfully, didn't need it! Rented a slide hammer, then took a punch and 3-lb hammer to the stub through the diff again and it finally popped out!

Decided to check the C-clip to see what was holding it up and... part of the C-clip sheared off inside the diff. Drat. So now I'll have to drain the diff lube and pray that bit of C-clip comes out, otherwise I'll be dropping the diff and popping open the rear casing. Luckily, it looks like the seal for the diff casing is the make-a-gasket rubber goo and there's just a few bolts holding it on. Judging by the FSM, I don't think I'll need to worry about the bearing lash for just removing the rear cover. Still... A bit more work. Oh well.

Thanks for the help, all!

[THE Adam V]

I would imagine it will be easy to find. Just bend the clip back into shape and clip it back one.

[Eidolon]

I would imagine it will be easy to find. Just bend the clip back into shape and clip it back one.
It didn't just bend and fall off. The act of removing the stub cut the C-clip in half. So part of the clip is on the stub, and the rest is somewhere inside the diff. So I'll need some new C-clips, regardless.

... though now that you mention it, I should at least make sure it didn't fall out somewhere obvious, such as on the floor under the car.