Removing broken D44 axle from behind the inner seal - any suggestions???

[Buldozer]

I had a great trail run on Saturday and here is the evidence. Now I have a clean broken axle spline stuff behind the inner seal. It is on the short side and I got a hold of it with a magnet, just can't quite get it to pass by the inner seal. It moved up to the seal easy enough though. I figure I will drop the grease :-[ , but thought I might check to see if anyone has a quicker solution.
Thanks

 

[brewchief]

I've heard of guys using a stick welder and sticking a rod(or two or three if you need the length) to the stub, it should pull out pretty easy then. I've never tried this and would probably drop the cover if it were me to make sure no metal bits were floating about.

 

[a67and77]

I would take off the cover and look inside to see what you have going on. Get the metal out of there or you could cause more damage to the diff.

 

[Buldozer]

I've heard of guys using a stick welder and sticking a rod(or two or three if you need the length) to the stub

Good idea brewchief....I will be able to tell if any parts are missing from the stub but where that stub grounds to when I stick it with the welding rod concerns me more. Probably will pull the cover, but the welding rod idea is a good one.

 

[Buldozer]

I would take off the cover and look inside to see what you have going on. Get the metal out of there or you could cause more damage to the diff.

Yea, best advise for sure. Thanks.

 

[bigjhoov]

Pull the other side and tap it out. I would still pull the cover as well too.

 

[rhinobuggie]

Yes pull the cover . But you could use 1/2 " or 3/4 " electric conduit to push the broken shaft out ,start on the good side and push it throught the diff . When your ready to put things back together use the conduit and a shop vac to get the dirt out of the housing or you could push dirt back into the diff when you put the new shaft back in . Duc tape the pointed wand end of the hose to the conduit More mud give's in the housing tube than you may think .

 

[JWMcCrary]

From the looks of that break I'm guessing you are running a very big shackle on the front...;D

Good luck getting it fixed up Rick.

 

[rjlougee]

I've had good luck getting those broken stubs out using a magnet, but you have to use the really HD ones.

I did the same thing to a D60 and the magnet would not get it out. In that case I bought a really long drill bit and drilled a small hole into the end and was able to get a self tapping screw in there and get the stub out.
Joe

 

[bax]

remove the cover and pull the carrier. Inspect it, Clean it all up and might as well install new axle seals. Re install and go again.

 

[wayne marks]

I agree completely with Bax, then you should be able to shove the axle out. Regarding cleaning the axle tubes, get a piece of 3/8" all-thread long enough to reach in the axle tubes. Cut a piece of sheet metal half the diameter of the ID of the tube and shaped the same as the ID (half moon) then drill a hole to bolt it onto the all-thread. Mount it on the end with two 3/8" nuts. You would'nt believe how much gunk is up in the axle tubes and this makes a great tool for reaching in and scrapping it out.

 

[chris]

Vacum it out?

 

[BroncoBoy72]

Telescoping magnet I have pulled 3 out that way...

 

[DirtDonk]

Vacum it out?

Saves some mess, but you'd likely have to scrape at least some of it anyway, so I say attach the vacuum tube to the all-thread just behind the half-moon and you've made your own self-cleaning scraper/cleaner thingy. All the power without the mess!

Yes, with a vacuum only you could probably get out most of what's in most of our axle tubes and just be done with it.
But the other way you get to make your own contraption and still get to plug something in. Mmmm, power tools. Mmmm...


Paul

 

[rmfreeze]

remove the cover and pull the carrier. Inspect it, Clean it all up and might as well install new axle seals. Re install and go again.

Ditto. You'll want to replace the seal while you're in there. Just get to work and stop asking these questions. ;D Oh and post pics. ;D ;D

 

[Broncobowsher]

I would pull the carrier and replace the seal. I am guessing it got damaged with the sxle flopping around on it. Forcing the broken stub past it (what ever means you find) is likley to damage it as well if it wasn't already damaged.

 

[rtreads]

Telescoping magnet I have pulled 3 out that way...

.....3???

 

[Buldozer]

Ok tried all the suggestions here and no luck so far. Pulled the cover and dropped the grease, all looks good but the problem is the broken piece is just long enough to keep the carrier from being removed when it is pushed all the way in to the center pin in the carrier. I tried a host of magnets with no luck ....pulling it past the seal is very hard. I tried tapping it out from the other side but the center pin must be large enough to stop me at the carrier. How small will I have to go with something to get it passed the center pin in the carrier? I am thinking I need like a piece of 1/8" pipe or cold roll something.

 

[bigjhoov]

remove the center pin.

 

[Viperwolf1]

I assume you can't remove the pin with the ring gear attached?

You're not going to have much room around the pin. Figure the diameter of the axle splines minus the diameter of the pin, then divide that in half.