CV axle removal collars group buy $100

I have, in theory, (4) sets of custom axle removal collars for sale:



The goal here is to have a bulletproof way to remove axles from the front differential on the trail, and an easier way to do repairs at home as well. I recently struggled through two back-to-back axle failures on the trail and subsequent repairs at home. The problem is that it can be nearly impossible to remove the front CV shafts from the differential, unless you remove the front skid, climb under the truck, and hammer against them with a pry bar for sixteen hours. This is not a good solution when your truck is teetering on a farm jack and you are working alone in a forgotten corner of Death Valley. Even at home, removing these axles is generally a nightmare. I've read literally every thread on this topic. I thought I found a reliable solution last year, but I've since broken several steel ropes and my sledge hammer, wailing in vain against stubborn axles. I'm guessing it takes several tons of force to pop out the axles, at least sometimes. I want a way to do that, reliably, in the middle of nowhere.


The concept

So I came up with these collars, which should clamp around the slots in the factory axles, and allow attachment of two threaded rods. With additional fixturing, one could attached those rods to a puller, a slide hammer, or simply a bar of steel spanning them at their far end, against which you can swing a hammer or an axe. Unlike an ill-fitting axle fork at the end of a slide hammer, or a floppy loop of wire rope, this arrangement will be quite rigid, imparting tremendous impulsive force where it's needed, rather than against slipping, bending, or stretching linkages. It will also be symmetric and perfectly aligned with the axle, allowing you to pull directly against the stubborn c-clip, rather than against the friction of misaligned forces when you pull or pry from one side only.

I figured this might be a really useful thing to carry in one's trail-repair kit, and thus of interest to others. I looked into overseas manufacturing, ultimately ordering (10) half-collars -- five sets -- from abroad, for about $40/pair shipped. Kind of a gamble, but this is less than I've already spent on my collection of slide hammers, pickle forks, and other useless shit that doesn't reliably pull my axles.

The collars are now in customs, and I've been served an unexpected $400 bill if I want to get them, in addition to what I already paid to have them machined and shipped. This is more than I'm willing to pay, just to have a set myself. However, if people would be interested in buying the other (4) sets, then I will pay the bill, confirm that they work as intended, then ask for payment and shipping info.

• $100 per pair, shipped.
• I'll include the two screws to connect them together around the axle (you'll need a 3/16 hex key to work them), and a steel bar drilled to accept the threaded rods on the far end, for you to hammer against.
• However, I will NOT include the threaded rods. You will have to buy rods of the appropriate length to fit your toolbox and your hammer swing.
• It looks like the machine shop already tapped the collars for 3/8-24 threaded rods, which is what I planned to use for my own setup. I intended the holes to be untapped, so I could tap to either 24 or the more common 16 TPI at your preference, but be advised that if they're already tapped, then you'll need to buy 3/8-24 threaded rod, which is less common.
• I will include (4) nuts for whatever threading is used.

Illustration of what would be included

At this point I am only polling for interest. I won't ask anyone to pay until I've actually received the collars and confirmed that they work as intended. If nobody is interested, I'll abandon the shipment, and just machine my own set.

With thanks to @ColoradoTJ for letting me post this here... despite a bit atypical for BST.

 

Do you have any pictures for us to better visualize this?

 

I'm intrigued, but need photos.

 

Same, curiosity piqued.

 

I'm sure he'll add them but here is the other thread that has a pic of the setup -- https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/passenger-side-half-shaft-broke.722269/page-4#post-30828249

 

https://apacheoffroad.com/product/pronetic-cv-lasso/

 

The rope is shown as discontinued. Anyway, I tried the technique with a kevlar rope (stiffest rope) and it didn't work. Still had to get under the truck and lever out the joint with a pry bar.

 

There is someone around that sells them, find it, or make one, but I'm telling you, if it doesn't pop out easily on 2-3 swings, change the angle, rotate axle slightly, try again, when it lines up it pops out so easily you will curse yourself for ever trying any other way. I have a rope tool from some other company (can't recall what company) and it is genius, and so lightweight and small to keep with you

 

I've got something similar to the lasso, but fortunately haven't actually needed to use it. *knocks on wood*

 

Sorry guys, there were supposed to be photos. They show up fine on my end, but probably have restricted visibility since I first uploaded them when asking the mods if this was okay.

Concept:


Included:


Photo from China:

 

I like this concept, but I'd be curious how easy it is to use on the trail.

I have one of these made by gzilla, who stopped selling them as well. I've used it a ton with excellent success. Easiest way to remove a CV I've used, and easy to carry around and use on the trail. I suspect someone holds a patent to it.

It should be easy enough to make one, though, with some cheap synthetic ATV winch line or similar.

 

In my experience this only works sometimes. It is great when it does! I'd say the first couple times I swapped axles, it was super easy.

But sometimes, there is no angle that make it easy. I have spent hours and hours of my life rotating axles, re-snugging lassos, re-fitting forks, and swinging and swinging away.

