i broke my driver side rear non-floater and the splined end is stuck in the third member. i've never worked on a third member-only taken out the block and pin of my arb locker so the c-clips will come out. now i can't get the block out because the splined end is jammed up in there. does somebody know a good method for handling this????????
If the block comes out maybe take the short axle out and use a piece of pipe to drive long axle out then fish out the piece. If the broken axle is short enough you could pull the third... Just a thought.
The splines expand before they break, so they are in there very tight.
I had to do a trail fix on mine, so I used the axle shaft which was broken, put it back into place, and beat the sh!t out of it for about 10 minutes before the stub fell into the carrier.
You could find something smaller than the axle diameter, and strike it toward the center with a sledge hammer until it pops out, or you could remove the third member to get better access to it, if you can get the clip off the other shaft- but you should be able to.
It will take some force though since the splines expand. Don't go easy on it, or it will never come out.
This can be a bitch and I have been through exactly this on the Rubicon Trail at Buck Island for you locals. After fighting with the 3rd, I was finally able to drive out the pinion shaft with a hammer and brass drift. Unfortunately, the stub of the broken axle was jammed so tight, it wouldn't drop the c-clip. I used the broken axle to pound the stub in enough to drop the clip, but there was no way to either drive it in more, or drive it out the other way. I ended up pulling the third and driving the broken stub out with a piece of iron pipe that the Chevy field engineers (testing the H3) had with them. Funny, they had just finished fixing a broken axle on the Colorado they had as a support vehicle!. It took 4-5 hours and we finished the repair at 9pm.
When you break the axle, the splines twist and lock the stub in the side gears. My guess is you will end up pulling the 3rd member and fixing it on the bench. The first step will be pulling the pinion shaft. Good luck.
Been there, 3 times. Only once did it come out nicely, the other two took ALOT more work. Be glad you have a diff cover... this happens in 80's between the Elock collar and the diff... you have to perform surgery to remove. In my case, I had to remove the 3rd, pull the carrier and use a press to get the axle IN enough to drop the C-clip and remove the block, then press it OUT. Vowed to ditch the C-clip axle that day...
but still, the first problem i have to address is removing the block that the pinion shaft slides through. the shaft is out, but the block is jammed in there. i can't remove the third member because i can't remove the other axle because i can't remove the c-clip because i can't get that damn block out. has this ever happened to anybody?
but still, the first problem i have to address is removing the block that the pinion shaft slides through. the shaft is out, but the block is jammed in there. i can't remove the third member because i can't remove the other axle because i can't remove the c-clip because i can't get that damn block out. has this ever happened to anybody?
So, the c-clip is off of the broken shaft,
But it is wedged against the block...
Since the block won't move, you can't get the other shaft out...
Since you can't get the other shaft out, you can't pull the chunk...
Can you pound the other axle (non-broken side) in towards the diff enough to push the broken shaft off of the block? It may take some serious beating, but it should work... pull of the wheel & drum and poing away. The worst I can imagine it doing is trashing the dust cover & bearing at the end of the axle as you pound it in?
So, the c-clip is off of the broken shaft,
But it is wedged against the block...
Since the block won't move, you can't get the other shaft out...
Since you can't get the other shaft out, you can't pull the chunk...
Can you pound the other axle (non-broken side) in towards the diff enough to push the broken shaft off of the block? It may take some serious beating, but it should work... pull of the wheel & drum and poing away. The worst I can imagine it doing is trashing the dust cover & bearing at the end of the axle as you pound it in?
I am satisfied with my OEM Full Float, drop in your 3rd member and go. That being said, if you want to pick up some extra width or ultimate strentgh, Ford 9, D60 or 14B. PIG axles would also do the trick, but for the cost I would go FF regardless...
full floater it is. after searching a little i think it should cost around $400. and i can keep my disk brakes and third member. does this sound right?
