How to remove axles??
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,326
Likes: 5
From: louisville "derby city" kentucky
first of all, the axles are inside of the diff. the CV SHAFTS are what you see on the outside of the diff. to remove them, disconnect the upper ball joint from the rear knuckle. remove the axle nut from the hub. slide the axle out of the hub. then using a medium pry bar or large screwdriver, carefully put it inbetween the diff and cv shaft. give it hard pop towards the cv shaft. it should come right out. there is no need to drain the diff. you may get a little diff fluid out if it is overfilled. hope this helps. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 51
From: South Carolina
Here's an alternative method if you don't want to separate ball joints....
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
Last edited by JSB LS3; May 10, 2011 at 10:24 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: wichita ks
Here's an alternative method if you don't want to separate ball joints....
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
this is the way i did it real easy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 1
From: Oxford Pa
Here's an alternative method if you don't want to separate ball joints....
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
1) remove the axle nut
2) remove the brake caliper and use a wire coat hanger to hang it on the brake duct (18mm inner, 15mm outer bolt)
3) unclip the electrical connector from the socket on the hub
4) remove the e-brake cable by pulling it up away from the bracket (thus compressing the spring on the end) and sliding it out of the slot on the bracket. then pull it down to slide the eye on the end off the lever on the hub.
5) remove the two 18mm bolts holding the upper control arm to the body. Once they're out, pivot the whole hub down and let it hang.
6) flex the outer CV gently until you can slide the axle stub all the way out of the hub, then have someone hold it for you if possible. DO NOT LET IT HANG UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. it will be a little resistant to bending enough to come all the way out but just take your time and it will.
7) as stated, use a screwdriver or prybar to carefully pop the axle out of the diff. It will come loose suddenly as there's a C-clip around the output shaft of the diff that will disengage from a channel on the inside of the axle once you put enough pressure on it.
8) once it pops it will slide right out.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the axle until it pops off the C-clip as you could conceivably separate the CVs (my friend was unlucky enough to figure that one out the hard way).
If you're doing both sides, it shouldn't take much more than 1-2 hours.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
GM calls them Drive AXLES
The part YOU are calling an axle is called an OUTPUT SHAFT
Before you correct someone, get your facts straight, this is why people call driving lights fog lights, from misinformation.
This info was taken from Vol 1 of 3 of the 2007 Corvette GM Service Manual Section 7
