I should have written on this a while ago but here is my experience in getting a new half shaft on my car.
I feel that this link will give you a lot of good information and I used this to get me started: http://volvospeed.com/Repair/FWDbearingHub.php
I do not have an impact wrench so I used a breaker bar with my floor jack handle as an extension to loosen the central 36mm nut on the drive axle, this WITH THE CAR ON ALL FOUR WHEELS!!!
As you can see in the provided link take the control arm off the frame, this will allow you not to have to fool with the ball joints. Don't start this until you have loosened the drive axle.
The Gear puller will allow you to put tension on the axle, don't try to force it loose with just tightening the gear puller, use a hammer to hit the puller, and therefor the axle, to force it loose. It will require you to re-tighten the gear puller several times but this will work the axle loose. After it is loose take off the control arm from the frame so you can take out the axle.
Removing it from the transmission was a case of a quick jerk and it came out. (Do drain the transmission to prevent oil leakage form the drive axle opening after removal. In my case I think it was 3.8 quarts of transmission fluid.)
Installation of the new one worked easily for me, pushed in the new one with a quick push for the transmission side, make sure it 'catches'. Insert the wheel side apply the nut and tighten as you can, no reason to fight it at this point, get the car back on its wheels first.
Than torque the 36 mm nut per link, again only after the car is on all four wheels again!
If you wonder what the 60 degrees is this is an additional 60 degrees of angle after torquing the nut. 60 degrees equals 2 hours on the face plate of a watch, so from 10 to 12 hours for example or 1 to 3, this would give you a better leverage position if you position the breaker bar with extension at 1 o'clock looking at the wheel.
I hope this helps., I was puzzled how to get this axle out and did not want to damage the treads on it. You know core charge.
