This is beyond tugging and prying. How do the pros get the tough ones out? I'm replacing the front axles with Gorillas and installing a 2" lift, but can't get the stock axle out of the front diff. I tried prying off of the yoke, tied a cable to the yoke then to a sledge hammer and gave it some good swings and tried tugging on it a hundred times, it just won't pop.

Can I use a penetrating oil like PB blaster on the axle spline without ruining the seal or bearing in the front diff?

Thanks

 

Yeah, you can use penetrating oil. I used WD40 and it worked fine. Spray it on and let it sit for about 30 minutes. You can try and pry it out or what I have used is a ratchet strap. Hook the ratchet strap up to something inline with the differential and tighten the strap up. If you can't get the axle out with that, then while you still have the tension on with the strap, bump the axle with your pry bar again. If it still doesn't come out then release the tension and reapply the oil. Then wait another 30 minutes or so, and retry pulling it out.

 

Brilliant idea Bigred. I'll give it a shot of WD40 tonight and try again tomorrow.

Thank you.

Andre

 

I got the front axle out, hallelujah. I used the ratchet strap method but I had to put a 2x4 piece of lumber in between the diff and the anchor point to keep the machine from sliding over.

I cranked the ratchet untill the stitching on the strap started to pop and the axle still would'nt pop out, then under tension I tapped the yoke from behind with a hammer and it slowly came out. Man! that thing was stuck. Bigred, the rachet strap method is a good idea and is more friendly to the front diff then banging and prying. Now I can get on with the lift kit install. Thanks.

Andre