<VV> squeak and chirp (c)

[Tony Underwood]

At 07:08 hours 07/25/2004 -0500, Lauren C Mizel wrote:
>Being a rookie stinks because you feel dumb asking such basic
>questions...but rookie I am and dumb I will be until I learn from
>experience (breaking something) or wisdom (I prefer the latter).  My next  


Don't feel dumb.   I've been doing this stuff to Vairs for over 25 years
and I still ask stupid questions.   It's a badge of honor...    


>move has been to try to remove the axle on the rear passenger side to
>find out if the trouble is with the wheel bearing or differential...that
>is where I have been for the last several hours.  I have never removed an
>axle before, so I consulted the shop manual.  I took off the conectors on
>the U joints and jacked up the wheel (like the shop manual instructs),
>but I have had zero luck "prying" the axle out of the U joint yokes...I
>even tried removing the lower control arm 

...do you mean the lower strut?   It doesn't have to come off, sometimes is
a pain in the ass to get back on again anyway.   


>thinking that might help, but
>found I couldn't because when I try to back the bolt out it hits the back
>(front?) of the engine before it gets clearance to come out completely. 
>Should I just get out my heavy duty pry bar and tork on that sucker with
>all I've got (from what I have tried previously, I think I will have to
>rig some sort of extention on the end of my pry bar if that is the case
>because I am not getting that thing to move so far)? 




If the u-joint hardware is of both ends and all is free and clear, have
someone with some brawn yank on the top side of the tire while you reside
under the suspension ready to grab the halfshaft as it pulls away from the
u-joints, momentarily.    Try to catch the cups so you don't spill needle
bearings everywhere.    

And WATCH your fingers.    Also, make damned good and sure the car is
SERIOUSLY supported  before anyone starts yanking on anything.  

You (or whoever is doing the yanking) will be fighting a coil spring that
supports ~800 lbs so expect it to be obstinate about allowing the wheel/hub
to move around.   You'll also be fighting a thick rubber bushing on the
control arm where the flange end bolts to the unibody... it *will* flex
enough to allow the wheel hub to axially rotate enough to let the u-joints
to come out of the yokes but not much more.   Use muscle.     

I expect you'll find either dry u-joints or a dry wheel bearing.   The
differential seldom misbehaves in such a manner, although nothing is
impossible.   If the u-joints are still greasy when you get the halfshaft
out, give that rear wheel a hard spin and listen to it.   


tony..