My outer CV boots need replacing so I trying to take out the current halfshafts on my '98 Auto GLE. www.motorvate.ca is a great help.

I am ready to remove the halfshafts from the transaxle and am starting with the RIGHT side (per my Chilton Manual). So I removed the 3 bolts from the support bearing housing but couldn't go any further. I tried wedging a screw driver in the joint and persuade it with a hammer but it did not budge. So, I soaked it with PB Buster and will revisit tonight. Do you have any tips on how to separate the support bearing?

Also, I am unclear on the next steps. For, the RIGHT side I need to gently pry the halfshaft from the transaxle which is fine. But for the LEFT the manual says "On automatic transaxles, the left halfshaft should be removed by using a suitable tool as shown in the illustration. Use caution when performing this procedure, as the gear and pinion mate shaft are easily damaged." I see the illustration and get the general idea but I don't want to screw anything up. I guess I need a long flat head screw driver and need to keep it towards the top of the shaft and press. Can you give any tips?

 

If you can't seperate the support bearing on the car the best bet is to unbolt the bracket from the block (3 bolts), then slide out the axle with support.

Usually you can just give the left axle a good yank and it will pop out. Some people don't like this, but I've never had a problem. Another option is to wedge a pry bar in there and pop it out. Special tools are unnecessary.

 

Once you have the 3 bolts out of the bearing support housing take a chisel and hammer and get the housing to turn, which will loosen it up. Then you can pull it out of the bracket and off the car. Yes, this job can be a real pain.

 

Yeah it took me and my buddy a good amount of time to chisel away at that ****en bracket... and that was with his dad helping. But once we got it out it was ez pezy

 

So a couple of hours later and a whole lot of pounding screw drivers ... I have it seperated by about 1/4". Boy do I wish they used anti-seize compound when they in stalled the thing.

I don't know how much more I have to go but I should be able to get it off when I am fresh and ready to take it on again.

 

Yeah just pounding it (no homo) it will come out soon

 

I have heard that the gears will drop out of place if both halfshafts are removed and nothing is in there hold them in place. Is this true?

 

The difficulty with a chisel is the split is practically invisible. The halves line up almost perfectly on my car, so even a sharpened chisel tip won't find the split.

Start with penetrating oil all around that housing split. Then take a dremel tool with a thin cutting wheel, and cut a 3/4" long groove about 1/16" deep along the line of that split. Now drive your chisel into that, and it should wedge apart much more quickly.

I never had much luck unbolting the whole bracket, but if you can do that it's not a bad idea. There are cases of breaking the bracket.

Dave

 

OK, I got it out last night. One mistake that I was making was that I was completely working at the bottom screw areas. I needed to release the tension on the top also. This sounds obvious but I am sure that I am not the first to make this mistake.

 

One good idea before installing the new axle on the right side is to take a piece of sand paper and smooth out the inner support. Also lube up the new bearing before installing, should make things go a bit smoother on reentry.
As far as removing from the support if you look at the axle where it bolts to the support you will notice "ears" where each bolt is. If there is no gap to get a chisel or screwdriver try pounding on those ears to get the bearing to rotate. Once you get it moving apply more PB Blaster and then use the flat head screwdriver to pry apart.
Good luck