I've finally got most of my 4x4 Sierra LSD axle apart- yippee!

Believe it or not it took 3 trips to garages to get the hub nuts loosened- the offside needed a 500lbs/ft air gun but they couldn't do the other, found somewhere else who (on 2nd visit coz I went and bought them a 41mm socket to use!!!) had a 650lbs/ft air gun which (eventually) got it off!
650lbs/ft would you Adam and Eve it!

Anyway, having got these off I got the axle home and ground off the 24 Torx bolts so I now have a separate diff, shafts and hubs.

Unfortunately the hubs are still embedded in the suspension arms! They are loose such that the hub turns within the arm and the stub axle turns within that. All I'm left with is that the hub and stub axle are somehow press fitted together. Is this the case or have I missed the blindingly obvious?

I briefly tried with a hub puller to get it apart but as I wasn't sure I didn't want to put too much force into it and damage anything.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

James

Yup, that's all that's needed, just crank them apart, it's a tight fit onto a spline. Incidentaly, why did you grind the torx bolts off? I wasn't as subtle about the hub bolts, I just cut a couple of slots in them close to the thread, and broke them apart, they need replacing anyway.

Kingr

why grind or cut hem when a suitable torx bit cost £2.50?

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Originally posted by Viper
why grind or cut hem when a suitable torx bit cost £2.50?

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Hehe, you'll hate me for this but I did the lot with a halfords torx socket, and it looked brand new when I'd finished!!

Anyway, yes, that sounds like what you want to do, there should be a deep dimple in the end of the shaft that you can locate the "bolt" section of your puller into. It didn't take a vast ammout of hauling to get it off, I just popped a 18" socket extension on the end of the puller, held onto the puller with my other hand and it came smoothly off. Could be yours is lacking in the grease department though, so who knows.

Painted one of my driveshafts black last night, and it looks pretty damn sweet if I do say so myself, I think I'm probably going to end up with a black chassis and black running gear, but oh well, shouldn't show the dirt I suppose.

Kingr

quote:

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Originally posted by kingr
Hehe, you'll hate me for this but I did the lot with a halfords torx socket, and it looked brand new when I'd finished!!

Anyway, yes, that sounds like what you want to do, there should be a deep dimple in the end of the shaft that you can locate the "bolt" section of your puller into. It didn't take a vast ammout of hauling to get it off, I just popped a 18" socket extension on the end of the puller, held onto the puller with my other hand and it came smoothly off. Could be yours is lacking in the grease department though, so who knows.

Painted one of my driveshafts black last night, and it looks pretty damn sweet if I do say so myself, I think I'm probably going to end up with a black chassis and black running gear, but oh well, shouldn't show the dirt I suppose.

Kingr

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I've just used Halfwits enamel on top of their red oxide, dunno how hard it is, time will tell I suppse, I don't suppose it's desperately important that they stay super shiny and painted, since no one's going to see them, and I think it could take quite some time to rust through an inch of solid steel. Just though I may as well have them looking nice when I put them in.

My understanding of the Teng/Halfords thing was that they were just going to sell teng tools, presumably in addition to their own, at a few selected stores. Although their spanners do look strikingly similar.

Kingr

Ok, here is a really useful tip for anyone with an acetalyne torch. If you have a bolt end that refuses to come off, use your torch to heat it up, and then pour water on it. With the contraction, it will crack ANY rust, and allow you to remove it easily.

Now a question anyone know how to get stripped Aluminum hex bolts out of an engine block?

Have you tried stud extractors?

Kingr

If you've stripped the bolt it should come out with a pull and need retapping or helicoiling to refit it. If you've sheared it, punch the top and drill down it with the nearest size drill that doesn't damage the threads then use an extractor, or try running a fluted tap down the hole if you've taken enough bolt out.

yours, Pete.

quote:

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Originally posted by kingr

Anyway, yes, that sounds like what you want to do, there should be a deep dimple in the end of the shaft that you can locate the "bolt" section of your puller into. It didn't take a vast ammout of hauling to get it off, I just popped a 18" socket extension on the end of the puller, held onto the puller with my other hand and it came smoothly off. Could be yours is lacking in the grease department though, so who knows.

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