Right front axel Question

TKB4 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 1:18 pm

We Had a lower front ball joint shear off. Got it home and took everything apart and got new ball joints in but here is the problem.

The front right drive shaft came out till large diameter piece about 3 inches diameter hit strut structure. Everything I found says just center it and push it back in till you here a click. I did this and it goes in partway and apparently the splines are engaged since it tries to turn the front drive shaft but it looks like it still needs to go in another 1-2 inches and haven't heard a click but also cannot push it in further. I have new ball joints etc ready to go back together but cannot go further till get right from axel cv assembly back in.

Is there a spring loaded clip or similar setup that isn't allowing it to go further? Do I need to open up differential?

ANY SUGGESTIONS ??? or other helpful info??

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 2:35 pm

TKB4 wrote:

We Had a lower front ball joint shear off. Got it home and took everything apart and got new ball joints in but here is the problem.
The front right drive shaft came out till large diameter piece about 3 inches diameter hit strut structure. Everything I found says just center it and push it back in till you here a click. I did this and it goes in partway and apparently the splines are engaged since it tries to turn the front drive shaft but it looks like it still needs to go in another 1-2 inches and haven't heard a click but also cannot push it in further. I have new ball joints etc ready to go back together but cannot go further till get right from axel cv assembly back in.
Is there a spring loaded clip or similar setup that isn't allowing it to go further? Do I need to open up differential?
ANY SUGGESTIONS ??? or other helpful info??

I presume you are talking about the CV Halfshaft and and not the mid shaft that goes all the way into the diff?
There should be no need to open up the diff if you are dealing with just the halfshaft. You may need to pull the CV half shaft assembly completely out and examine the splines and clip on the end of shaft.
There is a small wire spring type circlip that fits into a grove on the end of the shaft. You need to make sure it is still there and not damaged and somehow not letting the shaft slide fully into the housing.
Hope this helps!
see pictures:

Clip, no. 23 on diagram below:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 3:05 pm

Yes its the half shaft . Thats kinda what I thought was already removing the shock extension (not official name) from the strut to be able to remove the half shaft. So probably the snap ring is damaged etc. Hoping there was something I was missing. Looked in service manual but didn't see that diagram either.

Thanks WW

TKB4 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 3:05 pm

Yes its the half shaft . Thats kinda what I thought was already removing the shock extension (not official name) from the strut to be able to remove the half shaft. So probably the snap ring is damaged etc. Hoping there was something I was missing. Looked in service manual but didn't see that diagram either.

Thanks WW

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 3:41 pm

TKB4 wrote:

Yes its the half shaft . Thats kinda what I thought was already removing the shock extension (not official name) from the strut to be able to remove the half shaft. So probably the snap ring is damaged etc. Hoping there was something I was missing. Looked in service manual but didn't see that diagram either.
Thanks WW

Good, hope it is something very simple!
It's called a strut Clevis. :wink:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 05, 2019 4:58 pm

Well it may be simple but its getting me frustrated. When I got strut clevis off and removed it the whole axel came out in one piece so in your diagram part number 24 came out too and it has a groove with a c clip type device in it that looks like the part number 23 and the splines and c clip do not look damaged. But I have tried rotating 360 degrees twice and almost if not every spline and it only goes in to about the c clip groove. Friend told me just have to wiggle and play with it but I am taking a break for now before I kick it and break my foot :banghead:

Any tricks from here? If not will keep :banghead:

Will try to post pics

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:35 am

TKB4 wrote:

Well it may be simple but its getting me frustrated. When I got strut clevis off and removed it the whole axel came out in one piece so in your diagram part number 24 came out too and it has a groove with a c clip type device in it that looks like the part number 23 and the splines and c clip do not look damaged. But I have tried rotating 360 degrees twice and almost if not every spline and it only goes in to about the c clip groove. Friend told me just have to wiggle and play with it but I am taking a break for now before I kick it and break my foot :banghead:

Any tricks from here? If not will keep :banghead:

Will try to post pics

Wish I were closer, I could come assist you. :JEEPIN:

You may simply have to hold CV axle straight in line with the mid shaft with CV joints completely compressed and let another person hold a piece of wood, 2x4 etc.., against the end of the axle and give it a good love tap with a big hammer.

Make sure those splines and the spring clip have some grease on them so they will slide easily.

TKB4 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 06, 2019 8:28 am

thanks I mainly wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt anything or needed to open the differential to get it back in. I have a friend coming this am that can help hopefully we will get it.
https://imgur.com/Zsw7DPy
https://imgur.com/4e0HFMj
https://imgur.com/T5KL6xF
https://imgur.com/0W1rfMG
https://imgur.com/oYmEjty

Last image shows it partially installed wouldn't go in the last couple inches .
the other pics show the half axel and mid axel joined together and the cv joint boots etc
the next to last shows the groove at the end of the mid axel that goes in toward differential first with the circle in it

I checked all the splines nd cleaned it up with break cleaner to make sure no grit etc in it and greased it but still didn't get it in all the way then it started raining so I regrouped for this am

Its not easy getting 3 sections with 2 u joints straight with 2 hands much less tap it !!

TKB4 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 06, 2019 11:39 pm

On the road again! Axel went in with first tap when I held it straight with cv joints compressed and had a helper tap it ! Took all of 1 minute then another hour or so completing the reassembly.

Thanks for the help!

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Jul 07, 2019 12:30 pm

TKB4 wrote:

On the road again! Axel went in with first tap when I held it straight with cv joints compressed and had a helper tap it ! Took all of 1 minute then another hour or so completing the reassembly.
Thanks for the help!

Glad it worked! :BANANA:

Right front axel Question

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