Nearly done with removing everything to drop the motor frm my van.
Had a hitch though. I pulled all the bolts out of the CVs on the transmission side so I can remove the engine/transmission. One side came apart beautifully on its own, as it should. The other refuses to budge at all!

How do I free up the CV without damaging something?

If you've removed all the bolts there can't be much holding it bar a bit of crud. I'd give it a gentle wack with a piece of wood or with a hammer on a piece of wood held against the joint. I assume somewhere along the line someone has said that once you've freed the cv joints cover them with a plastic bag and tie them up out of the way. They have an alarming habit of falling apart onto your dirty floor at the slightest provocation.

Amazingly enough I've never had one fall apart. Probably from the sheer age and viscosity of the grease in them.

I know it should come apart, but it isn't. I tied and bagged the willing one as soon as I undid it.

As for the unwilling one. It's some tough crud! I Tried wiggling it, twisting it, shaking it, hitting it, pulling on it etc. It just doesn't move! I think I'll take to it with a wire brush and degreaser tomorrow, but I doubt it will help.

I can't understand how it's even possible for it to get stuck on there. I've never had any real troublw with CVs before apart from seized bolts. And that was on a rusted out type3 I was stripping.

I tackled it again. the cursed thing is stuck solid! Even went nuts witha rubber mallet.

Yeah, I was going to give it a bit of new grease when I put it back on.

I might have to try the screwdriver.

If I can't get it last option is to unbolt from the wheel end and put a bar over the transmission or something to support it

Take the other end off (wheel end). Then when it is out of the car, you can get a better swing at it.

Will do. What's the best axis of movement to successfuly remove (read assault) it without ending up with ball bearings all over the yard?

soak the whole CV and axle in WD40. Leave it for a day, then have another go. If it doesn't move, try degreaser.

BTW, as a last ditch effort, you could cut the boot open and fill it up with wd40 or degreaser.

Oh, just thought of this...have you tried heating it up a bit? A bucket of hot water or heat gun pointed away from the boot?

And dare I say it, but it sounds like they need a complete repacking anyway.

Simply take of the wheel end like Old Dubber said and then let the axle hang down. Grab it and bend it backwards. This will lever it off the transmission end just make sure you have all the bolts out.

The amount of force you can apply can not harm anything. If this fails for some reason, which it never has then you will probably need to go the screw driver method. You will only need to budge it a little and it will come off.

Hope that helps...

I agree with what has been said. CV's are pretty strong and in the event that you do have something break I know you can still get Lobro joints fairly east you could even to a mild rebuild yourself if the wear is not excessive. Just remember when replacing the boots make sure both surfaces are clean and also add a little locktite gasket goo remembering to circle the bolt holes.