Driveshaft Removal Troubles!

[MikeM 5]

Having noticed that my inner cv boot was split on the offside shaft I decided to change it before my cv joint was goosed. Removed the bolts for the intermediate bearing carrier then tried to remove the shaft but it would not budge. I thought that perhaps the intermediate bearing was stuck due to heat so I gave it a tap with a chisel and hammer but still no movement. Then I decided to remove the lower engine mount in order to unbolt the intermediate carrier from the block to allow the shaft/carrier to come out as a unit, but it still wont budge!

The shaft is well and truly stuck in the gearbox, I have tried hitting the bearing carrier to try and get the shaft out of the gearbox but it has moved about 7/8mm and will not come any further.

I have removed this shaft many times trouble free, and the gearbox was working as it should before I started the job.

Can Anyone give me any advice? Has anyone experienced this before?

 

I am worried that with continued use of the hammer method that I am going to damage my diff, and having waited ages for that gearbox (106xsi), I am reluctant to do so.

 

Any advice appreciated

Cheers

Mike

[calvinhorse 870]

they usually stick in the intermediate bearing not the gearbox

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Sorry to hear this, but it's happened before and been covered on here before with advice and solutions.

 

Have you tried a search?

[MikeM 5]

Thanks for the replies chaps, I know its nothing to do with the intermediate bearing as the alloy mount that the bearing sits in is unbolted from the block. I have tried hitting is some more but it will not move any further.

I have tried a search but I can only find topics where it has been the intermediate bearing that is the problem.

I shall return to the garage to try and solve this problem before I spit the dummy!

[donkeymatt 0]

Did you drain the oil from the box before you started? If not, try that - otherwise it can hold the shaft inside the box.

[MikeM 5]

Yes, I had drained it out so that it would not spill onto the floor when the shaft came out. Still wont shift! Perhaps if I leave it for a few days (and quietly threaten the car by placing an mi16 next to it) then the shaft will come out!

[Batfink 201]

with the intermediate bearing attached I would be hitting it very very hard with a hammer and chisel. At least that way the driveshaft will come out straight.

[m@ttc 30]

intermediate bearing housing sits on location dowles It's not just a case of removing the bolts and thinking it will slide forward (towards wheel). It will not budge untill atlease 1/4 of an inch off the block (towards back of car, off the dowels).

[MikeM 5]

Thanks for the replies chaps. I have been hitting it very hard with a hammer and chisel, any harder and it might fall off the axle stands! I caught the intermediate bearing with the hammer and it is no more, so putting the housing back on to the block wont help as there is no bearing for it to hold!

The bearing carrier is clear of the dowels.

 

The only thing that I can imagine has happened is that a bit of swarf has jammed the shaft in.

Looks like I am going to have to remove the gearbox now!

cheers

Mike

[unariciflocos 49 1 Cars]

I may sound daft, because I don't know if the shafts are the same as on a GTI, but I replaced gaitors several times without removing the gearbox end of the shaft.

 

Just pull the other part of the shaft out, take the tripod off, put a new gaitor on, tripod back on, grease, put it back on the car and then put the collar back with the shaft on the car.

 

I also did this on my Focus, didn't know how to remove the gearbox side of the shafts and couldn't be arsed to refill the gearbox with oil, so did it as above.

Edited June 27, 2010 by unariciflocos

[miamichris 9]

Thanks for the replies chaps. I have been hitting it very hard with a hammer and chisel, any harder and it might fall off the axle stands! I caught the intermediate bearing with the hammer and it is no more, so putting the housing back on to the block wont help as there is no bearing for it to hold!

The bearing carrier is clear of the dowels.

 

The only thing that I can imagine has happened is that a bit of swarf has jammed the shaft in.

Looks like I am going to have to remove the gearbox now!

cheers

Mike

 

Just thinking out loud and outside the box here, but could you remove the other driveshaft and use a bar smaller in diameter than the driveshaft hole, put it into the diff and knock the shaft out from the other side?

 

Anyone in the know even think this would work?

 

Another idea, might be to clamp an old set of mole grips onto the shaft, lie underneath and beat them with a bfh to pull the driveshaft out, at least it gives you something to hit!

Edited June 27, 2010 by miamichris

[MikeM 5]

I have even removed the other shaft but there is a pin that is in the way ( possibly diff pin? not to clued up on gearbox internals) There is a small gap either side of this pin but I don't have anything suitable to put through that gap. I shall try and get something to do that when I am next at home. I have tried the mole grip method, but no movement with that either!

cheers

Mike

[andyjstone 5]

I had a similar problem with the near side shaft recently - it had been in and out several times before without a problem and then this time it just wouldn't shift.

 

I tried hammers, slide hammers, crow bars, everything and still it wouldn't shift. Ended up taking it Miles who used a bigger crow bar and managed to get it out.

 

I know this doesn't help as there isn't anything to put a crow bar on on the other side, but at least you know it happens - and like most things on French cars, happens for no apparent reason.

[Guest partz]

Can you put it in gear and try to rotate it back and forth to free it? Maybe the splines are burred and digging in to the final drive?

 

I remember when I did mine it was a bit stuck, but nothing like this. I undid the intermediate bearing bolts, twisted the locking bit, and it pretty much came out after 3rd tug (no hammer)

[MikeM 5]

I have tried hitting and crow-baring from many different angles, but to no avail. I did try the method of putting it in gear, but no luck there either. Thanks for all the useful replies chaps, will see if I can get the use of a ramp on Saturday morning at my local garage and try some big bars, may even weld something to the drive shaft and hit that. If that does not work then its curtains for that gearbox!

I will it you know how it goes.

Cheers

Mike

[Batfink 201]

I would use a blowtorch and try to free things with a bit of heat..

