Stuck Half Shaft

Hi,

I was driving my series 3 lightweight home last night and was at some traffic lights pulling away when i heard a pop and then lost power. I through the gear box into low range and got out of the way. then checked under the vehicle, all looked ok, so I put it into 4x4 and drove home.

Assuming I've done a half shaft i pulled the drive members off this morning they both came off easily, then the half shafts the drivers side came out easily. The passenger side wont move. It'll rotate but not pull out, it doesnt look to be centrelised. when it is spun, it does not turn the shaft the other side. the wheels are on the floor, plus it doesnt feel like the diff is turning when compared to the other shaft.

I've drained the axle oil, there is no glitter or bits of metal from what i can see....

Any ideas as to what to do? I'm assuming removing the diff without moving the h/s is impossible.....

thanks
Rob

Did the drivers side come out whole ? You can not remove diff with a half shaft in place. All you can do is get mean and try and yank it out with a slide hammer or puller.

tottot said:

Did the drivers side come out whole ? You can not remove diff with a half shaft in place. All you can do is get mean and try and yank it out with a slide hammer or puller.

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Yup the drivers side came out as one. I'll see if I can get my hands on a slide hammer to put on it. I'm guessing I'm going to have to drill and tap the shaft as the lightweight hs only have 1/4in hole in the end and its not massively deep.

Can you push a broom stick up to the diff & give a small tap?
(Or metal tube if you have it that long)

Hicap phill said:

Can you push a broom stick up to the diff & give a small tap?
(Or metal tube if you have it that long)

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Thats a good idea but from what ive looked at photos wise and seen if i did that i might end up just hitting the spider spindle?!?!

You can not hit the shaft out from the other side with a tube or broom handle. This is only possible with a rod of half inch diameter with the last six inches shaped to a half moon. This is so it can pass the diff cross pin and contact the end of the shaft.
It could be that when you drove home a bit of chewing took place where the shaft broke and the broken ends gripped each other. You could try putting things back together and then in two W D carefully try to drive in both directions. May well free it.
Good luck.

tottot said:

You can not hit the shaft out from the other side with a tube or broom handle. This is only possible with a rod of half inch diameter with the last six inches shaped to a half moon. This is so it can pass the diff cross pin and contact the end of the shaft.
It could be that when you drove home a bit of chewing took place where the shaft broke and the broken ends gripped each other. You could try putting things back together and then in two W D carefully try to drive in both directions. May well free it.
Good luck.

Click to expand...

It’s also possible with a long screwdriver that has a bit of flex in its shaft as that’s how I recently knocked out the broken bit on mine.

looks like brute force on the wheel end is the answer but it may free if you can get a bit of wiggle from the diff end by slackening off the cover nuts.