Do I hit here to remove the passenger CV shaft

[tomsmith]

Hey all,

I have read pretty much all the threads here on the front passenger CV shaft removal but I'm hoping someone can help me with the final stretch.

I have removed the CV shaft from the wheel successfully but where I am struggling is removing it from the front diff. All the front disconnect bolts are removed.

I'm using the drift bar method as I don't have a pickle form or chisel that is long enough. I'm lying under the vehicle from the front so my head is under the front suspension crossmember and I've got a 24" 3/8 extension bar as my drift with a 5lb hammer.

I slide the extension bar so the end is touching one of these three places:



Many thanks to Roadie for the image, I hope he doesn't mind me re-using it.

Here's the problem .. I can really only get it on the green spot. I can position it on the blue area, but as soon as I hit it with the hammer, it slides off that little indent so I can't transfer the force from the hammer blow properly.

I cannot get it on the red area, there just isn't enough room for me to angle the extension so its resting on the red area.

I've placed it on the green area and given it some fairly healthy whacks but it's not budging.

1. Am I doing this right? Am I hitting it on the right spot and the right direction? From all I have read, the goal is to hit it hard enough or enough times that the splined part slides out of the diff and towards the passenger wheel hub.

2. How much force is too much? Some people say 2 or 3 whacks and it pops out but I'm afraid if I hit it any harder, something is gonna break. I'm a pretty strong guy and I'm putting some real grunt into these blows.

[nfsroadsta2786]

there is a clamp that you can attach to the cv axle on the side of the wheel bearing and you can whack that with the hammer giving you more room to swing
i think its called an axle puller or something like that
and as for hitting it on the inside hit it harder since you are replacing it or get a friend to hold the bar and you swing the hammer

[tomsmith]

Thanks .. I went back after a few hours and gave it 3 solid whacks while the extension bar was against the green area and it finally loosened.

The whole housing actually came, not just the CV shaft which is a result I suppose. I was hoping just the CV shaft would pop out so I could remove it from the spindle, but as it stands, there's not enough room for me to get the shaft out. I didn't remove the tie rod or the lower ball joint so I guess I'll be doing that tomorrow.