CV joint stuck in hub

[Major Malfunction]

Hi everyone,

I’m in the middle of trying to replace a CV boot, however I’m struggling to separate the driveshaft from the hub. I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2 have ever been separated in 19 years. No amount of hammering, Plusgas or swearing can get it to budge...

I’ve seen people use hub puller as a ‘pusher’ if that makes sense, but I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas. Thanks

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

No, the puller used in reverse is the only way to go, I am affraid. But it should work

 

[mmc757]

More leverage or bigger hammer

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

More leverage or bigger hammer

One of Murphy's laws: Don't force it, use a bigger hammer!

 

[Major Malfunction]

Thanks to those who replied

I bought some hub pullers and gave it a go today. Unfortunately they lasted about 10 minutes before the bolt holding them together sheared!

I could blame them for being poor quality, but the CV joint is well and truly stuck...

Option 1 is to fix the hub pullers and give it another try, more hammering this time.

Option 2 is to somehow get the hub off with the driveshaft attached and get a garage to press it out. Has anyone done it this way before?

 

[mmc757]

Its hard to tell from the photo so...Dummy check: Your knuckle isnt connected to anything else right now (ball joint) preventing it from moving, right? Remember, your pulling the whole knuckle.
Assuming you pass the dummy check, Hub puller+Heat on the hub (lots of it)+Cool on the axle+Lots of penetrating fluid+BFH or a very long lever
If you can find a hub puller like this one, they are a lot less hassle.

 

[Major Malfunction]

Thought I’d give this thread one last update.

Thanks to mmc757 for the advice, I ended up buying a much beefier hub puller as shown in the photo below. I also removed the entire suspension strut with driveshaft still attached.

It might look a bit drastic, but allowing the PlusGas to work its way down through the splines helped massively. A few taps of the hub puller and we have movement! :grin:

 

[grogee]

Mine is stuck too - I've got offside out no problems because I took driveshaft out for something else a year or two ago. But nearside is stuck. I've ordered something that looks a bit like mmc757's picture which may or may not be called a duck foot. Doused it in WD and I'll have a go at weekend once tool has arrived from Amazon. Will report back...

 

[John Woodward]

I don't rate WD40 as a penetrating oil, from bitter experiences over the years, I now always use Plus Gas or similar and that seems to work far better.
Good luck.

 

[DOH]

I got a seized drive shaft out of my hub last month as part of my engine swap. It was badly stuck and although I ad the above beefier hub puller, I didn't think to use it.

I used GT85 on both sides of the splines and hit it with a club hammer. It took some sever hammering and I swelled the end of the drive shaft and had to file it down to be able to get the hub nut back on.
So using the hub puller is definitely the best way to go.

I recommend putting grease on the spines when you refit into the hub as that will stop it getting stuck again in the future

 

[grogee]

Driveshaft shifted easily with the pusher/puller tool. I got a cheap one off Amazon for about £12 or so. The thread in the casting didn't seem too well formed but it did the necessary. Besides they helpfully also provide a nut in case the thread in the casting breaks, almost like they know it's garbage!!!

I do think that the whacking method is limited by the fact that the whole suspension assembly is absorbing the blows, ie suspension bushes. Whereas the 'pusher' method directs the force exactly where it needs to be.

Don't forget to use the old nut on the end of the driveshaft if you are using the whacking method!

 

[DOH]

Don't forget to use the old nut on the end of the driveshaft if you are using the whacking method!

There is no need to use the nut , because the bit you are hitting with the hammer protrudes out approx the width of your thumb, after the thread has ended.

 

[caprixpack]

Bit of a thread resurrection but yeah, I'm having a great day.

Drive shaft is well and truly stuck in the hub.

 

[DOH]

As you have removed the whole shaft you may as well hold the hub in a vice and spray GT85 on the splines and leave it to soak and then use either the hub puller above or take it to someone who has a hydraulic press.

 

[caprixpack]

Thankfully I have an old hub puller and managed the get it out.


The rest of the shenanigans will be put up on the project thread.