DeTomaso Mailing List: July 2001, Message #116

Ernest,

Sorry it's taken so long to reply to your 11 June query--been bery bery busy! 
:>)

I had the same problem when I first purchased my rustmobile.  All the other 
suggestions would ordinarily work, but didn't on my car.

In fact, when I bought it, I was horrified to see that the lower shafts 
(which connect the outer portion of the lower A-arm with the bottom of the 
hub carrier) had NO nuts on either end!!!!!  No worries though, nothing short 
of a nuclear event would dislodge them.

Jack DeRyke helped greatly--we removed the a-arm and hub and tried to press 
the shaft out--broke the a-arm and bent his 20 ton press!

To make a long story short, eventually we had to result to violence.  After 
taking careful measurements, we used a die-grinder to grind through the sheet 
metal cups which capture the ends of the hub carrier at each end.  Then we 
used a cutoff wheel to carefully saw through the shaft, being careful not to 
mung up the ends of the hub carrier.

After two cuts (and an hour or so of labor) the hub carrier was free from the 
a-arm.  The center portion of the shaft, and the sleeve, pressed out of the 
hub carrier with some effort, but the two remaining stubby shafts were firmly 
affixed to the a-arm ends.  We again put the 20 ton press to work, demolished 
a Craftman socket/press tool, and eventually got the damn thing apart.

Hope you don't have to go there!  Once things are apart, plan on throwing the 
stock lower shafts away and buying replacement shafts w/grease fittings from 
the vendors--money well spent!  Also, remember to buy whatever hardware you 
destroy during the disassembly phase.  Finally, before you tear things apart, 
check for wear/play in the brass bushings in the hub carrier--not the rear 
wheel bearings, but rather the bushings that the shaft rides on.  NOW is the 
time to replace those suckers if you have to.  Carefully saw into them, bend 
and then pry them out.

Good luck!

Mike