I am at wit's end with this stupid ARB, any help is appreciated!!!

Ok, I'm still in the same position I was 2 days ago. The retaining bolt for the cross-shaft broke in half while trying to extract it. However, I am able to turn the carrier and watch the cross-shaft spin in place. This leads me to believe that the retaining bolt is no longer affecting it. I am unable to get the half-shaft retaining bolt out, but according to Crash, this should not matter. If I tap on the cross-shaft I'm able to get slight movement in it back and forth, but no more than 1/32"(I think I exaggerated in the first post). I've tried wiggling the U-shaped piece, following Crash's tip that it might be binding up, and this has netted me absolutely nothing. I've tried gently tapping the cross-shaft, I've tried pounding the living sh!t out of it, nothing makes a damn difference. If it were possible to cut the axle shafts off and fix the problem that way, I would do it, I'm at that point. However, since it's a damn C-clip axle, I'd still have the little nubs to contend with inside the carrier. What the heck am I missing? Something stupid and obvious? Thanks!

Ary

Wannabe, I haven't forgotten that you need this by the 23rd and I will make sure it gets there by then. Scout's honor :lecture:

Anybody? It's not often that I am 100% completely stumped and defeated by a problem. Generally there is a "last resort" that although costly or labor intensive will work, but I don't even have that at this point. I wonder if I could find a way to attach my drill to the cross-shaft and through spinning it, help it out of the hole? Hmm...

Ary

are you sure your trying take the rt shaft out?

Yup, there are only two shafts, and the second only goes halfway through. What really gets me is that the damn shaft spins, but won't slide.

OK, if the bolt is broken off inside, you may have a serious issue. The cross shaft may have a groove cut into it to permit oiling of the pinion gears, the groove is about 1/16" deep. The broken off pin might be hanging up in this groove, allowing the shaft to spin, but not come out.

You may have to put an appropriate sized drift into the pin hole and pound on the remnant broken piece until you move it a bit.

CRASH

CRASH said:

OK, if the bolt is broken off inside, you may have a serious issue. The cross shaft may have a groove cut into it to permit oiling of the pinion gears, the groove is about 1/16" deep. The broken off pin might be hanging up in this groove, allowing the shaft to spin, but not come out.

You may have to put an appropriate sized drift into the pin hole and pound on the remnant broken piece until you move it a bit.

CRASH

Click to expand...

This sounds like a very viable possibility. I will see if I can't find a drift and beat on it a little :gee:

I had to drill the end of the shaft with the broken bolt , once took a while. but it worked