"heycosmo" <heycosmo@gmail.com> wrote;

>then hit the end of it with a mallet with all my strength,

The main caution I have is I don't have all the facts about
what is keeping the force from the mallet hitting the puller
which pushes on the axle from transmitting that force right
into the side of your transmission?

I am assuming that you have undone the tie rod, at minimum,.
hopefully also undone the balljoint on that year, (I believe?),
and have blocked the steering knuckle away from the transmission
as far as it will go?

If the air hammer, like someone suggested, does not work or you
don't have one, then
it only takes about 1/2 hour or so to undo the tie rod end, ball joint
and slip off the brake caliper, etc so you can take the whole
steering knuckle and axle over to a press and press it out
or to a large vice and knock it out with a more direct hit with a
hammer or mallet witout damaging anything else. Be carefull, the
core charge on a halfshaft where I live is about $60. Be sure the
axle nut is protecting the end of the axle.

Like someone else said, you obviously are going to need to
replace the front wheel bearings and seals on that side as well.

Good luck, let us know what happens,

The Ole Rep (not Subaru)