I'm trying to remove a particularly stubborn half-axle from an Audi A3 8P (2011). From what I understand, the process should be:

1. Loosen axle bolt from initial position while vehicle on the ground
2. Lift car and remove inside axle bolts (i.e. to engine)
3. Remove axle bolt
4. Remove nuts that link wheel hub to wishbone and pull hub away from wishbone
5. Remove axle from wheel hub

Up to step 5 was all pretty straightforward. But the axle seems to be very solidly in the hub. On Youtube, there are examples of people striking the axle bolt once loosened but while still in the axle to dislodge the axle. I tried this with small strikes but got no movement from the axle. I then tried with a more solid mallet and after some effort have now dislodged the axle about 15mm from the hub. But the length of the axle bolt now prohibits me from using it. The axle bolt only reaches a few threads and the force is stripping those threads. The bolt head is also now right up to the side of the wheel hub.

I initially thought about a longer equivalent to the axle bolt. I went to the local bolt specialist but he said the thread is unique and he couldn't match it.

I'm wondering if there is a tool specifically for this? The only other option seems to be to fully remove the hub (with the axle attached) and take it to a third-party to separate the two. I'm reluctant to do that as it means disconnecting the brake line in addition to the work to remove the entire hub.

Photos below of the axle moved out from its original position and of the length of the axle bolt.

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/y9mXE.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/y9mXE.jpg)

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oHfsC.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/oHfsC.jpg)