Differential Lock Actuator Stuck IN Axle Housing...What Do?

This is kinda a weird one.

A few months ago I had an issue with my diff lock actuator not working. I don’t think it worked when I bought the truck. I went under the truck to take it off to see if I could rebuild it and when I pulled it off it crumbled in my hand, leaving the shaft with the gear on it stuck inside the differential housing not able to budge at all.

I left it because I was pissed off and didn’t want to bother messing with it. It’s stayed in the diff housing and now I have a new actuator but I can’t get the damn shaft out of the hole! (Heh)...

Unfortunately it appears it may be leaking a tiny bit now, so I want to take care of it for good.

Aside from taking the whole third out and punching it out with a drift from the other side I don’t know what to do. Any suggestions? Anyone experienced this? I don’t have any pictures of it right now but I could crawl under and get some if it’s hard to visualize what’s going on.

TIA

 

can you weld a nail or a bolt to it and yank on it?

yeah, pics would help

 

What’s left of the actuator


The current situation with the shaft circled in red.


Welding something on it is a good idea. I may do that with a nut or something and try to use a wrench to turn it and maybe it will break it free of the corrosion.

 

Jesus, did you find this at the bottom of the ocean? lol

looks wet, have you been soaking it with penetrating oil?

 

By all that is Crom that looks awful

You need a bigger hammer - and an even bigger can of Kroil.

Also I would have the rear up on blocks so the diff can rotate freely when you try and break it loose.

 

Southern Ontario for you... it’s undercoated with oil, that’s what all the gunk and shit is on the axle.

 

I will do that, going to try this weekend. I’m afraid that when I try to spin it it will just spin the shaft and not the piece of the actuator housing stuck in. I might try to weld a plate to the end of the shaft and hammer it outwards and see if that doesn’t break it free.