Axle removal - need help

Hi all,

It's finally time to replace the right side outer boot on my '97 SE with

195k miles. Having already done the left side, and the right side on my wife's Altima, I thought it would be easy. Well, the axle is not coming out. I think it's stuck at the support bearing (yes, I did remove the three bolts). I tried to use the slide hammer, but the outer joint came off the shaft instead. So I sprayed the bearing with PB Blaster and called it a day.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Fil

Reply to
Filipp Stepanov
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use a hammer and a punch and try to rotate the wheel side of the support collar,once it starts to turn you should be able to get it out

Reply to
NissTech

I tried your suggestion, but it still won't come lose. How hard should I hit? I'm afraid I'll break it.

Maybe I should try a strap wrench? I don't have one, need to go and buy it.

If I can't take it out, I should still be able to replace the boot and put the joint back on. Right?

Thanks!

Reply to
Filipp Stepanov

you are going the need to hit it a pretty good lick, you are not going to break it unless you hit it with a sledge hammer

Reply to
NissTech

on my 91, NissTech said don't be afraid to "persuade it a bit" so it took a breaker bar, BFH and everything I had to pop it out. So far, there are no leaks and I did replace the drive axle (old one was pretty battered)

HTH,

Derek

Reply to
genius

I just finished the job on my Son's 99 Maxima. The passenger side was a tough mother. I used a punch and a hammer to slowly rotate the bastard flange that the 3 bolts go through. I sprayed a bit of PBB after each 1/4 turn. It took a bit of work, but I finally won. When I reinstalled everything, I applied a generous application of high temp anti-seize. That should make it easier next time.

Later, Ralph

Reply to
Ralph Pardue

Lying on my back under the car, there's not much room for a good swing. In the end I was not able to separate the support bearing from the bracket. I cleaned everything, greased the cv joint and put everything back on without any problems.

Also, at the same time I replaced the control arm bushings and ball joints. I could not remove the old bushings myself (they were original, I drove 195k on them). I ended up taking the control arms to a machine shop, and a day and $106 bucks later I got my control arms back. Everything is back on the car now, and the test drive showed that going over bumps is significantly quieter.

In a hindsight, having paid $106 for the bushing replacement, $40 for the bushings and $40 for the ball joints I was just $100 shy of getting brand new control arms from Nissan. ( I know, NissTech, I should've done it right :-))

Also, this job was a major PITA. The control arm bolts mandated that I get a breaker bar and put a metal pipe on it to remove them. I think I've satisfied my curiosity about how the suspension works and what it takes to work on it. I definitely bit more than I could chew with this job.

Thanks to everyone for their help and moral support!

Fil

Reply to
Filipp Stepanov

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