Hi all,

I'm struggling a bit at the moment and I was wondering if any of you have a solution.
I'm replacing my rear hand brake mounting plates on my L322. They had rusted through ejecting both hand brake shoe retainers whilst down in Cornwall on Holiday.
Anyways I did the offside fine yesterday. Replaced all bushes and the wheel bearing while I was there. To get the drive shaft out I knocked it through with a steel bar while the hub was still on the vehicle.
The near side. No such luck. I've ended up pulling the whole drive shaft out of the diff with the hub to put it in my press. I've had 12tons (the max for my press) on the end of the shaft and I can't get it to budge. I've taken the nut off of course.
Any suggestions?
If it does all go pear shaped I do have another hub and carrier so I could use those but that would mean buying another drive shaft and ABS sensor £££

Have a glance over the first vid and the second is where you are at. not sure if this will help you.

Normally its extreme heat , pressure and shock that will help you, but heat will kill your wheel bearing i guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgmj2_vRZNo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxWKCFZCyy0

When i changed my front, i loosened the hub nut about a quarter of a turn, put the big socket back on and then gave that a good hit with a club hammer and kept doing that. i could tell it was starting to move as the nut wouldn't screw back on after i whacked it, but it was on the car still. i only did the fronts but i guess the rear is the same.

when my back plates had rusted through i repaired them with the old type shoe retainer washers on the back of the plate and then used the standard retaining posts which meant i didnt have to remove the back plate

... Yeah that second video is pretty much the issue I have. I'm going to give it a soak and give it some more abuse later.

I think its the high load mixed with the shock that will do it, possibly with a mix of high temp as well. i have had bolts rust into sleeves which literally have become one and nothing would separate them apart from a drill and grinder

Well no luck with soaking it. Leaving 10 ton on it over night. Belting the hub and end of the shaft with pressure on it, also heating it. I know someone with a 50 ton press so I'm going to take it over there tomorrow.
It will either bust something or come free. It's just the drive shaft I want to keep as that's the pricey bit. I've got spares of all the rest.

Sh1t or bust is the phrase you are looking for !