Major Mistake - Pulled the half shaft out of the front dif.

JacksJeep · **Posted:** Mon May 29, 2006 11:29 am

I was working on removing the steering knucke from the axle to change out the lower ball joint. I was pulling out on the knuckle and my wife was tapping on the axle trying to free the knuckle. Suddenly everything moved toward me, but the knucke had not moved on the axle. I crawled under the KJ and my heart sank. The axle (driver's side) and pulled part way out of the differential. The bearing surface is fully out. The spline portion is still inside the diff. What do I do? :cry:

Skyjump136 · **Joined:** Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:50 pm **Posts:** 1633

Push it back in...seriously. Unless I'm missing something that's not a big deal. Just push until it reseats itself.

gregerm · **Posted:** Mon May 29, 2006 1:55 pm

What's the big deal? It should just slide in ane out if its not connected.

JacksJeep · **Posted:** Mon May 29, 2006 1:57 pm

I got the axle back into the differential. I had to use a step ladder and two tensioning straps to lift the knuckle and align the axle. But it is back together.
But I still cannot get the knuckle off the axle. It's really "frozen" on there. I put a steel bar across the end of the axle and then two big C claps to make a puller. It just won't budge. Any thoughts?

JacksJeep · **Posted:** Mon May 29, 2006 4:50 pm

Finally got the knucke off the axle. After bending a large steel piece, I resorted to a large pry bar (inch thick) and the C clamps. The corosion was the entire length of the spines. It had to be pressed off to the very end.

Thanks, guys, for the advice. I never took a front axle out of the housing. So I didn't know it just slide back in. Probably a lot easier to do with the knuckle removed. :lol:

Major Mistake - Pulled the half shaft out of the front dif.

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