CV axle stuck in transmission?

IT generally takes a hard and sharp whack. So, yeah - I'd say get a bigger hammer. Get something in there that will put on the outward pressure and whack it hard and fast.

You might also see if your local AP store loans out one of these slide hammer tools & CV attachment:

Edit: having said that, I've done quite a few of these, but never on my Prius. But I looked and it seems a pretty standard set up where it's retained by that little circlip at the end of the inner splines. That's all that holds it in, and it sits in a groove in the differential.

 

I had a Gen 2 axle that was being a bear a few months ago. I was able to use the axle itself as a slide hammer by removing the inner rubber boot and tightly clamping a vise grip plier near the edge of the outer housing. That allowed me to push the axle inward, then rapidly outward. The vice grip prevents the roller section from coming out of the housing. At the same time, when the roller section hits the vice grip, it acts like a slide hammer. Axle popped right out.

Found this on the tube. Explains it very very well.

 

Can somebody help me? I'm replacing my 2001 prius cv axle and the new seal has a slightly smaller outside diameter, does it expand into place when I insert the cv axle??

 

That doesn't sound right.