CV Axle separates from hub

[vanqu1sh]

Traveling and began getting rattle under acceleration from the drivers side front wheel. Stopped to check and can see a gap between the boot and hub. Am I safe to drive the next 80 or so miles home?

Potential cause?

FYI: I’m about 300 miles or so post wheel bearing grease and repack.

 

[MountaineerLC]

Pull the cap and check the snap ring. 99.9% chance it's came off.

 

[vanqu1sh]

I’ve tried and tried to get the cap off with no luck. Tried passenger side and it popped off with little effort. No luck on the drivers side (problem wheel).

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Any pics of problem cap? Bizzare it does not come off. Any autozone nearby to get a screw driver and a BFH? Even if cap gets damaged you can replace it when you get home. Confirm snap ring is on.

 

[Eyedaho]

I’ve tried and tried to get the cap off with no luck. Tried passenger side and it popped off with little effort. No luck on the drivers side (problem wheel).

You might need something skinny to get under the lip on the cap, like a really thin screwdriver, putty knife, or **carefully** a pocket knife. Just need to tap something in there to get the cap started. You do have the wheel off so you can get a good angle on it, right?

As stated above, don't drive on it, and it's probably just that the snap ring has come off.

 

[MJK]

A putty knife, hammer and a pair of channel-locks is all it took for me to get the cap off. I'm not sure where in AZ you are, but if Tucson and you need an emergency Sunday circlip PM me.

 

[flintknapper]

That has backed WAY...off. Circlip has come loose for certain.

Get that cap off, push the CV back where it is supposed to be and reinstall the clip. I wouldn't drive it like that.

 

[vanqu1sh]

Thanks for the help everyone. I ended up getting it off and as you all suspected the snap ring had come off.

I couldn’t get the cv back into position where it should, would never fully push through. Light was fading and in the middle of nowhere, I put the wheel back on and opted to drive it slowly home.

I’m expecting at the least I’ll need a new cv. Looking at it tonight at home, it has backed off to a similar position as in the photo but no further.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Thanks for the help everyone. I ended up getting it off and as you all suspected the snap ring had come off.

I couldn’t get the cv back into position where it should, would never fully push through. Light was fading and in the middle of nowhere, I put the wheel back on and opted to drive it slowly home.

I’m expecting at the least I’ll need a new cv. Looking at it tonight at home, it has backed off to a similar position as in the photo but no further.

You likely won't need a new CV as it sounds like you caught it plenty early, just a snap ring set unless it has "sawed" back and forth and damaged splines. Having a snap ring pop off usually comes from a non-cruiser shop reusing a snap ring after wheel bearing service. The spline wear comes from improper gap on snap ring, also an easy mistake for a shop not following procedure.

This issue is common, and usually stems from improper service.

You can pull the flange and look for any unusual wear, but I'd bet if you clean off the grease seal and pump fresh grease into the spindle all you will need to do beyond that is snap ring.

Not a bad time to just do a full wheel bearing service and inspection if you haven't done it in awhile.

@cruiseroutfit has the goods FYI.

 

[flintknapper]

@cruiseroutfit has the goods FYI.

^^^^

Yep,

 

[vanqu1sh]

Follow up: I took my land cruiser back to the Toyota dealer that did the wheel bearing service. Service advisor is telling me that the snap ring came off because it likely was the original and never serviced.

Wouldn’t the snap ring need to be replaced when doing the wheel bearing service?

 

[Eyedaho]

Follow up: I took my land cruiser back to the Toyota dealer that did the wheel bearing service. Service advisor is telling me that the snap ring came off because it likely was the original and never serviced.

Wouldn’t the snap ring need to be replaced when doing the wheel bearing service?

Yes. The snap ring should be replaced with a new one any time it is removed.

 

[vanqu1sh]

That’s what I thought. On my way to the dealer with the relevant page from the FSM to see what they say.

I’ve gotten two answers so far “could have come off due to off-roading” (I camped this weekend on a gravel road at an established campsite, Prius was parked at the camp site next to us, to give an idea.) And the “it was never serviced and probably the original snap ring”.
Really annoyed with their response so far given that I’ve spent $10-12k in service there over the last 6 years.

 

[gregnash]

That’s what I thought. On my way to the dealer with the relevant page from the FSM to see what they say.

I’ve gotten two answers so far “could have come off due to off-roading” (I camped this weekend on a gravel road at an established campsite, Prius was parked at the camp site next to us, to give an idea.) And the “it was never serviced and probably the original snap ring”.
Really annoyed with their response so far given that I’ve spent $10-12k in service there over the last 6 years.

The likelihood of it coming off while being offroad is slim to nil. They ARE ON THERE. That snap ring would have to completely bust and pop, which you would hear, for it to come off. I had a shady shop install a ground down c-clip instead of the appropriate snap ring so could have been that.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Yeah that's hogwash. New snap ring is required, it's got an X on it in the FSM for non-reusable.

They take a lot of force to install and the lateral forces which could remove them are almost none. If they are claiming its from being off road, AGAIN, if it is a new ring and has the correct gap it would never come off.

 

[gregnash]

Yeah that's hogwash. New snap ring is required, it's got an X on it in the FSM for non-reusable.

They take a lot of force to install and the lateral forces which could remove them are almost none. If they are claiming its from being off road, AGAIN, if it is a new ring and has the correct gap it would never come off.

Even if the gapping was wrong (too thin) the ring is set in that groove GOOD. There is no way just simply being on washboard/fireroad would pop it out to that extreme.

 

[Pucker5]

So this happened to me, have a brand new cruiser outfitters snap ring on and still won’t fully seat. hub , cv axle and bearings are brand new at 135k and car just hit 150k. Absolute mall cruiser. Anyone know what I could still be facing as to why it won’t seat. Two pictures are before new c clip and after new clip. What zfuck

 

[saucebox]

So this happened to me, have a brand new cruiser outfitters snap ring on and still won’t fully seat. hub , cv axle and bearings are brand new at 135k and car just hit 150k. Absolute mall cruiser. Anyone know what I could still be facing as to why it won’t seat. Two pictures are before new c clip and after new clip. What zfuck

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Might be grease in the spindle holding it back (which is normal and fine). I've never been able to pull it through without a puller of some sort.

The end of the CV is threaded—put a bolt in that and through something you can pry on, then just pry it through.

Pictures here: 100 Series CV Axle Puller Tool - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/100-series-cv-axle-puller-tool.1227665/. That tool works well (I have it) but isn't strictly necessary, as long as you can apply a force to the axle. IIRC it's a 12mm bolt with a 1.25 thread pitch.

Edit: Wait...you have the c-clips installed?

 

[Eyedaho]

Yeah, how can you install the c-clip before the axle is fully inserted?

 

[flintknapper]

Yeah, how can you install the c-clip before the axle is fully inserted?

I'd have to see a pic of the clip 'In place' on the CV axle to accept that the CV is that far out of the back side of the hub. Me thinks....the clip has popped off. Removing the dust cap would tell the tale.