[MikeM 5]

Finally got the shaft out! I removed the engine and gearbox this morning, going to get the flywheel lightened and want to change the cam seal so thought it would be just as easy to take the whole lot out.

With the gearbox removed from the engine, I got my dad to stand on the gearbox whilst I hit the drive shaft with a fencing hammer. About 30 hits later the shaft popped out, it appears that a bearing within the diff has collapsed (the splined part that the shaft goes into) and the shaft has welded itself to the sleeve before this splined bit.

In the meantime I am just going to fit a general TU gearbox with the boring final drive! I am either gong to rebuild that gearbox myself with a plate diff or send it away to get done professionally, can anyone recommend someone who can do this?

 

Thanks for all the help, I will try and add some pictures later if I can get this camera to work.

Cheers, Mike

[miamichris 9]

I'm sure Miles (Pug Racing) will rebuild your gearbox and supply you with a diff

[lapazlane 0]

Finally got the shaft out! I removed the engine and gearbox this morning, going to get the flywheel lightened and want to change the cam seal so thought it would be just as easy to take the whole lot out.

With the gearbox removed from the engine, I got my dad to stand on the gearbox whilst I hit the drive shaft with a fencing hammer. About 30 hits later the shaft popped out, it appears that a bearing within the diff has collapsed (the splined part that the shaft goes into) and the shaft has welded itself to the sleeve before this splined bit.

In the meantime I am just going to fit a general TU gearbox with the boring final drive! I am either gong to rebuild that gearbox myself with a plate diff or send it away to get done professionally, can anyone recommend someone who can do this?

 

Thanks for all the help, I will try and add some pictures later if I can get this camera to work.

Cheers, Mike

 

I am having the same problem with being unable to get O/S drive shaft out of standard 205 GTi 1.9 8V - need to get engine and box out to strip engine for rebuild. N/S driveshaft came out fine. Have undone O/S wishbone and am trying to get shaft out without undoing hub. I have definitely got the 2 x 11mm bolts that hook the intermediate bearing undone correctly. I have tried hitting intermediate bearing with screwdriver and lump hammer - nil effect. I tried undoing speedo cable casing and then levering it away from final drive with a big screwdriver - again nil effect. Guess I will try to remove intermediate bearing support next. Will also get mole grips tomorrow and try attaching these between intermediate bearing and final drive and hit with lump hammer.

 

Am I placing screwdriver blade on correct point when I strike it ie through the bearing mounting and against the the big casing that holds the cv joint etc?

 

Would completely removing the 11mm hooked bolts from bearing bracket help at all?

 

Not got my blowtorch with me so can't use that.

 

If none of this works, can anyone suggest anything further. If I can't sort it, can I just remove the gear box with engine in-situ as per John Murgles article (though he of course got the shaft out first)? Have got to sort this.

[lapazlane 0]

I am having the same problem with being unable to get O/S drive shaft out of standard 205 GTi 1.9 8V - need to get engine and box out to strip engine for rebuild. N/S driveshaft came out fine. Have undone O/S wishbone and am trying to get shaft out without undoing hub. I have definitely got the 2 x 11mm bolts that hook the intermediate bearing undone correctly. I have tried hitting intermediate bearing with screwdriver and lump hammer - nil effect. I tried undoing speedo cable casing and then levering it away from final drive with a big screwdriver - again nil effect. Guess I will try to remove intermediate bearing support next. Will also get mole grips tomorrow and try attaching these between intermediate bearing and final drive and hit with lump hammer.

 

Am I placing screwdriver blade on correct point when I strike it ie through the bearing mounting and against the the big casing that holds the cv joint etc?

 

Would completely removing the 11mm hooked bolts from bearing bracket help at all?

 

Not got my blowtorch with me so can't use that.

 

If none of this works, can anyone suggest anything further. If I can't sort it, can I just remove the gear box with engine in-situ as per John Murgles article (though he of course got the shaft out first)? Have got to sort this.

 

Right - few hours later now and have searched through 26 pages - most relevant entries were from about page 24 on. Looks like I am doing the right thing and considering the correct further options so will see if I can get a decent drift and a set of mole grips (both of which I should have in my kit anyway, and see how I do. I did actually ask about getting drifts when I was at a big tool chain in Newcastle today, getting a lump hammer, but the guy didn't know what drift was and when I explained (talk about blind leading the blind) they didn't have any. Think there is a proper old fashioned tool place in Darlington and possibly Richmond that I can try tomorrow (ie later today).

[lapazlane 0]

Right - few hours later now and have searched through 26 pages - most relevant entries were from about page 24 on. Looks like I am doing the right thing and considering the correct further options so will see if I can get a decent drift and a set of mole grips (both of which I should have in my kit anyway, and see how I do. I did actually ask about getting drifts when I was at a big tool chain in Newcastle today, getting a lump hammer, but the guy didn't know what drift was and when I explained (talk about blind leading the blind) they didn't have any. Think there is a proper old fashioned tool place in Darlington and possibly Richmond that I can try tomorrow (ie later today).

 

Update - have succeeded in getting the bloody intermediate bearing out - what a relief, can get on with getting engine out now. I ended up taking off the lower rear engine mount link and then the 4 bolts off the intermediate bearing bracket, then I prized the bracket off the 2 locating dowels on the block and gave it a good hammering with a lump hammer until the drive shaft came out the final drive. Then had to give it a good few more whacks with said lump hammer to get bracket off the bearing which is fercked now. Will try to post a pic of it in my main posting I got going at moment on my engine problems (which has turned into a log of my first ever efforts to remove, rebuild and reinstall an engine) see here for main posting Just hope I can fix the drive shaft.