So I finally got the tranny dropped out tonight. It took me a little while to get the passenger side axle out first though. I undid the 3 bolts that attach the axle to that bracket. However, undoing them didn't do anything as I couldn't get that part to separate from the bracket. In the end I had to undo the 3 bolts that hold the bracket to the engine block and remove the whole axle from the CV shaft all the way to the bit that goes into the tranny.

If my understanding of the axle is correct it is supposed to come in half right? I would assume so otherwise I don't see the point in removing the first three bolts if you just take the whole bracket off the engine. Looking at the thing it looks like it should split in half but even with the whole thing off I tried to split the two pieces apart and couldn't.

Not that it is of any consequence now but I am just curious about this as I seem to have had more difficulty with this than most people do.

Beyond that, I am now past the hard part (taking it all apart), all I have to do now is install my new clutch and put everything back together.

 

1 long axle with the bracket attatched.

 

This is what I mean

 

Then why remove those 3 bolts?

 

That bracket actually splits apart. It seizes together just from all the rust and water. Mostly everyone has the problem getting it to split in half. I had the problem. Unbolted it from the engine block and then hit it apart once I got it out. Then sanded down the area to make it shiny(clean off the rust) and then applied antiseize.

 

ok i just wanted to make sure they really were meant to come apart before i started trying anything like that.