Chevy & GMC Vans

Went to pull the right rear axle shaft on the used Jeep Cherokee I bought for my son. -flange on the axle is bent, wheel wobbles.
Good news is the gears are in great shape. Bad news is that whoever installed them rounded the head on the pinion shaft lock bolt a bit, and my efforts to remove it made is worse. What should have been a simple job has now become complicated. I hate getting beat by one little bolt. Soaked it down with liquid wrench. I'll take another crack at it next weekend. In meantime suggestions are appreciated.

Get PB Blaster instead of that Liquid wrench. If the head of the bolt is round off, you can get something like this:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

I have used vise-grips with success. Depending on what loctite the last installer used, heat may be needed.

Lets hope no Locktite was used. As a last resort you can weld a cheap socket to what's left of the bolt head.

I had a lucid moment and quit before I fubared it, but an 8mm or 5/16" socket slips on it now.

man it's been that long? got a set of metrinch sockets and wrenches - wall drive, yeah yeah I know...infomercial tools
but the fact of the matter is they work. got the munged up pinion bolt out no problem. The ratchet in the set pretty much sucks but the sockets and wrenches work purty guud. My Son and I pulled the axle this morning and counted the splines.
Good thing we did, all the parts sites list the '96 for 27 splines. His has 29. new axle ordered. Soon no more wobbling rear wheel. semper fi Astrosafarians!

How about a small thermonuclear device?

hmmmm, Captain...while a tempting suggestion, that might scratch the paint on my astro sitting adjacent in the driveway.