CV Axle won't seat all the way....what's the trick guys? (1 Viewer)

[gregnash]

I dreaded re-installing axles because of this but once you do it a few times its cake walk.

Like others have said, using some grease make sure the snap ring opening is face down. Because of what I had available, I use(d) a pry par with the pry end wedged up against the base valley of the CV (the area circled in red in the OP). Give the other end (curved end) of the pry bar a few taps with a hammer from the top and bottom and it should start going in.

You know I think it is one of those things that you HAVE to do to be a true LC owner.
For the 60 crowd, the rebuild of the knuckles was that "right of passage" type job. The replacing of the axles on the 100 is the same (or at least that is how I saw it).

 

[flintknapper]

Sorry, that sucks.... Some of those new clips are brutally tight.

Comparing the two....I didn't see any significant difference in the physical size, but removing the new clips was decidedly harder than taking off the old ones....so perhaps the tension needed to compress the new ones was just that much different. Had no trouble getting the axles to go in after making the swap.

Just throwing that out there in case anyone else has the same issue and comes across this thread.

Appreciate all the suggestions and sharing of experiences. It helps add to the knowledge base here on MUD.

 

[flintknapper]

You know I think it is one of those things that you HAVE to do to be a true LC owner.
For the 60 crowd, the rebuild of the knuckles was that "right of passage" type job. The replacing of the axles on the 100 is the same (or at least that is how I saw it).

Yeah, like doing the PHH on the 80 series, Starter on the 100 series. Each has it's own 'fun' jobs, some of which are truly rights of passage.

 

[gregnash]

Yeah, like doing the PHH on the 80 series, Starter on the 100 series. Each has it's own 'fun' jobs, some of which are truly rights of passage.

Exactly... TB/WP is another for the 100 I would think but unfortunately that is one I am going to have to pass off to a shop, not going to have the space to do it unfortunately anymore, or at least until I buy myself a place. No record of it being done that I can find, so gonna need to do real soon here.

 

[Skidoo]

I have done CVs more times than I care to remember, new axle seals, new diff gears, new boots a couple of times, new CVs, etc.
Have done them with steering knuckle out and only popping the top ball joint.
Usually I use new clips unless I am in the field.

What works for me is: Grease clip. Seat as far as it will go, then on the groove on axle end of CV, tap using a brass drift and hammer (a good tap like starting a nail when you are holding it) rotate CV about a quarter turn, repeat, usually before I get a full turn its in.
Note: I have seen photos here of aftermarket CVs without the groove, another reason not to use those.
I use the same method hitting the groove the other way to get them out when they are sticking.

 

[nukegoat]

Yeah, like doing the PHH on the 80 series, Starter on the 100 series. Each has it's own 'fun' jobs, some of which are truly rights of passage.

You spelled head gasket wrong

 

[flintknapper]

You spelled head gasket wrong

Yep, just finished doing the 'Fun/Head-Gasket' on my 80 Series.

 

[REZARF]

Insert it like a battling ram. It’ll go. Momentum is your friend. It won’t slide if the splines aren’t engaged.

 

[super90]

I'm about to do these along with UCAs, LCAs, and brakes. Probably will tackle this over Thanksgiving.

 

[flintknapper]

Insert it like a battling ram. It’ll go. Momentum is your friend. It won’t slide if the splines aren’t engaged.

Insert it like a battling ram. It’ll go. Momentum is your friend. It won’t slide if the splines aren’t engaged.

NO.....I don't care how many times someone says this. Mine were NOT going to go in no matter how hard you pushed or rammed them, WEREN'T going period! Not momentum, not luck, not holding your mouth just right.....nothing that you could imagine as your 'friend' was going to make mine go in. Only changing the new clips for the old clips worked for me.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Beyond the centering, greasing, etc. on these - the biggest thing I found worked was to keep tension on the CV while inserted into the diff, and ALSO have an impact force such as a block of wood, brass hammer, or a nylon deadblow.

Two person version is someone under the vehicle with both hands on the CV, pulling towards the opposite side while you give it a few good raps.

The one person version was looping a strap (from a ratchet strap) around the CV and using a big hose clamp to tighten the strap in place. Then I bring both ends of the strap around the other tire/wheel and ratchet the two sides together. It sounds ridiculous, but it only takes a minute to set up. Then snug it up with about 30-40 lbs of pulling force and give the other side a few taps again with the above mentioned tools. Works every time.

If you allow tension to come off the spring, it wants to recoil the energy of the "hit" towards the diff back towards the source. If it has to direct all of the energy of the hit in the direction of the diff because it is already loaded, it will go without a lot of drama.

 

[REZARF]

NO.....I don't care how many times someone says this. Mine were NOT going to go in no matter how hard you pushed or rammed them, WEREN'T going period! Not momentum, not luck, not holding your mouth just right.....nothing that you could imagine as your 'friend' was going to make mine go in. Only changing the new clips for the old clips worked for me.

It's a Cruiser... jam that junk in there. Change the clips, sure, then jam it in there.

 

[flintknapper]

It's a Cruiser... jam that junk in there. Change the clips, sure, then jam it in there.

Didn't have to 'jam' anything after changing the clips. Both axles went in about 3/4 way under their own weight and inertia then seated the rest of the way with one tap from the hammer. I don't know why the difficulty with the 'new' clips....I have no explanation for it and looking at them side by side I could see no appreciable difference. But I can assure you they were NOT going in, not jamming, ramming, hitting with hammer or anything else.

I was as forceful with them as I believe it was possible to be....and it was NOT happening. I think the fact that the axles went right in using the old clips, speaks to an issue with the new ones (other than me not trying hard enough). I don't expect you to accept that....so I'll simply say that in over 50 years of wrenching on my own vehicles I've developed a pretty good sense for what is going to work and what isn't. This wasn't.

 

[Malleus]

I've been fascinated by this thread. I discussed this concern with a local master Toyota/Lexus mechanic recently and he told me he's literally done hundereds of these and never seen these problems. I'd really like to sit by someone whose doing this and not getting the shaft to pull through, just to see what is going on.

 

[Ramathorn15]

I've had issues with this in the past. New clips can be challenging. I always have success with putting some grease on the clip to hold it at the top then use a piece of copper pipe and a 3lbs short handle sledge to pound it in. Always work, but sometimes takes a decent amount of blows. It's important to ensure you've got it straight before you start pounding.

 

[AustinJoe]

Having this issue right now. Driver's side went in easy. The passenger side has been a pain in the ass. I'll try some of these tricks and see what happens.

 

[gatormark91]

Having this issue right now. Driver's side went in easy. The passenger side has been a pain in the ass. I'll try some of these tricks and see what happens.

Did you take off the spindle to do it, or just break the upper ball joint loose? If you just broke the upper ball joint to do it, jack up the LCA a bit. If the hub end is putting any pressure on the inner end, it can make it uncooperative. Jack up the LCA a little bit and it should go easier. If you took the spindle off to do it, disregard above advice, of course.

 

[AustinJoe]

Did you take off the spindle to do it, or just break the upper ball joint loose? If you just broke the upper ball joint to do it, jack up the LCA a bit. If the hub end is putting any pressure on the inner end, it can make it uncooperative. Jack up the LCA a little bit and it should go easier. If you took the spindle off to do it, disregard above advice, of course.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I had everything off so it was a straight shot. I got it to go in this time. I made sure the splines were lined up and then used the center tube like a slide hammer. Pounded it a few times and felt it slip in.