For most people when they remove the drive shaft from an inner CV they will usually cut the cable tie(uugghh), wire or CV boot clip from around the pot and then simply remove the drive shaft with the CV Race, Cage and whatever ball bearings haven't fallen out onto the floor.
Alternatively if there is no oil in the Engine then you can pop the inner CV out and withdraw the assembled inner CV still attached to the drive shaft until you reach the axle hole in the sub frame and find that in BMC's wisdom that the hole just doesn't quite let the assembled inner CV through so you have to dismantle it.

The third way which I am going to describe here shows you have to remove the inner race of the CV from the driveshaft allowing you to leave the inner CV assembled in the vehicle with the boot and ball bearings still in place. You can then choose to pop the assembled inner CV out for removal if it is required.

Not for all occasions.

The reason I stated earlier this is not suitable for all occasions is that you will find later on there is a very small surface area for you to hit with your relatively pointed drift(read big screwdriver) and if the drive shaft and CV are dry and somethings rusted together then you have the real expectation of poking a hole or two into the CV rubber boot. If you think this is going to be the case then remove the drive shaft by undoing the rubber CV boot and then attempt this technique on the bench with a vice and having removed the rubber boot from the CV you can have a fair whack at it. Reassemble with the CV and drive shaft cleaned up and smeared with CV grease to make the next time suitable for this technique describe here.

The other occassion it doesn't work is when the previous Bozo who worked on the car has fitted outer/outboard CV boots or inccorectly fitted the right CV boot, in either case you wont be able to access the edge of the CV race to hit it with your drift.

Drive Shaft Removal 103

The first thing you need to do is to remove the top ball joint of the swivel hub so that the weight of the hub is pulling on the drive shaft. You have to do this anyway to remove the drive shaft, just do it first.
 

Next step is to get some light in there and make sure you can see the edge of the CV race meeting the drive shaft. In the photo it is seen as the silver edge at the end of the rust. :)


What holds the CV in place on the drive shaft is the same cir-clip arrangement that you find at the other end of the drive shaft that holds the outer CV on. If you haven't seen the other end either that doesn't matter, you just need to know it likes nice sharp hard hits and not some fairy taps. It is likely you are dealing with 30 odd years of rust as well as the clip holding it firm.

I don't have any pictures showing how to hold the drift(big screwdriver) and the hammer as both hands were too busy to hold the camera but in this shot you can see where you need to aim the screwdriver, but you may find you need to rotate the shaft if you don't have success in the first few hits. This is due to the cir-clip on the end needs to be in the just the right place for the hitting to work. If you look closely you can see the scratches from my other attempts at moving arund the shaft.


It is not quite obvious in the picture, but I tend to locate the screwdriver on the edge of the CV and then pivot it up until it rests on the edge of the sub frame axle hole and while keeping upwards force on the screwdriver I hit it with the BFH.This holding the screwdriver under force on the edge of the sub frame hole tends to prevent the end of the screwdriver riding up over the edge of the CV and piercing the CV boot.

Once you have manged to move the CV over the circlip you should see it by way of a space at the point where you have been striking.


From this point some gentle taps or perhaps just pull on the drive shaft and it should all come free of the inner CV.


So no more greasy hands or looking for the missing ball bearing on the floor.

If you aren't game enough to try this technique in the car, at least separate the CV from the drive shaft on the bench and then reassemble with some grease to make it possible the next time you are pulling it apart.