[Mgs] rear axle

[Bernd]

today I decided to eliminate the "clunk" from the differential on my 71 MGB wire wheel car. I had ordered the thrust washers and started my disassembly on the tube axle. So far I drained the oil from the differential, took the back plate off the differential and have removed the brake drums and hub's Moss calls them "Hub Extension" , my problem is how in the world do you extract the ax el shafts?, could I put a nut on the half axle and  give the nut a couple of whacks or pull on the nut real hard  to slide the axle out? I see Moss has a Rear Axle puller tool (384-945) available, am I  right in thinking that the axle shaft  is that simple to pull and there is nothing  holding the half shaft in place within the differential ? Also do I have to pull the brake back plate? 
Thanks in advance.
B.
71 MGB