Front axle slip joint rusted

[cdr-m@x]

What is the easiest and cheapest way to get apart a rusted slip joint? I need to replace the passenger outer axle u-joint, but the slip joint will not budge. Is there an attachment for a slide hammer to fit the end of the axle?

 

[bobbywalter]

this is a reason i dont have a d35 anymore....good ones locally were getting hard to find.


i drop the beam/piglet to pull the circlip and heat em up and or soak in muratic acid....4-8 hr soak and some taps with a hammer usually gets em going good....real bad needs a day or so.

wear eye/body protection

 

[Will]

Yeah, you can't hammer on that with a slide hammer. As Bobby said, there's a little E-clip on the inside end of the axle. I would take the pumpkin out of the beam as well. That center u-joint is the most neglected piece on a Ranger, and the gear oil in there is also 15 years old. Go through it all. These parts aren't made anymore so if you can save them, you're a Ranger hero. I'm tired of seeing people tear shit up through ignorance on these fine trucks.

 

[cdr-m@x]

The inner u-joint is ok, its the outside one that is bad. The problem is, the axle slip joint is rusted and wont come apart. Will a u-joint C press work without taking the axle off the truck? Is there enough room?

 

[JJ_lkey]

I just had this same problem. I thought for sure it would never come loose but with large amounts of PB Blaster some heat and persistent tapping on the outside of the slip joint with a hammer I managed to break it loose in 3-4 hours. Hope this helps good luck

 

[cdr-m@x]

Cool, I'll keep spraying it and tapping it. I'm in no hurry, just gotta get it done before the snow flies.