i have a 1996 dodge intrepid 3.3 liter and i got my entire axle assembly off but the inner tripod joint. i pryed it endlessly and even put a pully to a tree and cranked it and the entire car moved. This tripod joint is really in STUCK! It will not come out. Do i have to put my car in a certain gear? I know there is a way to take this out, but I need some assistance. any help is much appreciated. thank you. michael

 

you can't pull, you have to 'SNAP' it out. I use a long pry bar and give it a quick sharp yank to snap it off. if that doesn't work, then I use a shorter pry bar and a BFH (big hammer) and whack the bar to dislodge the inner joint.

 

I use a brass punch and hamer right on the lip (on the shaft not the body of the tripod joint). There is a snap ring in there that needs to be compressed into a indented slit, then the splines slide right out. It can be tricky sometimes.

 

yep they can be so tricky you actually need to get out the torch (salt belt sometimes fuses these things together--- rust is one of the best chemical bonding agents )

 

i actually tied a chain around it, and tied a pully to a tree and crank it. the car moved! the damn tripod wont come out. i will try banging it or something like ya guys suggest.

 

I don't bang on it, I use a pry bar and give it a quick snap. you can pull on these shafts with a come-a-long and they won't come off, they need a jarring snap not a steady pull. but then if you still can't get it off, then more extreme measures will be needed. I had to use a 10lb slide hammer and heat the thing with a torch to get one off that was really rusted on.

 

I never tried the tree method but it does need the snap to do it. It may be effective to knock it while being pulled, I never tried that.