I just purchased new cv drive axles for the LeSabre. The job looks easy enough to do alone but just want to ask if there are any hidden pitfalls or landlines to expect? Any pro tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance. Tom

Oops! “landlines” should read “land mines”

Pulling it out of the final drive can sometimes be problematic. A slide hammer helps.

Good to know! Thanks.

No great surprises. If you have some experience as a shade-tree mechanic, you should be okay. If you find yourself thinking about prying the half shaft out of anything, think of another way . . . or at least think about how little damage you want to do while you are doing it anyways.

I've had great luck rotating half shafts while shaking up and down and pulling to get them loose, but different cars give different experiences.

I hope I didn't jinx you. Many just pop out.

LOL, I don’t think you jinxed me. Thanks for the tip! Someone else suggested using a slide hammer.

use a new seal on the transmission, requires you to carefully remove the old one and to also install the new one with a seal installer. Also when putting axle into the trans, lube the seal and dont hit it with the stub

And also to get the cv axle out, place your hands aroudn the base of the axle and give a tug, you should get a feel for where its more resisting coming out, find that spot, and give a tug with your hands on that spot, it should be the c clip location, and it a few tugs , side to side wiggle while in between should undo it. If you HAVE to, then a slight pry with a screwdriver/crowbar/prybar/ to push against the back of the axle and against the case on the opposite side of where youre tugging , alternate tugs betwwen those two spots, should POP right out.

Now there is a LOT of potential innuendo in what I said, im gonna go ahead and "thats what she said"

Thanks for the tips!