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I had to pop out the axles so I could drop the diff down (doing a bushing overhaul and new axle seals) and popping the axles out was pretty easy. Just used a screwdriver to pop it loose and it came right out. But now I'm trying to re-install the axles and I'm having a heck of a time. I tried going in with the clip opening facing up then flipping it around, tried going in with the clip facing down, tried rotating the axle about a dozen times, feels like I tried everything.
It gets to about where I have it showing the in the picture and then I try to quickly shove it into the differential as I have found online and it just will not budge from here.
Any ideas? It gets stuck here on both sides so I'm kind of stumped.
Remove the 14mm upper arm bolt and loosen the long bolt, I think it's a 21mm head and 19mm nut or vise versa, so the hub can swing freely. Secure the upper arm up a little ways out of the way, push the axle in all the way to get rid of the slop in both CVs, then hit it with a hammer. If that doesn't work hit it with a bigger hammer. I can't quite tell, but make sure it slides in all the way by hand first.
Before hitting it with a hammer, do you add in the upper 14mm bolt again? And the hammer, guessing a rubber hammer to the end of the axle in the hub right?
Remove the 14mm upper arm bolt and loosen the long bolt, I think it's a 21mm head and 19mm nut or vise versa, so the hub can swing freely. Secure the upper arm up a little ways out of the way, push the axle in all the way to get rid of the slop in both CVs, then hit it with a hammer. If that doesn't work hit it with a bigger hammer. I can't quite tell, but make sure it slides in all the way by hand first.
I do exactly this but I use the entire spindle as a reverse slide hammer, pivoting around the RLCAO bolt. Works every time.
Yeah I do this too. I think a lot of people aren’t quite forceful enough, so if the axle nut is off, you can pound the end of the axle too.
Definitely true that I was being too gentle with this method. I didn't want to go nuts since the axle nut was still on the car and I didn't want to damage the wheel bearing.
Originally Posted by Savington
I do exactly this but I use the entire spindle as a reverse slide hammer, pivoting around the RLCAO bolt. Works every time.
I tried this way and holy crap that worked instantly. Thank you so much to everyone who responded.
Be careful pounding on the end of the axle. I did that and mushroomed it, couldn’t get the axle nut on.
I’ve done it the way Savington describes above with good results. Let the spindle pivot around the lower long bolt, and use the whole thing as a battering ram to drive the axle in.
Yeah I think the prior owner had done some nasty stuff with one of the axles. The one axle had a lot of marks on the end that looks to me like he beat the ***** off of it with a sledge hammer or something. I didn't want to persist that and damage the wheel bearing or axle.
Axle Reinstall Issues / C-Clip Issues
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