2004 Suburban Z71 front drivers side axle/cv leak

[Twinsoffroad]

An update for everyone- it is my stub axle seal. I replaced the diff fluid and that made it very obvious what the problem is. I now have my CV removed and trying to remove my driver front stub axle and I cannot for the life of me get it removed. It’s been about 3 hours of using pry bars/ hammers/rotating the axle and tapping/etc.

Any tips for getting the dang c clip on this to pop out? I’m worried I’m ruining the stub axle or the bearings inside at this point.

 

[rockola1971]

An update for everyone- it is my stub axle seal. I replaced the diff fluid and that made it very obvious what the problem is. I now have my CV removed and trying to remove my driver front stub axle and I cannot for the life of me get it removed. It’s been about 3 hours of using pry bars/ hammers/rotating the axle and tapping/etc.

Any tips for getting the dang c clip on this to pop out? I’m worried I’m ruining the stub axle or the bearings inside at this point.

 

[OR VietVet]

On another thread there was a member that could not get the stub axle back in with the cir clip on the shaft as it was installed and then it was determined that he needed to put the cir clip inside first and push it in till it popped into the groove inside the carrier and then install the stub shaft. I had thought the install process was the opposite and the clip needed to be on the shaft as it was pushed in to the carrier. I am unsure as to what is the proper way to reinstall the shaft. Now I think that the clip "could" be on the shaft and just rotate as pushing the stub shaft in, until the cir clip centers and allows the shaft to seat all the way in. Hell, I don't know. I wish the video covered that.

 

[Twinsoffroad]

My bad I didn’t update earlier, I got it out!! I separated the tie Rod from the knuckle so I could turn the knuckle left as much as possible, and loosely connected the slide hammer. Not 30 seconds later with two dozen good wacks and it popped right out. Got the new seal in and so far so good. Thanks OR vietvet for the c clip suggestion as I did not know what was right, lucky for me the c clip stayed in the front diff so no extra work was necessary.

Thanks for the help everyone! Love this forum