What I did, in answer to your question, is the following:

I took a bus down to the Candian Tire, with 1/2 axle under my arm, and got
them to press it off the outer race with their shop equipment.

They didn't charge me anything, thankfully. Took bus back home.

I replaced boot, cleaned up CV bits, then took the bus back for the race to
be pressed back on. Took bus back home.

You may be more fortunate, and have a second vehicle.

I think it would be very hard to remove the race without a press, BTW.

Marshall Ruskin

>Listees,
>
>In the process of replacing a torn CV joint boot, I have removed the
>half shaft from the rear suspension.  I am ready to remove the joint
>from the shaft.
>
>Bentley advises using VW tool (VW 408a on VW 402) to press the shaft
>from the CV joint, page 42.8, figure 5.
>
>Russek, page 112, advises, " Now place the shaft under a press and press
>it through the joint. "
>
>Haynes (page 8.3) advises "Supporting the joint across vice jaws and
>with the drive shaft hanging down, using a large drift, drive the shaft
>downwards and out of the the joint."
>
>Can anyone comment on the Haynes technique?  I am without access to a
>press, and the task of separating the CV joint from the shaft using a
>drift seems formidable.
>
>Tom Hanlon
>Palms Springs, CA
>84 Westfalia
>