Page BottomSo i can finally get to work on the car, which has been up on blocks for 2 years because of the neighbors, their dogs, and the DA's office telling me they'd put me in jail for 10 years if i defended myself against an attacking rottwiler. Not only had the exposed hubs rusted, so did the new shafts sitting in the hatchback. One of the hubs was locked in tightly to the axle, and either i was getting the axle out, or i'd haveto remove the axle with the hub still attached and junk them together. A combination of torch and wheel pullers had the desired effect plus some, bending the hub flange that holds the lug bolts. Removing the thing to have it turned was out of the question, if i had to remove it i'd just replace it with a new one. In fact, or after the fact, the hub is stiff, and i will haveto replace it anyhow, but now i can drive the car to the dealer for the new part. But why not turn it in place, the way brake rotors were once turned?
Here's a before pic:
I put the new axle in, tho not forceably, and locked up the other axle, and put the car in 1st gear at idle to turn the hub. Here's after grinding:
I could have kept at it and done it better, but i didn't really have a good reason to, considering it wasn't going to last 10K miles anyhow. I also took down the lip that the puller lifted out radially. Closeup:
And here is how to remove the axles without getting up under the car with a block of wood and sledgehammer (altho that also works). Remember, these axles are shot, i won't be reusing them, so abuse is acceptable. The transmission is designed for them to be forceably removed, there's a compression locking clip that holds them in place.
 hammer.jpg)
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