Release diff fluid for CV axle change?

Quick Question. One of my CV boots leaks grease and because of this I want to change the axle and then replace the boot on the original axle.
Now somewhere I read that I have to remove the diff fluid first but on a YouTube video I saw that they were replacing the axle without removing the fluid.

Now do I have to remove the fluid first or can I leave it in?

Thanks

 

Lift the side you are working on higher than the other. The fluid in differential is to the bottom of fill plug, to give you an idea how full it is. After you lift it the fluid will run away from high side of axle. Just leave that side higher till you're done. Repeat on other side.Use jack stands.

 

Thanks.

Now I have a new question. How can I pop the the axle out of the diff housing?
I know that it is only held in place by a snap ring and normally it should pop right out with a pry bar. Now I tried the prybar method in many different ways and it will just not come out.
Did I maybe miss something? Or is the ARB diff locker maybe responsible for this?

 

You're on the right path, may just need a larger prybar. Pry, rotate a little, pry again, etc. Keep trying. If that doesn't work, you can make a makeshift slide hammer like I did in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVMuu5qJqVM&t

 

Some are definitely tougher than others. I personally used a slide hammer to pull mine when I did ECGS bushing. I saw a video where a guy used some wire/cable to noose the CV, and gave it a hard yank. Worked for him. It might have been Tacomaholics ECGS bushing video on YouTube. The ARB locker shouldn't keep you from removing CV. But I'm not 100% on that.

 

^^^ He's quicker. That was the video I remember.

 

Try this post for many different ideas.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/need-help-removing-driver-side-cv-axle.186567/page-2

 

Great video going to try this approach tomorrow

Thx

 

The method in the video worked great, took me maybe 6 or 7 pulls...thx again.

Now I lost a little bit of fluid and was wondering if I can just top it of until the edge of the fill plug?

I probably end up next weekend changing it anyway.

 

Yeah you can certainly top it off, it’s such a minuscule amount of fluid that came out. Then just change and next necessary interval.