PLEASE HELP! Driver Side Axle Will Not Come Out!

[SimplyUnlucky]

I'm working on a family friends 04 Mazda 3 with the 2.3L and the slushbox. I'm replacing the driveshaft because she broke it. Don't ask how she did but she managed to do it, woman drivers LOL jk. But anyways I sat on my back with a pry bar for about 5 hours and cant friggin' get it out to save my life. Any tips on how to do this? thank you for any of you guys help!

 

[philrab]

The FSM doesn't indicate anything should be holding it in there. It's secured in the transmission by a clip that should pop once you apply enough force to remove the axle.

At least in the diagrams, it shows there being a flat spot on the axle you can use to strike with axle with a copper hammer/dead blow to show it loose. That may be what you're missing. If you don't have a dead blow, get the heaviest hammer you can wield in that space, and use a short piece of wood/2x4.

 

[thuzil]

If the axle is broken just hit it with a hammer. It will pop out.

 

[philrab]

You're not using a piece of wood to protect the axle, it's to simulate a dead blow hammer. You want the energy from the impact to discharge into the axle, not the hammer to bounce off. That will shock the axle into releasing, which prying with a pry bar can't simulate.

 

[SimplyUnlucky]

Thanks! I actually went out today and did what you said and it came out very easily! All of the write ups I read say to use a pry bar on it. But a hammer and some force worked wonders! Thanks again!

 

[philrab]

It's hit or miss. On my old Miata, I managed to pry one axle out, the other said Hell No. I didn't have a good spot to swing a hammer, so I used a chisel to catch a lip by the diff and a hammer. Couple of medium weighted swings and it suddenly popped loose and came out by hand. As soon as that damned little clip pops out of place in the diff, you're home free.