96 Camry Axel shaft Removal

This is always a problem. Previous posts have been brought up regarding this and my memory indicates a crowbar and block of wood as a fulcrum did the trick. Try searching the group for "axle removal" back a year or two.

============================== Been there, done that. I duct taped a block of wood to the transaxle and pried with great force without success. So I stopped and asked a wise mechanic for help. There's a secret. If you have the factory service manual, there's a "hint" for installation that gives you the clue for removal, namely, the opening in the clip should be facing down when you install the axle. This allows the body of the clip to slip down into the groove in the axle end, leaving only the open ends of the clip exposed at the bottom, and they can be compressed during installation. If you did this the opposite way, the ends of the clip would be concealed in the groove, and only the body of the clip would be exposed, and it tends to simply obstruct the entire process without compressing. So there are two things you needs to do.

1) You need a pry bar sufficiently stout and long enough to exert sufficient pressure. I purchased one for this purpose at NAPA and it has turned out to be a very useful tool for other purposes as well. Cost just under $30. If I remember correctly, it was 5/8" by 18" tapered on one end. After you've learned to use this thing, it tends to come in handy for all types of miscellaneous prying. The main point is that it is well made - solid. I was told I needed apx. 24" long pry bar, so I also got a "cheater bar" pipe extension to slip over the end from The Home Depot - galvinized pipe for a few dollars. 2) You need to position the axle such that the clip opening faces down before removal -- but you are not going to be able to actually see its position, so you turn the axle one third turn, then push it in. It should easily shift position slightly and move in apx. 1/8". Then try prying. You want to pry hard enough to pop the axle loose, but not so hard that you actually mangle the clip and prevent it from slipping into position. Then turn the axle again, push into the case by hand again, and pry again. After doing this a couple of times, wearing leather gloves, bracing myself with both hands on the subframe and pressing with my legs, the axle shaft popped out so easily it was like nothing had ever been holding it in. That reminds, me, you first need to lift the car as high as possible (and still supported by jack stands) to be able to fit the extended pry bar.

Daniel, you are exactly right. I've tried all the things you mentioned except turning the shaft. I have all my pry bars (18"-36") out and under the car, had to keep going to the bench for a bigger one. You can't see the clip so it's very hard to determine it's position. Many thanks, I'm headed to the garage.