my dad has a 95 chevy van and we are trying to replace the axle.. we got everything apart and there are little clips in the rear end that hold the axle in.. how do i get them off??? its a c-clip but it feels to strong to just bend out and i cant push it off either.. is there a special tool??? trick??? please help me asap/

 

C-clips use special tools. Depending on if its a inward clamp or outward clamp may require different handtools if you dont have the kind that are switchable

 

like what kind of tool?? the axle where it attaches inside the diff there is a notch in the axle and then a clip over it... is it a tool advanced or somthing would let you rent? whats it called??

 

GO HERE

Changing Rearend Gears

 

Don't listen to Orian, he's thinking JDM again. First, take the cross pin out (its a big steel pin that sits between the axle shafts. Once that pin is out, push the axle in, and take the C-clip off with a pair of needle nose pliers. Repeat for the other side. Drink beer.

 

thanks very much for the site.. pretty odd, we had the bar out and all and for some reason the axle wouldnt push in far enough.. my dad just gave it a light kick and it fell right off.. the other side was fine lol..the axles werent broke, the van just carried tooo much weight on a daily basis and cause the bearings to were in the axle pretty bad

 

Oops, no I was thinking of the other kind of c-clip, like the ones in ratchets and stuff, not the axle ones. Didnt think too hard about that.

 

+1 push axle in and pull it off, its really easy. why are you replacing just the axles anyways? check the bearings and housing...

 

bearings, seals and all are beeing done too.. we had to ge tthe axle out first though lol.

 

well usually when the bearings go you have to buy a whole new rear end cause it tears up the housing...