I'm working on replacing the rear differential lock switch on my 1997 Montero (wires broke off 
) and am down to pulling the axle shafts out of the differential so I can remove the diff carrier. On these vehicles, no cover to remove - differential bolts together. So, you're supposed to hook up a slide hammer and pull them to the sides.
Rented the hammer and attachment, but the axle shafts won't budge. I also tried using the rotors as an impromptu hammer, but that didn't get me anywhere either.
So, any advice on how to remove these things? 20lb slide hammer? 
Did you take out the four bolts that hold the bearing retainer and probably the backing plate in place? Bring Japanese, its likely you will need to disconnect the parking brake cables and brake lines.
http://www.pajero4x4.ru/disel-pdf/differential%20and%20axle%20shafts%20rear.pdf
I'd bet part number 6 needs to be unbolted.
Interesting...I was going off what I thought was the FSM (it says so on the cover!)
See below; no mention of that bearing retainer in here. Wonder why. I did get the parking brake cables removed :-) Though I didn't fully remove the calipers and disconnect the actual brake lines, guess I'll get that done before I try again.
Look below the actual number 6... Those 4 bolts will likely be holding the shaft it. Similar setup to a Jeep D44. The retainer and bearings themselves are pressed on the shaft, then the bolts pull the retainer tight to the housing and seats the bearing. Looks like the brake backing plate is probably sandwiched in there too?
As mentioned you need to pull the brake backing plate, retainer, etc. off. The bearing should only be a light press into the axle housing if I'm thinking right. The retainer, hence the name, is what hold the axle in on a semi floating setup like you have. For future reference, all of the "front loaded" car and 1/2 ton truck axles come apart that way.
Plan on that axle seal being destroyed once you get it out. Never had a front axle come out without having to destroy the seal.
See the arrow right by the coil spring pointing to nuts that need to be torqued to 49-59 nm/36-43 ft/lbs? There's 4 of those that need to come off.
Woohoo, thanks guys! Got them apart quickly this morning; now on to the actual diff carrier.
A crappy pic is worth what, 500 words or so:
It appears that that O-ring is the seal (on the right side of the flange), and whoever had it apart last (probably the dealer who installed the factory locker into this non-factory locker vehicle) used some RTV as extra sealing power over just the O-ring. I'll probably do the same, just to be safe.
Next- it looks like that axle has an inner axle seal, which means the wheel bearing is probably packed with grease, not lubed from the differential.
There was a seal 2" in or so from the flange, and I didn't see any grease in the bearings. I'm guessing they're lubed from the diff fluid? There was maybe 1/3" of fluid in the bottom of the diff tube.
They didn't put a seal in there for fun, I'd suspect the seal failed. I probably wouldn't mess with it unless the bearings are bad, it's leaking externally, or you really feel like taking things apart to repack them and change the seals. They should run ok in gear lube.
