Hello, I just joined, but I have used this forum as a resource for the last 6 years that I've owned my 82 300td. The cv joints and axles started making noises (boots were totally torn for 6 months or more) and I decided to replace them yesterday.

This was my first attempt at this kind of job. I read the excellent tutorials hers. Went to picknpull. Got some good used ones, experienced what it was like to pull them (relatively easy). Got back home.

Passenger side comes out easily, new axle installed, c clip in place.

Now I can not get the driver's axle out! Been working on it for hours last night and now today. The wheel side is out. The diff side will not come out. The axle has play in the diff cv joint ( a few inches) but then just stops. I have taken the c clip out. I rotated the axle to check that there was not a fragment of c clip stuck in the groove.There is a knick/cutout in the end of the axle that I have been pounding on.

This is shown in the picture.

Is there anything really stupid that I am missing? This just does not move at all.

Thanks,

jesse

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Well it could be an optical illusion but the gears in the diff look pretty bad to me. Maybe you can take a few more pics from other angles so we can see it better...?

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

OK, will do. I have never open a differential before, so I am not so clear on what is good or not.

Jesse

OK, here are some more pics. I am not sure if I am showing the condition of the gears well. I will show the diff end of the axle in question, then a shot were you can see my new axle with its c-clip, and the old axle opposite (minus c-clip), then finally the old axle already removed, with the slot I was using to try and hammer on on the stuck axle.


Is it safe to hammer on that slot?

Is there something else to remove? Or a safe way to pry?

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I read through your op again. The axle should just slip out of the diff housing once the c clip is removed.

Are you showing signs of heat at any point inside the diff?

The spider gears are indistinct but they look possibly suspect. It doesn't seem like they should be able to hold the axle from coming out though unless the axle and the part it slides into are welded together.

I don't recommend pounding very hard on this either. It should not need to be pounded to get it out. You do have the c clip off it right?

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Thanks. No signs of heat in the differential. The other side slipped out very easily with the c-clip out. This side is just killing me, and I really do not want to hit too much.

Your last point is interesting.It does feel like the axle and the part it slides into is solid. There is not any play at all. As can be seen in the photo, these cv joints were run for a long time dry, so maybe something seized.

It has stopped raining so I will go out and mess with this again.

Yes, C-clip is indeed out.

1) The part of the differential that the stub axle splines enter is called the "side gear".

2) In addition to the side gear, there is a second place that the stub axle could be stuck; the inside of the neck of the differential case. The OD of the neck of the differential case is a press fit in the inner race of the side bearing, and there should be a very small clearance between the ID of the neck and the stub axle, but that is a place for a piece of foreign matter to become wedged.

3) As a test, can the right and left axles be rotated independently of each other, i.e., is there normal differential function? If so, then the stub axle is not stuck in the diff neck.

Thanks. Good clue. When the transmission is in park and the e brake is on you can not move anything. The side I am battling with is out of the hub does not have ebrake When the ebrake is off you can rotate one side and the other side rotates in the same direction.

Thus do you think the stub axle is stuck in the differential neck?

Would applying heat at this point help? (or just destroy the differential seals?)

Configuration:
1) Trans in Park. [the pinion of the final drive will be locked by the driveshaft, and the ring gear & diff case will not rotate]
2) Parking brake off.

Rotate either axle; the other axle should rotate in the opposite direction if the differential is OK.
If the differential is OK, return your attention to the splines.

OK, tested again. With the e brake off and in park: we have one side moving clockwise and the other side moves clockwise as well. So this means that when I the rotor towards the front of the car on the passenger side, the axle on the drivers side moves towards the rear.

So both clockwise, but the wheels move in opposite directions due to my perspective from one side of the car to another.

I figure we can conclude no problems with the differential is this respect.

I think I was using the wrong terminology above. It would be best to say that when the ebrake is off and car is in park, rotating one wheel results in the other wheel moving in the opposite direction. Just as you asked me and highlighted in red.

I've never had an MB differential apart and I can't really tell from your photos but is it possible to remove the axle on the other side and insert a long thin brass drift pin to knock the axle out?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Kerry, thanks. What I was doing was banging on the end of the axle stub (on the inset notch at the end in the photos). This did not work. It is raining now and cold. I'll try more tomorrow.

Jesse

This might work. It would on my Lotus Seven race car.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.