1990 Geo Tracker 2dr 4x4.
I'm replacing my passenger side CV axle.  I already got my old one out, traded it in under warranty, and began installing the new axle.  It appears the groove on the outside stub axle (hub side) is cut in the wrong place, and I couldn't get the C-clip on because it didn't have enough clearance.  No way was it going to fit.
So I began to remove the axle to go trade it back in for my old one that I KNOW will fit, only to find that now it is STUCK in the housing.  That inner snap ring is doing its job way too well.
I tried prying it only to keep messing up the aluminum housing even more.  I tried hammering it to jar it, and more prying, no luck.  I tried slamming the CV axle itself in and out (using it like a slide hammer) and no luck.  The damn thing won't budge at all.

I'm fresh out of ideas and the last thing I need is to break something and now I'm responsible for it.  Thinking about towing it to a mechanic and having the auto parts store foot the bill for selling me a part with "improper fit."


Any ideas?  I need this out ASAP and running out of time.

You can't even take the third member out because the CV is stuck in there... 

The best way I found to take'em out is to use two small prybars, one on each side behind the inner joint and push or pull them at the same time. Good luck.

That's what we ended up doing, using them as a huge wedge and hammered them in further and further and beat the heck out of it, until the little snap ring just disintegrated.  It's floating around somewhere in the diff.  Haven't drained the fluid yet.  But hey the CV axle was causing the noise!  No more noise in 4wd!

Victory?