Help: '90 Camry CV boots - axle won't come out

[scottm]

Anyone know a good Camry forum? Patient is a '90, 2-liter, fwd Camry.

This outer-right axle doesn't look like the one in my Haynes, the one shown bolts to the inner/center axle (nice). This inner axle looks pressed into the inboard joint (sliding U-joint), or there's an internal retaining ring. I've tried hammering and prying, can't get the outer axle separated from the inner . I've unbolted the inner axle bearing, can't get the inner axle to pull from the transaxle . It's my neighbor's son's first car, I'm trying to help, beginning to look stupid. I have surgery Friday, so it'll sit in my garage if I don't figure this out quick. Maybe the whole axle assembly has been replaced, but I'd expect just the outer axle would normally be replaced, so the inner would still bolt to the outer. Thanks if anyone can help.

Yeah, I can just get a new axle for not much $, but I still need to get the old one out.

 

[wesintl]

what? upbolt the 6 allen bolts at the at the side gear shaft and undo the one or 2 bolts to the caliper wheel assembly and swing the assembly back. Of couse with the hub nut off and wa-la it's out. Replace the whole half shaft. ~ $90. I have this process down to 20 min. I have to change my left side soon the boot is toast and there is no more grease. but it's not clickin yet

 

[gladly]

I was used to cars where you just pop the axle out of the trans, most recent beater car, tried and tried, then read the haynes, said ohhh... found the allen head bolts, removed them, proceeded. (it was a golf, not toyota) felt kind of dumb, but at least nobody was watching. me

 

[scottm]

Hmm, that's the problem, there are no allen bolts as shown in Haynes! The tulip, which is the shell of the inner joint, doesn't have a flange on the inboard side where it bolts to the middle axle from the transaxle. It just has the splined(?) end of the middle axle stuck into it, and the middle axle carrier bearing is just inboard of that. I can't seem to pop that apart to get the mess out. I can't get the middle axle to pop out of the tranny either, so I have no way to get the whole thing onto my bench for cleaning/replacing/rebooting/anything.

 

[Gumby]

If it's the same deal as one I just did you found a bad one.

The support bearing on the passenger side axle doesn't just slide out. It's a press fit and it's pretty well in there.

The last one I did was on an Avalon, but I'm thinking it's the same deal. Support the engine and unbolt the engine mount/support bearing assembly. You will need a swivel adapter and a number of different size extentions. The support is on locating pins so you have to get it free from the block before it will slide out through the left wheel well. The inner CV is on a snap ring just like most of them. The two halves to not come apart.

I maxed out my 10-ton press getting the bearing out. It's a lot of fun.

Press it all back together and put it back. You can try to bolt in the support first and then put the axle in, but I seem to remember having some problems with that. You'll want to clean the race really well with emory at least.

 

[scottm]

I have the bearing mount loose, how much force is necessary to pop the whole axle assembly out of the tranny? Not much room to swing a sledge under there. What two halves don't come apart: a joint or the two axles? I'll leave the bearing in, I just want to get the CV apart for a new boot. The outer snap ring looks like I'll have to pry it out of the groove, ugh. I may need a new boot for the inner before I'm done, it's getting a workout.

 

[semlin]

is it possible to take a giant screw driver and tapped it hard with a hammer right at the transaxle/shaft seam? worked for me on a honda that no amount of yanking or levering would free. as soon as the screwdriver cracked the seam just a little it popped right out

 

[scottm]

Last night I had a fat prybar against the inner joint, hitting it with a hand sledge, nothing budged. I'll try more of the same when I get home, I'm not sure what else I can do.

 

[wesintl]

Sorry, I didn't realize it was that different. Is this a manual or auto?

 

[scottm]

Auto. I keep seeing something about Japanese axles, apparently different from the U.S. made? Maybe that's what I've got? Perhaps the axles were replaced once, it's got about 150k on it.

 

[Gumby]

If it's the one I'm thinking of no pounding will get it loose. heat will only mess things up.

The bearing support is on locating pins. After the bolts are out, you have to get it off of the block about a half inch, then the shaft will pop out of the transaxle just like any other. Do you have the replacement shaft yet? If so, you can look at it and see if it comes as all one piece as I think it does.

 

[scottm]

No replacement shaft yet, just new boots, keeping to a 16-year-old's budget. I'll double check that the bearing mount is truly loose, this'll have to wait 'till after the weekend now. Thanks!

 

[Gumby]

I just looked at the AllData. It shows a bolt together assembly for 90 and 91 camrys. You unbolt the outer, then there is a snap ring for the inner, although you don't have to pull the inner to do boots.

The one I did was on a 95 Avalon with the press out bearing.

Does the center support bearing have a lock bolt pointing straight down?

 

[scottm]

I just looked at the AllData. It shows a bolt together assembly for 90 and 91 camrys. You unbolt the outer, then there is a snap ring for the inner, although you don't have to pull the inner to do boots.

I'm back at it, a bit more painful but I couldn't help myself. Got the pass-side axle out. This one doesn't match my Haynes, not bolt-together at the inner axle, but has a '90 date on it. I can't get the outer CV to come off the shaft, and nothing I've read indicates it should. Haynes indicates I have to take the inner joint off the shaft to slide the new boot on, so I have to pull the inner joint apart, and another $25 for each inner boot. I don't like quick-boots, but I'm thinking this might be the way to go, about $9/side instead of nearly $35/side with the added inner boots. The car has 160k on it, with a teenager at the wheel. So far this has been cheap and I wasn't planning to shake the kid down, just a favor. Any hints on quick boots?

 

[Gumby]

I'm not a fan of quick boots. Generally, I don't even do boots at all. You can spend $35 a boot or $90-100 for the entire remaned shaft. Then you don't have to go through all the additional work of disassembling the CV or worry about worn joints blowing up later anyway.

When I did the Avalon shaft, it did not come apart. The replacement came already put together.