Working on an 04 MCS and need to replace the drivers half shaft(axle shaft, drive shaft). I took the gold nut off the end and I thought that was all that would be holding it on? I pounded on it but I cant get it out at all. What am I missing?

 

Have you removed the strut from the knuckle in order to give you enough room to remove the half-shaft?

 

Yep I have all that apart.

 

I've tried pulling the axle out from the knuckle and it wont budge. I've tried hammering it out and everything. I've now stripped the torx holding the rotor on so now I'm really in deep.

 

That torx bolt on your rotor shouldn't be that tight. I don't have my Bentley manual in front of me but if I remember correctly it should be around 20 ft/lbs. If it's totally stripped you can take a dremel and cut a flat groove in the middle then use a large flat head screwdriver to remove it. There are 4 bolts behind the rotor (13mm I think) that you need to remove then the whole brake mounting assembly will tip forward enough to remove the shaft.

 

The rotor and the bolts behind the rotor need to be removed? Is something holding it in? I dont understand whats holding it in.

 

There are 4 bolts securing the bearing hub to the steering knuckle. You need to reach around the back side of the rotor where the axle enters the hub and brake rotor. Put your fingers around the edge of the assebly inside and you will find 2 bolts on top and 2 bolts on the bottom. You're feeling for the head of the bolt as they are screwed in from the inside out. After you remove these bolts the hub will detach and free the end of the axle allowing you to pull it out.

 

I'm having difficulty separating the driver’s side axle from my 2005 MCS automatic transmission. Is there a specialty tool required or a trick to get it off?

Thanks

 

You may have to remove the right side axle, then you can look in the tranny and see the end of the other axle. You can then get a long punch or something and stick it through the tranny and help it out.

 

That is a very good idea.

I also should mention that my MCS has a CVT transmission and not just a regular AT. Before I pull the CV axle out of the drivers side will I need to drain the transmission fluid or will I be okay? The CVT oil is very expensive.

 

Not mini specific advice, but in general, there is a clip that holds it in (internally on the shaft, you can't see it now). If you do a high velocity yank (sorry to get technical) often you can overcome the clips adstickshun. Maybe yam it in then out sort of motion. If you can get any velocity at all in the out direction, it should go. There usually is a little play so they can essentially change length as the suspension moves.

So, in summery, try to push it in, then yank it out as fast (and hard) as you can.

 

Yes Mini axles have a round clip holding them in. But they do get very hard to remove sometimes.

 

Yep you should drain it below the axle hole. At $45. per pint, yes it's expensive!

 

Thanks for all the help I will give it another try this weekend.

 

As CRoth mentioned, the first thing you should do is remove the brake rotor retaining bolt. Use the Dremel trick or I would prefer a srew extractor. Before you attack it again, use your favorite penetrating fluid. While you have the can out, spray the penetrating fluid on the splines attaching the driveshaft to the hub.

BTW, you need to get another retaining screw.

Once you have let the penetrating fluid do its job on the splines, take the axle nut and reinstall it with your hand. Take the 32MM socket and place on the axle nut, take a hammer/sledghammer and whack the end of the socket a couple of times, you should see the splines start to move back. Alternatively, you can use a puller, borrow one at autozone/advanced autoparts, on the hub (center pin pushing against the axle) once you have the rotor off.

There should be no need to remove the hub/bearings to remove the axle from the hub.

To remove the axle from the transmission, give it a good pull. If still stuck, use a flat blade screwdriver or preferably a pry bar to loosen it and then pull. Be careful not to pry against the seal (shiny piece between the axle inner cv joint and the transmission).

Some oil may leak, so be prepared to catch it below. I would also have loosened the transmission fill plug before taking out the axle, in case you can't refill the transmission. 2 quarts of Redline MTL would do the trick to refill after a drain, 1 quart is more than sufficient to refill if you are just replacing whatever drains out of the axle opening. This is a nice transmission oil change DIY thread that I used, https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ion-fluid.html.

Hope this helps, Ricardo

youtube video that might also be helpful...