Ok, I surrender. What are some tricks others have used to get the rear axles out of the diff on an '03 500 SP ? They're seized solid on the splines in the rear diff. I've been spraying penetrating fluid onto them about three times a day for four days now hoping it would work it's way in on the splines and I still can't pop them free with a four foot pry bar. Does anyone have a magic bullet for this problem ???

 

Just PB Blaster and heat. Use short ,rapid jerks, and a lot of times will finally pop out. Having a friend with a pry bar helps. Plus some posters have mentioned using a slide hammer on tough ones. Use anti seize going back in,can help in the future. Its just if they've been in there for years the dirt and water and mud just seem to weld em to the splines. OPT

 

PB Blaster works miracles. It and Kroil is the best of the best.

I have seen rusty things you could not budge with a sledge hammer almost fall off after soaking in PB Blaster overnight.

 

Also on the 500 Sportsman if you are trying to get one axle out and it will not come lose try the other side. If it comes out you can use a steel rod and a hammer to knock out the stubborn axle.

 

i use aq slide hammer with a short chain that fits around the fat part next to diff, make chain fit pretty tight, ghet a-arm tied up out of the way , a couple good wacks with slide hanmmer and out they come, can buy a cheap one at harbor freight

 

I used a ball joint spreader and it poped right out.

 

Thanks for the replies. After days of penetrating oil, the left/rear came out last night, but right is still stuck.

OD, I didn't realize it was an open (rather than blind) splined sleeve in the rear diff. I'll check that out when I get home today. Kerbbirds, I did buy a nice 5 lb. slide hammer kit the other day from NAPA, so I'm ready now. Thanks again for all the tips.............Ken

 

Overdrive, thanks again for the tip. I feel like an idiot for not even looking to see if I could hit it out from the other side. It took a one second "brap" with my Snap-On air hammer and the axle was laying on the floor, but a much longer, frustrating road to get to that point. Oh well, live and learn.

 

Grease the splines well before you put the axles back in. I use a lot of grease so the area between the axle ends if filled with grease. Just don't use too much because if you do when you slide one axle in it can shove the other one back out.

I did that once.

You will find that if you grease these splines the next time you have to pull an axle out it will pop right out no problem.

 

I have used anti-seize in the past....