The slide hammer is a very specialized tool that has several different uses for repairing an automobile. This sliding weight tool can be used by a body repairman or someone pulling apart the inner workings of a wheel assembly.
A slide hammer consists of a pole-like shaft and a donut-shaped weight that slides down the pole. At one end of the pole there is a round attachment which prevents the weight from sliding off the end of the tool. The other end of the slide hammer is the attachment end, where a threaded bolt and nut allows the tool to be connected with a rear axle seal or hooked into a damaged car body.
Since a rear axle oil seal is pressure-fitted, replacing a bad one requires use of a specialized force. While one end of the slide hammer is used to grip the seal, the sliding weight is slammed hard against the other end of the tool. The donut end piece keeps the weight in place and after a few strong pulls on the weight, the part usually comes free.
Instead of pulling apart the rear axle assembly, a slide hammer can be used to pull out dented or pushed-in body sections, like a fender or door panel. First a small hole must be made in the body part, but if the dented piece can be pulled back out to its original shape, then the workman can repair the damage without replacing body parts.
