ok, this has happened twice now and now I have to take my tranny to the shop for them to tear it apart and find all the little pieces. Any ideas why the retaining ring would break when removing the axle? Has anyone run with out the clips before? I have read some stories on line of people doing it without issue. I would be worried about the axle popping out on its own with suspension travel and leaking fluid. Its getting expensive to replace these axles if I have to tear apart the tranny each time.

Back Story:

3.4 DOHC V6 with 92 Quad 4 HO tranny with 60° V6 Bell housing and internal slave. I used the factory axles when installed with no issues. Went to remove factory axles to replace with driver side axle due to torn boots and when removing the axle I found it did not want to come out. Passenger side axle pops in and out as it should. I tried all ideas I could find on popping out the DS axle with no luck. Finally got it out by having a friend pull on it while I pried on it with a crow bar. Axle came out but the clip shattered inside the tranny. I took the tranny to a local shop for them to tear it apart and dig out the clip pieces to keep them from tearing up the tranny. The next axle I put in I used the factory clip off the original axle thinking maybe the aftermarket clip was the wrong size even though it didn't seem like it when I installed it. Went to remove the rockauto axle because the CV joint exploded on me and same thing happened. I was able to pry out the axle by myself this time, but the clip still shattered inside the tranny. I will have to take it to the tranny shop again to have it cleaned out. I asked the guys at the shop to look at it while apart to see if there is any reason why the clip would break upon removal and they said everything looks like it should. The passenger side is no problem, it pops in and out nicely.

If this happened twice with the same transmission I would look inside the trans for an issue.
Did the axle slide in and out easily without the clip?

Perhaps something is binding in the spline area. My pass side axle gave me a devil of a time (86 4-spd-2.8) getting out while replacing an oil seal. The clip did not break but it was a disturbing experience.

Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

Im not trying to chastise you but...

Axles should NEVER EVER be straight pried out. You should put a bit of pressure on the axle cup, and use an impacting force to knock it free. An axle removal tool is a slide hammer with a special end piece that grabs the cup.

Personally, I like to use the round end of a large 1" combo wrench, and use it to put a little bit of pressure on the axle while tapping the other side of the cup with a hammer. It usually pops out very easily.

There are exceptions. If the differentials gears have developed a ridge where the snap ring is, the snap ring could catch on the ridge. But, a ridge inside the gear is typically a product of prying the axle cups out in the first place.

I'm not saying you damaged your transmission, but the possibility is very real that you have. Just because the other axle popped right out doesn't mean you did it the right way.

quote Originally posted by Fierobsessed: Im not trying to chastise you but... Axles should NEVER EVER be straight pried out. You should put a bit of pressure on the axle cup, and use an impacting force to knock it free. An axle removal tool is a slide hammer with a special end piece that grabs the cup. Personally, I like to use the round end of a large 1" combo wrench, and use it to put a little bit of pressure on the axle while tapping the other side of the cup with a hammer. It usually pops out very easily. There are exceptions. If the differentials gears have developed a ridge where the snap ring is, the snap ring could catch on the ridge. But, a ridge inside the gear is typically a product of prying the axle cups out in the first place. I'm not saying you damaged your transmission, but the possibility is very real that you have. Just because the other axle popped right out doesn't mean you did it the right way.

I have always used a small crow bar between the axle and the tranny and it takes very little force to pop the axle out. I have never had any issues until this tranny. From the beginning the driver side has been an issue. I have asked the tranny shop to look for any reason why this happens and the first time they said everything looks normal on the driver side.