Hey guys,

So I snapped off a few lug nuts after a ubolt failed on my axle. I removed the diff cover and tried to unclip the C-Clips to release the axle so I could get the new lugs in. While I was trying to get them out the spider gears fell out of the assembly. I set them aside and kept trying to get the C clips out.

No matter how hard I push the axles in I cannot get enough clearance to get the C clips out. The limited slip is so tight that I cant seem to move it at all. The Limited slip clutch just will not retract enough to get the C clips out.

I gave up and ended up drilling a hole in my brake dust cover for the lugs. (I'm a welder/fabricator no biggie to patch)

Now that i have the lugs on I need to get the spider gears back in, but for the life of me I cant get the limited slip clutch to retract enough to get the spider gears back in. I've tried prying it open, yanking on tires to pull axle shafts tight, parked a truck on either side and used ratchet straps to pull axles away from the center. Lubed it all with gear oil and still I just cant get it to open enough to get the gears back in.

I called a few shops and they said if the clutch plates were that stiff they were probably bad. Does anyone have any tips for getting them off, so I can remove the C clips, swap out the clutch pads, and put the spider gears back on, on my work table?

Local shops are quoting me 200-450 to fix it. For that much I'd rather get it out with force and just upgrade to a locker.

Any help would be appreciated

 

So you have removed the pinion bolt? You took out the 8mm bolt and slide the pinion bolt out?
You may need someone to push in on the axle while you hold the axle gear firm against the side of the housing. The axle gear may be moving in and out as the axle shaft moves. Hold the axle gear steady so the end of the axle can come through and expose the c clip.
A picture would be helpful.

 

Yes I removed the pinion bolt. I have a friend stopping by this afternoon to try again I'll snap a pic when we get back into it and post it.

I can get it 99% of the way there on the drivers side, but it needs 1/16th - 1/8th more room for the C clip to come out.

The axle is pushed in so far that if I look at the lug end its bottoming out and cannot go in any further. It seems like the limited slip clutch it just pushing too hard inward.

I'll try having friend pull it all the way out and then push it in while I try to wedge the Limited slip outward.

 

I think you will need to push the axle gear down on the axle a little to get the clip out.
Could problem be related to same incident that led to broken lugs? Could you have bent an axle?

 

I dont think its bent, it doesn't seem to wiggle from side to side at all when i spin it, and theres no rubbing noises down inside the shaft, and the lug side doesnt flop around crookedly when spun.

When the whole u bolt coming loose and bolts coming off incident happened I was taking a turn and barely moving. The axle was pretty much lined up still and was pretty easy to scoot back into place with a crowbar. The rim got torn up because my "add a leaf" swung outward and caught the rim. This hit with enough force that it sheered off the inside of my aluminum rims stripped out my aftermarket lug bolts and snapped one off entirely. That is just what we think happened. Alternatively my lugs came loose and the vibration makes the u-bolts come loose and then it all popped free at the same time. I was hauling a trailer at the time and might not have noticed a bit of extra vibration with this particular pos trailer. Needless to say I ordered new better quality lug nuts to replace the cheap aftermarket ones, and put an extra washer and lock washer on the u-bolts so it doesn't happen again.

Up until that point I dont think the axle would have had enough room to wiggle and bend. Without being able to remove the axle and actually look at it I dont think I'd be able to tell 100% though. I tend to take a look around my truck before I head out especially with a trailer and I did not notice loose lugs or a tire sitting crooked at the time. I would have thought that if it was out of place the truck would pull all over the place.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-bl...ature=youtu.be

Above is a video of the problem. I'm only pushing with my fingers in the video but we've tried pushing it back with pry bars. I'm welding up a pickle fork to try tomorrow. hoping that having pressure applied to the top and bottom at the same time will help.