2002 S60 Another driver side axle adventure

Post by **jcgirton** » 06 Apr 2015, 18:34

Please forgive me if this isn't posted in the correct area, I haven't posted before.

My driver side axle is stuck - I have read the forums, tried the 5/8th chisel, tried a long screw driver, tried a pry bar, got a slide hammer. The pry bar won't wedge in enough to really get any leverage, the slide hammer attachment won't fit in-between the transmission and the axle at all.

I tried hammering in a screw driver in one side and the chisel in another, nothing.

I thought maybe I was just wimpy and not hitting the chisel hard enough, I had someone much stronger give it a try, no difference.

I found a video on youtube where a guy hooked a chain up to an axle, then attached the other end to a floor jack - I tried that - please believe me when I say the whole car shook when I pulled it, after a few tries the axle won, the bolt holding the chain broke.

Any ideas?

Post by **vtl** » 06 Apr 2015, 19:36

How did you use chisel? You need to point it off-center, so it would not hit the axle. Knock few times, turn the axle, knock at different point, repeat. It helped me with 3 axles.

5 lbs sledge hammer is required for the job, smallish hammer won't do anything.

Post by **jcgirton** » 07 Apr 2015, 05:17

Thank you! I tried it centered them figured I would probably hit the middle of the axle eventually so tried it off center as well. I used a regular hammer and a 4 lb dead hammer, I will pick up a 5 lb sledge hammer and give it another try after work today.

bigbrain · Post by **bigbrain** » 07 Apr 2015, 09:12

I used two pieces of flat mild steel bar with a bend on the end...I had to profile the edge a bit to get it to fit then just levered it out. Took a couple of attempts but came right out. The first attempt it didn't budge at all so I just rotated the shaft a little and pushed it back in and then tried again....I think the key is to get consistent force...you are just trying to compress a ring on the shaft....not sure a huge amount of force is a good idea as you could damage the ring then I'm not sure what would happen....when I did it I didn't apply a lot of force....I think the ring on the shaft has to be in the correct position to compress as you are pulling it.

Post by **jcgirton** » 07 Apr 2015, 16:16

I got an 8 lb sledge hammer... no one seems to have a 5 lb... i hammered on it... rotated it... hammered... rotated... broke the end off the chisel... its definitely going in further, but not coming out - should i just continue and eventually it'll break free?

where can you usually get flat mild steel bars?

I should have asked this to begin with, I have the passenger side axle out right now as well - it just came out, was incredibly easy - should it matter if i have the passenger side in when I'm taking the driver side out?

Post by **oragex** » 07 Apr 2015, 18:24

I read somewhere Volvo put on some model years red loctite. Not much help, but at least you know the culprit.

Post by **jimmy57** » 07 Apr 2015, 21:26

That was on the splines at wheel hub, never on the end inserted into transmission.

Post by **JDS60R** » 07 Apr 2015, 21:55

Yank the axle out of the inner cv joint. Wipe out most of the grease
Drill a hole through the inner cv joint. ( or use plasma cutter if you have one)
Put a bolt through the holes you made in the inner cv.

Attach slide hammer to bolt and pound in out.

This is how I handle the toughest of them . I usually see rust inside when I pull it out. Penetrating liquid is normally stopped by the axle seal.

If you weld you can tack a u bolt or similar to the out side of the inner cv.

Good Luck
John

Post by **chrism** » 08 Apr 2015, 07:36

i read somewhere that you don't want to remove both axles at the same or something inside could drop out of place. I find that hard to believe but thought I'd just throw that out there in case there really is something to it.

If it is OK to remove both axles, is it open between the two such that you can drive a rod through from the RH side in order to "push" the LH axle out?

Sorry for my ignorance here. I've replaced the RH side before and now at 210,000 miles I think I'm starting to feel the LH side beginning to oscillate a bit under heavy throttle.

Post by **vtl** » 08 Apr 2015, 09:55

jcgirton wrote:I got an 8 lb sledge hammer... no one seems to have a 5 lb... i hammered on it... rotated it... hammered... rotated... broke the end off the chisel... its definitely going in further, but not coming out - should i just continue and eventually it'll break free?

Mine wasn't THAT hard.