R&R left front output shaft seal, question about differential

[johnanc]

I'm trying to replace the left front output shaft seal on my 2005 2500HD. Separated the axle shaft from output shaft but unable to overcome tension of retainer clip. I'm wondering if circular portion of differential through which output shaft enters differential is steel (rather than magnesium which is what I understand differential housing is made from) which would possibly allow me to wedge a tapered steel bar between the shaft flange and the circular part of the housing to drive them apart?

[DmaxMaverick]

Once the inner shaft housing is removed, tap out the shaft with a mallet (soft) or dead-blow. If it has a lot of miles, it may take some hard blows. Or, you could use a slide-hammer.

[Kennedy]

A big slide hammer is possibly the best solution. I think that the grooves were cut a bit shallow on these as it seems that they like to bind up. When I took mine out to do the E locker I think I torched off the cross shaft and had my Chev dealer pull the stub. As I recall they beat the thing half way across the floor before it let loose.

White Truck here once told me that he likes to stand with the stub facing up and then softly rattle it up and down a bit to try to center out the clip. His theory is uneven entry when removing caused by gravity. Either way it sucks to do. Mine weeps and I dread trying it again...

[DmaxMaverick]

I've seen some really tough, but none that bad. I've had to "adjust" the clips on many CV joints (same design) to get them to fit properly. Often enough, they are too large (not enough gap at the split), and they won't squeeze down to diameter. If you have to "force" one in, adjust the compressed size a bit, just like you would set the gap of a piston compression ring. Time and temperature cycles can cause them to grow some, so take a little extra, for the next removal.

[jhanratt]

My front drivers side axle seal was leaking.
Today I decided to tackle it. BAD CALL!
I pulled the skid plate, drained the front diff and removed the flange bolts.
I lowered the inboard cv axle and shaft out of the way.

I cannot get the axle stub out of the differential.

So I started with a hammer. Then I moved on to a pry bar on each side of the flange prying between the flange and differential.
Then I tried a slide hammer with a chain bolted to the flange.
Next came my 2000 pound quad winch.
And the most dangerous thing I tried was was jerking on it with a chain attached to my quad trailer hitch.
I stopped because I was worried about pulling the truck off the axle stands.

Any ideas?

I have not pulled the CV and I have not pulled the knuckle but I don't think that would help anyway. I am starting to think I may have to pull the whole front differential out of the truck and take it apart on the bench.

Am I missing something???

It's just a little spring clip holding this flange in right???

By the way. I have had the truck since new. It has 245,000km and has had several front diff oil changes. The oil was normal and the differential and four wheel drive are functioning normally??

IDEAS PLEASE!!