Driver side axle broke inside the trans.. SMH!!!

[mge_1]

So our XC90 (05 2.5T AWD) just hit 200K miles last week and I'll have to say it has been very reliable vehicle for us. Then last week as my wife was pulling into the garage this happened...

Anyone here ever seen this or happened to you? What did you guys do to pull it out? I was thinking taking the other side out and hope to be able to punch it out. But I am concerned it won't be that easy and something would be in the way. Or just tap drill, screw and pull with a slide hammer or some sort.

Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks

[hoonk]

I was thinking taking the other side out and hope to be able to punch it out.

Or just tap drill, screw and pull with a slide hammer or some sort.

You cant push it out from the other side, don't waste your time taking the right side apart (the spider gears are in the way) your second idea might be your best bet.

[mge_1]

You cant push it out from the other side, don't waste your time taking the right side apart (the spider gears are in the way) your second idea might be your best bet.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[mge_1]

Yup the temptation kicked me up the A$$... I should have never removed the driver side axle...

So I got the passenger axle out... And on the left is what I saw (a clear view of what I thought the broken axle on the driver side) and on the right after trying to punch it out.. Bam... A light tap and something started to leak... What did I mess up? A seal, a gasket, or the wall of the transfer case? It sure don't look like the other broken piece I was originally trying to punch out.

[Astro14]

If this is an AW-55 transmission like the XC, that driver's side axle takes a lot to get it out.

In the AW-55 transmission, there is a metal cap on each spider gear. That and the spider gear shaft are in the way of trying to "punch" it out from the other side. The standard "pickle fork special tool" doesn't work well. A big cold chisel has the right angle/wedge to "pop" the axle.

If you've tried the punch from the other side, you probably messed up that metal seal. It's an odd part; keeps fluid from getting to the splines, so they run dry and rust, and it doesn't show up on the ATRA manual for the AW-55. There's an internal o-ring for the axle, which is how most cars seal the axle and splines. The transmission seal is actually running on the outside of the spider gear.

I would simply put the passenger side axle back in, drive it, and check for leaks. If you've got a leak, replace that internal o-ring.

And for the driver's side? Yeah, if there's a broken stub of the axle in the splines, it's held in by a circlip and rust. You'll need to weld on a bung/stud or drill and tap a stud into it so that you can get a slide hammer on it...

[mge_1]

All is well... re-installed passenger side and got the stuck part out of the driver side as well (drill tap and pull). XC90 has been on the road for about a week now. No leaks so far, fingers crossed...