Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Went to replace the driver's side rear axle today and had a shocker. Drum was full of oil and shit. Anyway, went to pull the old seal out and it wouldn't budge. It slides tightly into the end of the axle tube right?

Well the drum was off, and the backing plate just sitting around the axle tube, with the seal exposed. Tried just using my fingers, only managed to pull the spring off it. Tried using plies to pull on the rubber, only managed to tear all the rubber out of it (so now it really has to go!). Finally tried a claw hammer, putting the prongs under the edge of the seal and the head of the hammer against the end of the axle tube. That really got some leverage on it, and I pulled hard enough to crack the wooden hammer handle, but the bloody thing still didn't budge.

Now I can't even drive the thing. Anyone have any suggestions? I guess someone's going to suggest heat - would it be worth buying on of those little butane burners or something?

Incidentally I found a few posts on GQ rear axle seals, but not MQ. Are they much the same?

had the same prob with mine in the end i hammered a small screw driver between the seal and the diff housing and bent it up and leavered it out i also used heaps of the aviation type sealing compound when putting the other one back in just to be safe

Got the vice grips onto her and bent it up good. Came out pretty easy then. Went to put the replacement in but it was too small. Ended up putting a GQ disk brake seal in, which fit better than the one that was in there! Will double check part number for you.

yeah screw driver knocked through the metal seal and pry it out is how i do it.....

with regards to the part number of the seal....

the correct part number for the rear axle seal you need is:

97251

claw hammer works well with a rag under it so u don't dent the housing, and a piece of timber the right size to knock the new one in