Axle nightmare - How to remove them the easy way

[850TurboTurtle]

I had to use the cold chisel on mine as well. Posted a youtube video recreating the process:

[JimBee]

The problem might be in the circlip of an aftermarket axle. I'v changed several Volvo brand axles and they've all released and inserted quite easily.
Recently, I changed out an aftermarket axle (that was in the car when I bought it) only because the boot was torn. I have boots but there was no circlip visible to disassemble the cv joint to replace the boot so I got a reman axle from O'reilly.
I noticed that the circlip was loose, but the vendor assured me it would compress. I was skeptical but tried and I could hear the circlip hitting solid steel, the rim of the receiving part in the transmission. I took the axle to the shop on the corner and the manager told me to wail it in with a heavy hammer. He said, "we do it all the time." I didn't wail on it, but I did tap it with a heavy hammer and it got stuck but didn't go in. I had to buy a long pry bar to pop it out. I'm really glad I didn't try to drive it in, especially after reading this post.
I returned that axle to O'reilly, went to Autozone and their brand was made the same way, with a loose circlip.
I was almost ready to go for a Volvo brand axle from the local dealership when I tried NAPA. They had the right one, the circlip fits more tightly in the groove at the end of the axle—just loose enough to snap into a receiving groove the depth of the splines. It slid in without force, locked in place and has been trouble free.

[erikv11]

I had to use the cold chisel on mine as well. ...

"Had to" use one?
Cold chisel is the easiest and fastest method by far, the axle will pop right out if it isn't seized (rare) or plagued by being aftermarket crap (common)!

[sanfelice]

Has anyone found a brand of axle they trust?

I have to do this to both my 2000 V70R and my 2004 XC70.

Thanks.

[mrbrian200]

Has anyone found a brand of axle they trust?

I have to do this to both my 2000 V70R and my 2004 XC70.

Thanks.

NAPA NMD (new). They use good quality boots and grease, and are pretty good about meeting/exceeding OE quality for the internals. 3yr/36k warranty. The occasional odd/early failures usually occur within the first year/10k NAPA will hand you another one no questions asked. Aftermarket half shafts are one of those things I won't buy anywhere else. Or go OEM. I keyed into this over the years on various used cars I've owned. The CV shafts I never had to mess with were on cars I got with service records/receipts showing previous owners changed these out using NAPA NMD units.

[sanfelice]

Irony!

I am doing this job on the driver's side today, after waiting a couple months from having done the passenger side. BTW, I found that Rock Auto had good prices on Cardone Select (or Premium, whichever was more $$) and they seem to be decently built.

But, UGH! It is stuck like all hell. Passenger side came right out, but this one is not budging. May give up and reassemble and take it to a shop.

[combatkarl]

Irony!

I am doing this job on the driver's side today, after waiting a couple months from having done the passenger side. BTW, I found that Rock Auto had good prices on Cardone Select (or Premium, whichever was more $$) and they seem to be decently built.

But, UGH! It is stuck like all hell. Passenger side came right out, but this one is not budging. May give up and reassemble and take it to a shop.

This happened to me as well during the 2nd replacement of the driver's axle. The first time I replaced the OEM axle I used a "cheap Chinese" axle from FCP, or maybe it was eEuroparts. The OEM axle popped right out with the chisel. The replacement axle, which was < 2yrs old, would not come out no matter what I tried. The indie shop I took it to ended up removing the passenger axle to pound out the driver's axle through the transaxle. Thankfully, I had saved the OEM axle and had sent it to Marty at Raxles for a rebuild -which the Indie shop installed.

[sanfelice]

It is on its way to a shop with more robust tools.

I just hope I didn't damage anything other than the axle in trying to remove it, the car is all jerky now when moving it in the driveway.

[mrbrian200]

Has anyone found a brand of axle they trust?

I have to do this to both my 2000 V70R and my 2004 XC70.

Thanks.

NAPA NMD (new). They use good quality boots and grease, and are pretty good about meeting/exceeding OE quality for the internals. 3yr/36k warranty. The occasional odd/early failures usually occur within the first year/10k NAPA will hand you another one no questions asked. Aftermarket half shafts are one of those things I won't buy anywhere else. Or go OEM. I keyed into this over the years on various used cars I've owned. The CV shafts I never had to mess with were on cars I got with service records/receipts showing previous owners changed these out using NAPA NMD units.

Scratch that regarding the Napa NMD axle shaft assemblies. I've had very good luck with them over the years on other makes/models but I'm having trouble with these for the S60 FWD. Originals with car both were probably spun out/high angle during the winter on ice. Replaced both sides with new assemblies from Napa. Left side developed slop on the inner joint after about 1000 miles. Replaced left a second time (under warranty). Within short order second replacement on the left side started ticking/popping when in stop-n-go traffic (sensitive to heat from brakes). I wasn't sure about the second replacement one: outer joint out of the box felt like somebody forgot to put the grease in there. Right side inner is getting excessive slop now too at about 3000 miles.
Still have originals that came with car. Not sure if high(er) quality grease might settle down the left side or not, and/or swap the inner joints from the original/OE shafts (which were fine). As far as new joints (not complete axle shaft assemblies) I gather for Volvo GKNs are the only ones worth a hill of beans (or genuine Volvo, made by who?)

[erikv11]

The genuine Volvo CV joints are made by GKN.

If the CV joints are fine on the original axles, why not just re-boot them and put those back in? Or is just the inner fine, outer is bad?

Getting a junkyard factory axle is one of the few good ways to solve the axle problem on these aging P80 cars.