I'm at wits end trying remove passenger side axle shaft from slip yoke/ stub shaft from '86 F250 4x4. I removed "keystone" clamp (there was only one) holding the rubber boot on and slid the boot away from the slip shaft. The axle shaft will not even think of budging. Parts explosion doesn't show any other clips holding it in place. I can see the splines and it appears rusted and probably frozen. The outer u-joint was replaced 3 or 4 years ago and needs replacing again along with the ball joints. I've tried prying on the u-joint yoke at the knuckle but can't get much purchase on it. Also tried heating the slip yoke, soaked it for hours, and tapped it with mallet. No go. Any tricks to removing this thing? What am I missing? I'm dead in the water right now and need the truck this weekend. Thanks.
-Stationary Skippy

 

you might have to pull the differential out of housing, remove c-clip and pull whole unit out that way. it is possible that you stripped splines and now they are locked together. you can eyeball the u-joints to see if they are in phase to eliminate this possibility b efore you tear it out.

 

The outer part of the axle should slide out ...I know shoulda , coulda , woulda . Try spraying it with PB Blaster if rust appears to be the problem . That stuff is magic on rust , soak it & let it set .

 

you can spray it while working the passenger side suspension up and down with a jack to break it loose.

doing this should make the slip spline to move. just keep spraying it. and use a good set of jack stands to hold the truck up.

as for the ball joints....spray, heat(lots of it) and ammering till your dead tired.

or get a air hammer and pound them out that way!

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 11-Nov-00 AT 08:11 PM (EST)[/font][p]Having tried everything you've all suggested and then some, I've decided, after having tried: heating ['til she was red], soaking for 48 hours+ (PB Blaster, Deep Creep), pried, jacked, yanked with a chain, 19 beers, and The Whole Nine Yards. BTW, there are NO clips, screws, or bolts holding this junk on. Just rust. After all that, I've come to a conclusion. And, It is the following: I'm tired of frigging with junk; I'm tired of frigging with crappy old trucks, and finally; the ball-joints and u-joint aren't all that bad aftr all (once I considered recent events). I'm not a yahoo (well, maybe); I've done this operation before several times on other 4x4's, but I've got the 357 ready to go on this one....at least then I'll know what was wrong with it. Thank you all for the help, but, in order to resolve this, I see serious destruction in the immediate future. I've had it with this thing.
-Pissed (formerly Stationary) Skippy
(Frustrated Over Resistant Differential)

 

There has to be a reason other than rust thats preventing it from sliding out . If the boot was securely in place little or no moisture should have got in there to rust anything . The outer axle moves back & forth with the suspension movement , thats the reason its designed as a slip joint . Has there been any impact damage ? Did you start this job to change the ball joints ? Was there any noise or odd handling problems before you started this job ? As if you dont have enough to consider , you say you heated the axles red hot ? That may be a problem now ...Heating them too much will weaken them .

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 12-Nov-00 AT 01:48 AM (EST)[/font][p]I started this job because wheel bearings, and u-joints had not been touched in 4 years or so when I 1st got the twuck. I've got top-bottom play in pass side wheel and same u-joint is loose and making noise on 4x4 turns. Ball joints are also on the ditch side and I figured I'd replace them while I was in there. I understand the slip joint is supposed to be just that. When I heated the joint, it was a "back yard" last resort...Ford specifically says not to heat it. Possible, it may have been impacted and bent (but no drivability probs-except u-joint noise and now that I think about it...a slight pull to the right...hmmmm). I can't see anything else that can be hanging it up. And the problem, I'm sure, is that the boot only had one clamp on it to begin with, so its been exposed to the elements, maybe 4 years and 40K or so. I was just venting earlier, but I Was thinking of shooting it (I'd feel better for about a second before I went "doooop" and than I'd have something else to fix-one step forward, one step backward). Anyway, I re-assembled the front end tonight and I've got a friend (cracker-jack welder) who claims he can cut the u-joint out at the stub shaft next weekend, remove the axle, and then get some purchase on it. Replace if necessary. At this point, whatever it takes. Thank you all for responding.
-Calmed Down and Seeing Straight Again Skippy
PS: This is the pass side slip shaft thats the prob-not the stub shaft/diff.