Any idea what to try to remove one off the front axle if soaking it in crc,a3' breaker bar,and poundin on it with a hammer won't work? I'm afraid I'm gonna end up breakin the axle? Also what size is the castle nut? I'm using a big cresent cause all my bug sockets are standard and won't fit... I'm asuming it's metric? It's an 04 400 by the way...

Any help appreciated!

 

I spent hours trying to get them off, then I got an impact wrench on them and they were off in a matter of seconds. I believe it's a 30mm socket.

 

had to borrow the socket... but I had to hit it with the impact as well?

 

Thanks fellas! 2 seconds with an impact,,,,,, problem solved now onto my next problem/question?

When I pulled the axle out of the differential,on that end,there is a grove where the axle was in the differential that looks like it may have had a retaining ring or something on it? There was nothing there? was there suposed to be? and if so where did it go? after thinking about it I couldnt have pulled the axle out with it on there and on the parts breakdown they dont show one, but why the grove?

Thanks again for the help!

 

WOW.... There's a first time for everything,Bass Pro has my seals in stock!

I'm going to pick them up and put this thing back together,but before
I do.... Anyone have an answer about that grove around the axle where it goes into the differential? Again it looks like it should have some sort of retaining clip to keep the axle from sliding in and out of the diff? But if it did the axle wouldn't just be able to slide out like it does???? But what's that grove around the axle for then???? To allow lube unto the teeth on axle????

I'm scratchin my head and don't want to put it back together missing something or wrong.....

Any ideas?

 

To answer your question - YES I do believe there was supposed to be a retaining clip in the groove on the axle shaft. That's what holds it in place.




I've read many posts about the difficulty of pulling the 1/2 shaft out of the differential housing, and pretty much ALL of them talk about the retaining clip.

Not sure where yours is....unless it's in the bottom of the housing.

Goodluck.

 

The picture Cups has shows where it is supposed to be. I have had mine stay in the groove inside the housing. If you shine a light in and stick your finger into the gear the splined part of the axle goes into you should feel the clip. If you can feel it it can be a real bugger to get at. I long (Long) pair of needle nose pliers works best. Pull it out and slide it back over the end of the axle stub into tis groove.

 

Thanks guys, I'll check it out this evening! Any idea what the part # of that clip is? I've been over the parts schematic and can't find any picture or mention of it? That's part of my confusion I think???

 

Swampy, is there anyway that clip made it all the way into the diff. Housing?

 

Part number in my book says 0441-400 and calls it a retaining clip. Looks like they are about $1 each.

I am pretty sure that the axle from both sides slides into the Ring Gear and snap into a groove with the aid of that retaining clip. I do not see how it could get into the gear case but it can get stuck inside the ring gear.

If the retaining ring popped out of its groove and got ground up by the splines you would see the splines be pretty tattered. So I see one of three things, 1 it was never there to begin with, 2 it fell off and you did not notice it, or 3 it is stuck inside the ring gear.

You may need to pull the axle off the other side to look through the ring gear to see where it is at.

How easy did the axle stub come out of the rear diff anyway?

If you did not have to put one or both feet onthe rear diff and yank HARD then it may have been missing the whole time. Which would casue the axle stub to move in and out fro mthe cv joint sliding just enough make the seal leak.

Pull the other axle and look inside the ring gear.

Swampy