8.25 cross shaft stuck

Buddy over on EVBC has a 8.25 that had the bolt shear from the cross shaft and now he cant get the cross shaft out at all. He has hammered it both directions with a 4 lb sledge and a drift and it only goes about 1/8 inch in either direction and stops cold. what could be holding it in there, spiders welded themselves to the shaft? ITs on a SG unit so I dont think he could manage to bolt it in and take a turn hoping the cross shaft would break free as the spiders rotate (hillbilly posi)? I got no experience with an 8.25, only an Explorer that I helped on with that shaft already removed. He's in a bind.