Rear Axle Removal Technique?

 I'm going to have to remove my rear axle to get to a spot of rust on the
swingarm.  This is my first time jacking a bike or removing the rear axle.

If the thing doesn't come out early, what is the allowable removal
technique?  Am I allowed to tap it a little with a hammer or a punch?

Thanks.

--
David T. Ashley              (dta@e3ft.com)
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 David T. Ashley wrote:

If tapping your rear axle snaps it in half something is seriously wrong.
 It's just a metal tube or rod.  You could take off the nut, get the
axle started out with a rubber mallet or hammer and block of wood.  From
there you can usually get it just by pulling while twisting back and forth.

Try to get the wheel just touching the ground so it's not putting force
on the axle either way.

 David T. Ashley wrote:

On my bikes, I would turn the castle nut backwards, thread it on
once-around, lay a 2x4 against it and whack it with a mallet.

 
OK, the consensus seems to be whacking is OK with wood as a buffer.

Thanks.

 David T. Ashley wrote:

Wood is hard enough to transfer the force, soft enough to cushion the whack.