RTH: Front CV Axle installation

[2001LC]

I know right! It's like my best video ever! ....LOL

I wish I would have gotten a video of me using the brass dowel to pop one in. I had just finished R&R a rather tough PS TRE, took 3 hours. The 90 minute DS diff seal R&R was sweet . It was the most cooperative one I've done, only releasing UBJ. I didn't even release the TRE mount for the knuckle. Found old seal in backward and seal driven in way to far. One more leak bits the dust.

 

[2001LC]

Oh, bye the way! I should mention, I pull on the FDS. To make sure, it will not come out of the differential. Once I've looked to see Dust seal was into the side tube. It goes in far enough that you can't see the dust seal. But FDS has some in and out play. Pulls out about 5 to 10 mm, at which time dust seal can be seen.

 

[zhloea]

I haven't done this yet, but I will be giving it a go when my new shafts arrive on Monday...

I saw this video, he makes it look so easy(at 19:06 mark if the link doesn't start there):

Do we really need to take off the hub/flange to replacing the CV axle as this video shown? Or we only need to take off the snap ring for this?

 

[shtbrwn86]

Maybe a stupid question but does it matter where the snap ring is on the axle? By this I mean the ring fits kind of loose in the groove and wants to “hang down”. I put grease on the ring to hold it in place but does it matter if it’s centered in the channel? I know it needs to have open end down. Just wondering what I’m doing wrong because I’ve been at this for an hour now with a new OeM axle and I thought it was going to be easier than this judging by the videos @2001LC and OTramm posted

 

[ikellymo]

Maybe a stupid question but does it matter where the snap ring is on the axle? By this I mean the ring fits kind of loose in the groove and wants to “hang down”. I put grease on the ring to hold it in place but does it matter if it’s centered in the channel? I know it needs to have open end down. Just wondering what I’m doing wrong because I’ve been at this for an hour now with a new OeM axle and I thought it was going to be easier than this judging by the videos @2001LC and OTramm posted

Snap ring just needs to have open end down, I don’t think location in the groove matters. I really really struggled with one axle a few years ago, then just put a new oem one in and it clicked right into place. I’m not sure I have it down, but I think a key is to not expect the splines to automatically line up. I think** Once you insert the axle you have to twist it a little bit to find the point where the splines engage, then apply pressure to pop the axle in.

 

[ikellymo]

Do we really need to take off the hub/flange to replacing the CV axle as this video shown? Or we only need to take off the snap ring for this?

Pretty sure only the snap ring if you pull upper and lower ball joints, disconnect brakes and steering arm and remove the whole hub assembly. Just make sure your bearings are good/repacked at some point!

 

[flintknapper]

Snap ring just needs to have open end down, I don’t think location in the groove matters. I really really struggled with one axle a few years ago, then just put a new oem one in and it clicked right into place. I’m not sure I have it down, but I think a key is to not expect the splines to automatically line up. I think** Once you insert the axle you have to twist it a little bit to find the point where the splines engage, then apply pressure to pop the axle in.

I had the same problem. I could NOT get the CV's to seat into the diff with the new retaining rings. Had to use the old one's and they slid right into place. I could not see any physical difference in the two....but they would not go in with the one pair.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Snap ring just needs to have open end down, I don’t think location in the groove matters. I really really struggled with one axle a few years ago, then just put a new oem one in and it clicked right into place. I’m not sure I have it down, but I think a key is to not expect the splines to automatically line up. I think** Once you insert the axle you have to twist it a little bit to find the point where the splines engage, then apply pressure to pop the axle in.

At least I see that I am not the only one struggling to get this thing in. The axle is a new OEM axle with new OEM ring (it's already on the axle). I can feel it line up with the splines. In fact I am able to turn the gears in the diff when the axle tip is engaged, so I am fairly certain it's line up properly. It just doesn't do anything when I try and pop it in. I have the entire hub assembly removed too for better access.

I have read maybe on a Tacoma forum that people have had to slightly bend the clip to get it to slide into the diff....but I don't know about that.

 

[shtbrwn86]

I had the same problem. I could NOT get the CV's to seat into the diff with the new retaining rings. Had to use the old one's and they slid right into place. I could not see any physical difference in the two....but they would not go in with the one pair.

View attachment 2709835

Looks to me like the old ring has compressed into more of a circular shape. The new ring looks "wider" which seems to be the same thing I am seeing on my new vs. old axle.

 

[TheForger]

At least I see that I am not the only one struggling to get this thing in. The axle is a new OEM axle with new OEM ring (it's already on the axle). I can feel it line up with the splines. In fact I am able to turn the gears in the diff when the axle tip is engaged, so I am fairly certain it's line up properly. It just doesn't do anything when I try and pop it in. I have the entire hub assembly removed too for better access.

