The inner boot of the driver-side axle is throwing grease, so I want to replace the axle.

I have failed to dislodge the inner axle from the transmission using several different types pry bars. :(

Any helpful advice would be much appreciated.

 

I picked up these two rental tools from AutoZone:


These tools seemed very promising for removal of the axle. However, the original Mini axle has a metal dust cover on both the inner and outer joint ends (see pictures). The dust cover at the inner joint end blocks my ability to slide the axle puller adapter between the inner joint and transmission.




The ends of new CV axle lack the metal dust covers:





Does anyone know whether the dust cover on the inner joint side can removed or pried with a screwdriver toward the transmission axle seal to create the necessary space to install the axle puller adapter?

 

What I referred to as a metal dust cover on the inner joint side of the old axle was actually a black plastic cover that could be easily pried part way into the transmission, creating the needed space to install the axle puller adapter. Unfortunately, the axle remains stuck in the transmission after a considerable amount of slide hammering.

 

I had the exact same problem.

I found these, you have to use both tools together.

 

Thanks so much for the great tip, mkov!

I have a few questions:

• Since I already have the rental 5 lb slide hammer and axle puller adapter, do I only need to purchase the two forks:
  Amazon
  Amazon
• When you said that "you have to use both tools together", did you mean the two different forks?
• Was your insertion point of the two forks between the inner joint and transaxle from below the car?
• The instructions at your Amazon link for the 2 forks+axle puller adapter suggest a two-step axle removal process - Release captive axle C-clip from transmission using the two forks and then pull axle out of transmission using the axle puller adapter (in combination with slide hammer). This was a bit confusing to me because I assumed that after releasing the captive axle c-clip from the transmission, the axle would easily slide out by hand.

 

The two forks wedge between the gearbox and axel, and slowly slide the axel out of the transmission.

Here is a video showing how they are used:

I have used these tool successfully on my Clubman.

 

I chained the 5-lb slide hammer weight to a transmission jack on wheels (50 lbs total). The chain was then secured to the slide hammer rod and axle puller adapter, which was installed on the stuck inner axle joint. The jack was approximately level with the inner axle joint. Rolling the jack at the highest speed possible across the white plywood platform in the direction of the arrow failed to dislodge the stuck axle. :(

 

Thank you, very helpful!

Was your axle stuck like mine?

I'm not sure if it matters, but does your 2012 Clubman have a manual transmission or automatic transmission like my 2012 Mini? Asking due to a possibility of more space to insert the forks on the manual than the automatic. Or would you expect similar access?

 

My car is a manual. By way of a tip, if the axel isn’t square coming out, the circlip will not release. It doesn’t surprise me that your jack trick didn’t work.

 

The axle puller adapter installed between the inner joint and transmission is loose rather than snug, so a lack a squareness could definitely have contributed to my failure.

Hopefully the forks will yield success for me.

 

Just found out that the Axle Popper forks are also available through AutoZone's Loan-A-Tool program.

 

I was very excited to pick up the rental axle popper from AutoZone this morning.


My excitement was quickly dashed when I failed to find any location where I could slip the fork tool between the inner joint and transmission.

Due to the geometry of the automatic transmission case surrounding the inner joint, there is only about a ~90-degree range on the right side of the inner joint where fork tools like the axle remover adapter used with the slide hammer and the axle popper can access the space between the inner joint and transmission (blue area in illustration). In addition, whereas the axle remover adapter had full access to the 90-degree range due to lacking a handle, the axle popper's access is much more limited due to having a handle.

Maybe the axle popper was a success for mkov608 & njaremka because they used the popper on Minis from a different year or with a manual transmission where the axle is more accessible?

One crazy thought is to cut off the handle of the axle popper to see if this would allow placement of just the fork head between the inner joint and transmission and accessibility to a hammer to dislodge the axle.

 

Frustrating!! Not sure where you go from here. I just checked the factory axle replacement guide, and it all it literally says is: "Detach inner drive shaft joint from transmission."

 

Haha...Easier said than done.

Same here.

I loathe the thought of putting the Mini back together and driving her to a mechanic. It's been a very long time since I needed to pay a mechanic for help, aside from new tire installations, wheel balances, and wheel alignments.

 

I did both of mine with a long pry bar with bent angle on the end and balanced it on the subframe and transmission. Used a block of wood for protection and quickly popped it out.

 

The first pic (viewed from below the Mini) shows the limited axle access hole created by the transmission and subframe. The second pic from a similar vantage point partly shows that an attempt to slide the fork tool between the inner joint and transmission is prevented by the fork tool hitting both the transmission (shown) and the subframe (not shown). Sorry for the crappy picture.

 

My first attempt was the pry bar method. The pic shows the pry bars that I own. I was able to get a firm purchase and apply a significant force between the inner joint and transmission using the two rigid pry bars marked with an arrow. I pried many times and then rotated the axle to a different arc. I repeated this operation for a couple of axle rotations --> No joy. I eventually stopped due to worries about damaging the transmission housing.

 

Those two red handle ones are what i used. You need to have the car jacked up in the air or on a lift to get the right angle and not hit the floor. Use a thin piece of wood that's oak.

 

I had the front end raised but not high enough to use the large red handled pry bar under the car.

However, I sensed that I was able to apply more force with the two marked rigid pry bars from the wheel well than I would have using the large red handled pry bar (less rigid) from under the car.

A pry bar has always been successful for me when removing axles from my Toyota or Hondas. This Mini driver-side axle is a beast!

 

Yep, its all about the leverage and the angle. Almost need to be on a lift.

 

Took the Mini to a local shop. They returned the old axle to me. They separated the inner joint from the rest of the axle and apparently used an air hammer to dislodge the inner joint from the differential.

Future maintenance: Replace ATF and timing chain.

 

Yikes. that's a lot of force.

 

This video shows the air hammer method using a cold chisel (see ~15:40) on the driver-side axle of 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman.

 

Yea done 4 axles. 2 on the R52 and two on my R58 and did not need to do that. Just a pry bar and a small piece of oak. I guess some get hung up?

 

Were all manual transmissions? I wonder whether stuck axles is primarily an issue for LCI Minis with an automatic transmission.