[whynotthinkwhynot]

I don't feel like a very good mechanic now. I've been working on CV axle removal and installation this whole weekend, and I'm still not done. Unfortunately, I don't have anything long or small enough to be able to hit the driver's side axle hard enough.

I do have 2 slide hammer puller sets rented, but it seems that to use the one that will work I'll have to lower the crossmember, or remove the lower motor mount.

If I end up lowering the crossmember, is it possible to loosen everything and drop it down about 1/4" at the front without damaging the steering coupling? That would give me enough access to get the foot for the slide hammer in there and pull the axle out that way.

It's freaking oppressively hot here today. 105 by my thermometer.

 

[iminhell]

You know what a clutch pry bar looks like right? (I probably don't have the name correct)

That's what I used to get mine out. Worked awesome, but I had to slide the engine to the passenger side as far as the mounts would allow.
Was a struggle to find just the right spot for it to grab onto but once I found that spot I hit the end of the bar with my deadblow and she popped right out.


In one of Casey, or maybe it was illipono, threads they said they used the Focus lug wrench. I tried that and couldn't get it to work. The clutch tool won the battle.

 

[Mike_Mac]

if i was closer i would lend you my punch.

i have heard 1/4" rod works too, and some mentions of the spare tire iron.

hope you get it done soon, i just had to fix a broken control arm bolt and the damaged that caused.

 

[jetrinka]

The crossmember will lower sufficiently enough without damaging anything. Thats how most people swap out their front swaybars. Basically take out the bolts and then it hangs from the rear mount and the control arm ball joint bolts.

 

[iminhell]

But the BJ's have to be removed to pull the axle ... keep that in mind.

 

[jetrinka]

Even if the bolts are backed out so just a few threads remaining in their holes it should give enough room. A few inches at least.

Good point iminhell.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

But the BJ's have to be removed to pull the axle ... keep that in mind.

That's already done. In fact, the strut assemblies and hubs are totally out. I'd be out there trying more stuff if I didn't have to watch my daughter while the wife is at work. I'll be able to try some suggestions after 7pm. I'm going to go get a solid rod from HD, and now that I think about it- somewhere in my van there's the jack extension tool. It's fairly thin if I recall correctly, solid, and long.

 

[Mike_Mac]

i have only ever had luck using a punch threw the diff. any other way just was a waste of my time.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Thanks for all your help everyone. I'm all set to hit on this thing with something, but I just don't have anything that will work at the moment. That's the biggest problem aside of the heat. I'm still dizzy, and I've been inside for an hour already. I'm used to this abuse at work, but we stop regularly. It's different when you're working for yourself and trying to get something done on a schedule.

I totally KOed my puller getting the axle out of the passenger hub. Wow Ford, everything else I've ever worked on came loose with the tap of a hammer. Maybe it was the 130k miles, but that thing gets nickel anti-seize.

How hard is it to get the shaft back in the hub? Do I need to rent something to pull it in?

 

[Diesel]

Any piece of thin long hard metal and whack it out from the passenger side. I removed my battery tray above axel and used a longprybar. it's the snap ring opening up getting jamed in side the tranny. Mine did the same thing.
You can lower the subframe all you want the column should have a slip joint in it like a drive shaft. just don't let it slide all the way apart. Or it's a pita to put back together.

If your still stuck I can help you in Febuary when I move down there. LOL JK but I am comming.

 

[jetrinka]

^^^Interesting. Never thought about moving the battery box outta the way and doing it from above.

 

[iminhell]

How hard is it to get the shaft back in the hub? Do I need to rent something to pull it in?

Easy as pie.
Just use a liberal coating of light oil and it slides in almost all the way. From there I just used the nut to pull it the rest of the way ... but I'm using air tools, hand tools might be tougher, considerably.

And for getting them out I back the nut off so a few threads stick over the end of the stub and give it a smack or 3 with a hammer. Same thing I do for tie rods and ball joints. So long as you don't destroy the nut it works great, if you have a new nut swing away.


I never tried it but, if you have a cat's paw that might work.
But maybe I came at the axle from the way most don't? I came at it parallel to the axle vs 90* to it. I couldn't get around the subframe so parallel was the alternative and why a bar with a 90* bend worked.

 

[iroc34]

Still seemed easiest to hit it through the diff. I even made the special tool that Ford shows in the shop manual. Hooked it up to a slide hammer and banged on it for 15 minutes. Removed the passenger side , and knocked it out on the second swing. Threw that pos I made in the trash. And I know the feeling. I have probably 8-9 k worth of tools at work. And when I get home I never have the right one.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

Been there done that with the battery box, unfortunately I couldn't get on it that way either- my pry bar was too long. I can't tell you how many tools I looked for today that I couldn't find probably because they were loaned to someone.

I've removed the battery, the battery box, strut and hub assembly, the carrier bearing holder, and rented 2 different slide hammer kits. I'd have saved myself some money if I hadn't tried removing the RH axle to hammer on this one from the back. I screwed up and pulled too hard on the passenger axle messing up the inner CV.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

I have a pic of the tool I KOed removing the axle from the hub. There's no way hammering would've ever worked. I hope mine slide in that easy. I'm going to wire brush the inside of the hub to clean out all the crap. It seems like there was some sort of galvanic reaction going on in there although I'd think both those were steel. I'm taking pics, and will write a How-To on it, so I hope all of you who responded will add your experiences. I wish I'd checked here first, but I blundered my way into it like it was any other CV axle job I've done where I could pry it out without having to do much more than put the pry bar up there. I guess I shouldn't have told my wife that it was an easy job before I started. I figured 4-5 hours top start to finish like any other CV job I've done. Not even close to what I've experienced. I even had a hard time with the ball joint- usually those just fall down with the LCA when you pry it down. Both were rusted in place. It's just not my weekend.

I feel like I need a Midol, or just a decent muscle relaxer.

 

[Diesel]

I coat the end of the axel with white grease and tap it in then impact it in the rest of the way. Or you can put a screwdriver in the brake rotor veins between the caliper bracket and crank away with a ratchet.

With the car on the ground I couldn't get in on mine with the 3' prybar so I went from above. (removed what ever is mounted above it air boox battery tray what ever's in your way)

Nut on axel end is very important for a reinstall. if you are planning on reusing it you can mushroom the tip then the nut won't fit anymore and you have to grind it. also you wack the acerman arm with a hammer the tierod/ball joints will free up and pop out not ripping the boots.

Never used a puller of any sorts on axel work happy stick(4lb sledge) and prybar is all I use besides sockets.

 

[Diesel]

you should be able to pop the cv back together on the pass one. they are supposed to pull apart.
So how did you get it out?

 

[iminhell]

Also for the Focus BJ's, you can wedge a chisel in the spindle to spread it slightly and ease removal of them. Just don't wedge too tight.

 

[Diesel]

^ yes good way for split spindles.