Rear Passenger Axle Woes

[ozrovin]

This is on my 1991 FFR Perentie with the Salisbury drum set up in the rear. Went to fix a snapped drive flange bolt today, took the remaining four bolts out, took the circlip off, pulled the flange, and went to go drill out the bolt. Somehow, I bumped the axle in. This is where my troubles seriously began. A month or two back, when I tightened my wheel bearing, had the axle pop out, popped it back in, couple times over, as i was trying to get the circlip back on. This time, pops out, I put it back in, and nothing. Goes in too far, and now it wont budge at all.
Tried yanking it, nothing. Tried every plier I could think of. Tried a chisel in the circlip groove and tapping it out. Tried a pipe wrench and wiggling it back and forth. Tried rotating the axle shaft itself and seeing if that would free it, nothing.

Did some experimenting; had the wheel still on at this point so I kept the flange off and put it in first, didn't move at all. Im guessing it just spun the wheel bearing? Put it in 4wd and it moved. Rocked it back and forth, still no budge. Put the flange on and she drove without 4wd and still no budge. Im just maybe 1cm too far in with the axle to get the circlip on and call it a day, but cannot get any in and out movement with the axle. No banging from the diff when doing the little forward and reverse action. Worried Im going to snap an axle though.

Is my only go to pull the whole hub apart? Really want to avoid having to pull it all apart and bleed the brakes etc. Didn't even know it was possible to get an axle stuck in there.
Cheers

[workingonit]

Don't know if these ideas will work. Keep in mind there is space between the backs of axles, and when axles are out you can generally see clear through a diff.

Remove opposing axle and substitute a broom handle (or steel bar) of small enough diameter to clear female splines in diff and long enough to reach the back of the problem axle, then lightly taps with a hammer.

A standard Rover diff has a somewhat open frame supporting the gears (lockers like Ashcroft are fully encased), not familiar with Salisbury types, take filler plug off, insert screw driver or piece of steel with bent finger and see if you can lever against the back of the shaft. Some tapping against the diff casing, rattle gun vibrations?

More drastic, drill and thread a bolt hole, insert bolt and attach a puller.

[DazzaTD5]

*As has been mentioned, remove the half shaft on the other side.
*The only thing that is going to come close to fitting through the diff centre is a thin long rod and try and tap it.
*While again there is very little room, you are prolly going to need to remove the diff cover to see.

*Here is a big tip: fit the drive flange to the half shaft and fit the circlip while its all out and on the bench.

[DazzaTD5]

Tried yanking it...


Is there any spline sticking out past the stub axle? if so try putting the drive flange on backwards to it engages on the splines and rotating it