I have read maybe on a Tacoma forum that people have had to slightly bend the clip to get it to slide into the diff....but I don't know about that.

It took me several tries before my OEM axle finally popped into the diff. I made sure that it was as perfectly parallel with the ground (in-line with the diff housing) as I could get it. When you push on it you want the force to travel in a straight line, mine kept going cockeyed at the joints until I did that. It took a few very tough shoves to get it to seat properly. Like 'almost felt like I might knock the truck off the jack stands' shoves.

 

[2001LC]

Sometimes their just hard to pop in. In my video, was one of the easiest I've ever done.

 

[shtbrwn86]

It took me several tries before my OEM axle finally popped into the diff. I made sure that it was as perfectly parallel with the ground (in-line with the diff housing) as I could get it. When you push on it you want the force to travel in a straight line, mine kept going cockeyed at the joints until I did that. It took a few very tough shoves to get it to seat properly. Like 'almost felt like I might knock the truck off the jack stands' shoves.

I’m trying to keep it as straight as I can. What I am doing is holding the inboard metal housing with my right hand and grabbing the outer shaft with my left hand. Almost feels like it’s going to damage something internally when I do that. But yeah it does seem like it’s going to knock the truck off the jack stands.

 

[Mauser]

I have had to get a little forceful before. Have one guy hold the axle inline and compress it as much as possible while someone else gives the end a couple of good whacks with a 3 pound dead blow hammer.

 

[zhloea]

I changed both of my CV axles in the last two months, I can confirm that using OEM for a 2004 LC100, I never can pop it in by just holding a cv and pushing. I have to use a pry bar and hammer, reach the solid edge of the inboard side, and punch them in.

 

[zhloea]

Pretty sure only the snap ring if you pull upper and lower ball joints, disconnect brakes and steering arm and remove the whole hub assembly. Just make sure your bearings are good/repacked at some point!View attachment 2709844

thanks, I end up with "doing the whole bearing anyway"..., the funny thing is when I looking your picture with all bags, I thought it is one of my pictures when I doing this, exactly the same scene, all bags everywhere...

 

[abuck99]

You gotta earn getting the axle to lock back in - they seldom just pop in.

But sometimes you get lucky. With locking ring open side at 6 o'clock position- once splines are lined up, holding axle with one hand in center section and other hand towards outer end, one forceful shove usually gets it done-

 

[shtbrwn86]

Still at it....still no luck. Since I am doing this by myself I have the axle supported on jack stands and bubble wrap to help me get it as straight as possible, which everyone says is key? It's a lot straighter than I could ever hope to get it on my own.

I think took a 4lb dead blow, compressed the axle and pounded on it and it doesn't even want to budge...Do the pictures look right? I can definitely feel it slide into the diff and when that happens I can turn it and the other wheel turns. I can't believe this is the last thing holding me up on this project!

 

[shtbrwn86]

Still at it....still no luck. Since I am doing this by myself I have the axle supported on jack stands and bubble wrap to help me get it as straight as possible, which everyone says is key? It's a lot straighter than I could ever hope to get it on my own.

I think took a 4lb dead blow, compressed the axle and pounded on it and it doesn't even want to budge...Do the pictures look right? I can definitely feel it slide into the diff and when that happens I can turn it and the other wheel turns. I can't believe this is the last thing holding me up on this project!

View attachment 2713658View attachment 2713657View attachment 2713656

Took a break and watered the plants and came back out to give it another try and BOOM she’s in!!!! Just held the middle and outer end and thrust the shaft a few time and she locked in!!!

 

[flintknapper]

^^^^

Same issue I had. No matter what I tried they would NOT go in. Finally I tried putting the original spring 'clips' back on the CV's and they popped right in. Everyone kept saying.....you need to keep it straight, you need to push really hard, etc...etc...

Yeah, well........I did all that. No go. Old clips...and the CV's popped right in there with a satisfying clunk.

 

[shtbrwn86]

^^^^

Same issue I had. No matter what I tried they would NOT go in. Finally I tried putting the original spring 'clips' back on the CV's and they popped right in. Everyone kept saying.....you need to keep it straight, you need to push really hard, etc...etc...

Yeah, well........I did all that. No go. Old clips...and the CV's popped right in there with a satisfying clunk.

Well I just got around to doing the driver's side CV and I don't know if the stars just aligned but it popped in like the 2nd try. Like in Paul's video here as well as the one from OTRAMM. Weird. I did use Mobil 1 grease to hold the snap ring in place and it seemed to stay put better than when I use the red n tacky grease on the other side.