You don't really know, until you try to remove the axle. I guess you can get an idea based on how hard it is to slip them in when you first install them. If they pop in easy they will probably come out without a huge fight. If you have to strong-arm them in, though, you might need Thor's Hammer to get them out again.

Me too -- that's why I'm trying to convince y'all to subsidize the experiment!

I like the idea of kevlar rather than steel rods, but I have already broken some pretty beefy steel cables and a sledge hammer handle. I think the trick, either way, is to have a snug attachment to the axle stub. So that the rope isn't slipping and flailing as it goes from loose to tight at the end of the hammer swing. That's how I wound up deciding to order the collars. Originally for Kevlar strapping, so I could build a symmetric sling that would pull from both sides of the axle. (Plus I figured the collar would provide better purchase for a pry bar, so you could potentially tire-iron them out without crawling under the truck with a hamer.)

Ultimately I decided to go for threaded rods instead of Kevlar strap because (a) it will also allow me to hammer IN really stubborn axles, too, and (b) based on modulus and cross sectional areas of 3/8" steel rod vs 1" Kevlar strap, I am estimating the coupling will be ~10x more rigid with steel, which means I can generate the same peak impulse with a smaller hammer or a shorter swing.

Having gone through this well over a dozen times, there are only a few occasions where I really struggled to get the axles out. I would say a lasso of steel rope or synthetic winch line works great maybe 80% of the time. I am seeking a 100% solution here.

 

I haven't had too hard a time removing the axles but I do hate getting underneath on the trail. I seem to always struggle getting the replacement back into the diff. You allude to it above -- If you put it the collar on the axle going back in can your more easily center and tap/hammer it in?

 

I have used the lasso thing probably 10 times with zero issue. Nothing else worked for me

 

That's the idea at least. Part of why I went with threaded rod instead of kevlar webbing:



You're supposed to be able to get the axles in without hammering them... but I've had to use a pretty big hammer to install stubborn axles before. Put the nut on the end so I didn't mess up the threads, propped it up on jackstands, and wailed away. There's really little other choice, if you don't keep pressure on the back of the axle, it slips back from the diff tube and gets crooked. You gotta line it up and keep pressure before you bump it with a hammer or whatever. I start with a little plastic mallet and try a dozen or two orientations, spinning it in hopes the C clip will fit better or whatever. Then work up to bigger and bigger hammers.

I was worried that might be why I had a "too short of axle" problem on the trail, but after inspecting the failed axles, the design is such that you can't drive the splines any further into the birfield spider thing. Probably not the best thing for the bearings though.

Anyway, I've gotten the "final notice" from DHL, if I don't pay up, these things are going back to China. Anyone interested?

 

I'm willing to contribute

 

Sweet! I'm paying the stupid import tax.

Now... crap, I hope they actually work!

 

Holy crap, the DHL guy must have been parked around the corner for weeks, waiting for me to pay the bill. They showed up this morning!



Gonna see if they work. I still got a busted axle to pull, and I'm supposed to be in Nevada tomorrow. Was going to take the car, but with luck, I'll be in the truck again. Thanks, @Iluvasiangurls , for giving me the confidence to pull the trigger.

You can have the white specialty handling gloves they came with. A fine gift for... asian girls -- or anyone else you might love! Especially since the parts are already looking a bit rusted, what with sitting in customs for weeks... I'm honestly not sure why they bead blasted them anyway. First time ordering machined parts from China, no idea what I was doing.

You know what, I'll throw in an axle seal driving tool as well. Valued at $389.99!!!

Rest of y'all better step up -- supplies are limited. I mean... if they work.

 

They work!

I'd like to proclaim the axle popped out with the first hammer blow. But I got cocky and tried with a little tack hammer first. Turns out you still need a proper hammer. First blow with that and she flew right out. Not a sledge hammer, just my trail hammer. And then... the diff started hemorrhaging oil like crazy. Normally this is good, but in my case its bad, because something lost a lot of fluid on the drive home the other week, and I was hoping it was from the axle seals. Looks like trans fluid or engine oil. Fuck. Yeah massive leak, undercarriage is soaked. Maybe it was bad to drive around with the diff loose and flopping around on the skid?

Anyway...



I put it back in to stop the leak. Also super easy. Wish I hadn't inadvertently gotten them all with fine threading. Coarse would be easier to install. Also I can't find the box of 1/4-28 screws I ordered for these so I had to install with 10-32 flathead screws and tiny nuts, that was tedious. With socket cap screws it should be pretty easy-the part is tapped and fits the axle perfectly. Will need a ball head driver though, the skid blocks direct access. Can't believe I can't find those screws, I looked for an hour.

AXLE REMOVED. AXLE INSTALLED. E A S Y.

Skid is on, I didn't get under the truck. Did have to pop the tie rod end though, you need a straight shot.





I gotta go to Nevada-not taking the truck until I can figure out what is leaking so bad. Catch you later.