Im repalcing my front hub assembly and I cant get the assembly seperated from the drive shaft. It is heavily rusted. Any ideas how to get them apart? Thanks

1997 GS
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17" Konig Rated R
225/45/17 Falken tires
Neuspeed Race Springs
Tokico Blue Shocks
F/R strut bars
CAI
Pione

The way I have done it in the past on other vehicles is: Once the lower control arms are disconnected and theoretically if the axle would slide freely, the whole steering knuckle swing outward, pivoting from the upper control arm, then do this: have someone puling outward on the bottom part of the knuckle while you smack the splined end of the axle with a hammer. A rubber one is best, but if you are replacing the shaft with another one, then thread the axle nut on the end so you hit the nut and not the axle, and you can use a metal faced hammer. Usually new axles come with a new nut, so check before you tear the old one apart. After a few blows, it should slide through.

On a side note, sometimes the hub itself is what is so rusted. Even after the four bolts are removed from the back of the knuckle you may want to tap on the backside of the hub to separate it from the knuckle (in the situation that you know the hub is frozen to the knuckle).

Goodluck.

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2012 2500HD LML

If the axle is rusted enough you will not be able to get it out with a hammer. i beat an axle off a prts car so bad the nut and shaft mushroomed. I hit it with a sledge to get harder blows and not mushroom it...no luck. Snap on makes a puller that uses the wheel studds as a mount and it will center on the little dimple in the axle to force the axle out. Best way in my opinion.

Terry

96 Eagle talon ESI
rear disk conversion - Stillen front and rear sway bars - Koni yellows wrapped with eibach - Star Stage II - Optima locate in the hatch - Tenzo-R seats/4 pt harness - momo Steering wheel - Boost/oil/EGT gauges, HKS TT

97 Eclipse
Greddy header/evo exhaust - Stage 2 6 puck Sprung hub MIBA clutch - Shortened shifter - Tokico Adj wrapped with H&R - DEI Keyless entry alarm - Niche 17" Shoks

Waiting to be installed: Apexi AFC, HKS EVC IV, ceramic intake, 450 Turbo injectors, SFMU/return line, GSX Front brakes (need rotors)

First off, try soaking the hub where it goes into the steering knuckle, with PB Blaster or any GOOD penetrant as well as the axle shaft where it comes through the beaaring/hub. Let it sit for spell and then soak it again. After setting for about an hour, grab the slide hammer or if you don't have one of those a good dead blow hammer and pound away. I would suggest pulling the upper control arm off instead of the lower two. Less to pull and that is what the service manual says to pull to change the hub... took about 30 minutes with the penetrant and 4 or 5 good ppulls with a slide hammer to break the rust free from my hub.

Hope that helps...