Removing Driveshaft U Joint Yolk Bolts

[defdes]

I broke a rear drive axle and am trying to see if there was damage to the rear carrier. I sheared one of the bolts on the yolk holding the universal joints while trying to remove and though I got the nut off the other one, both bolts are frozen in. I have tried banging with a drift, and pressing with a C clamp to no avail. Can I slip the U joint out by disconnecting the circlip to free up the propeller shaft and allow the removal of the diff?

[Desoto61]

Not sure if you'll get enough side-to-side movement at the carrier end to get them out that way. The Detroit joints are pretty narrow so not a ton of room to move it, especially with the drive shaft still on the other side of the joint. Might be easier to press the u-joint out of the driveshaft and leave it in the carrier till you can get it on a bench.

Otherwise I'd think heat and penetrant/wax and some more work with the drift press is your best option.

[defdes]

Thanks, I'll get back on it.
On another tip, is drive axle failure common? I was not hammering on it at all, though I do plow with it and it was a wrecker in a past life. I put it into 1st gear from a dead stop in the middle of a flat field when it let go.