An axle puller is a tool used to remove an axle from an axle housing, often due to seized wheel bearings or other issues. It attaches to the axle by screwing in wheel studs and can be disassembled for storage. In some cases, heat or a cable winch may be necessary to remove a stuck axle.
An axle puller is a tool designed to remove an axle from an axle housing. Typically resembling a slide hammer or dent puller, the axle puller attaches to the axle by screwing in the wheel studs. The heavy hammer portion of the shaft puller strikes against the stop attached to the center shaft end of the puller, effectively forcing the shaft and bearing assembly out of the shaft housing. The puller can commonly be used in reverse to install a fitted axle into an axle housing. The typical puller is easily disassembled to allow for easier storage when not in use.
There are several reasons why an axle may require removal with an axle puller, including seized wheel bearings. Other reasons, such as a spline that is slightly crooked or worn, a bent axle, or a broken axle, may be the driving force behind an axle trapped inside an axle housing. Due in part to the design and location of the axle within a vehicle’s wheel well, an axle puller is commonly the only tool that can be used effectively to remove an axle from the housing when it will not simply slide out of the housing. the axle housing.
Occasionally even an axle puller is no match for a stuck axle. With an axle that is very old, rust or corrosion can build up inside the axle housing, creating a nearly impossible removal situation. Sometimes just repeated blows from the axle puller will cause a stuck axle to break free from the housing. In cases involving a crooked spline, it may be necessary to attach a cable winch to the axle to force it out of the differential splines. Some versions of the puller use an oversized slide hammer, which is designed for use on severely stuck shafts.
Occasionally it will be necessary to apply heat to the bearing cup area of the axle housing in conjunction with the axle puller to remove an axle from the housing. However, if the cause of the binding is due to a problem within the differential, applying heat will not help pull the axle. The typical puller is attached to the axle flange by three nuts attached to three wheel studs. When encountering a severely seized axle assembly, it is sometimes helpful to remove the puller from the axle and reattach it to different studs to apply force to a different area.
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