bullfrog

I was installing my new coilovers on the front and somehow something inside the CV area of the axle separated and I had to get a new axle. When I took the old one out, I couldn't get it out without also bringing out a black bracket that the Haynes manual does not mention. The remanufactured axle I am replacing it with does not have this bracket so I know that it must come off somehow. Does anyone know what this is and how to get it off? Please help me...my car is undriveable right now. These pics should show you the bracket I'm talking about:

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

Use a crowbar to seperate the beacket from the axle. The bracket is supposed to stay on the car.

If it was that joint there, with the bracket, that seperated internally, you probably didnt need to replace it. You can just rotate the axle back and forth alittle at the hub and it will usually slide back into place.

Bags

iTrader: (3)

That's the passenger side.. the bracket and the other shaft should come off.

Spray it with wd-40 and let it soak for 30 min and try and seperate it

bullfrog

Thanks a ton guys. I soaked it in liquid wrench for 15 minutes, then pounded on it with a hammer (with a piece of wood in between) for a minute and it came off. It was just rusted on there like crazy. I guess thats what 117,000 miles will do ya.

Now I just gotta get back to my car sometime this week in between school and work and everything and get this back on there.

Let this be a lesson to all you other noobs out there: NEVER MOD YOUR CAR WITH SOMETHING THAT COULD RENDER IT UNDRIVEABLE ON A SUNDAY!!!


Thanks again guys.

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

how hard was it to get the axle out, just looking for some feed back from someone who has just done it,
my driver side is clinging on for life and so I'm perpairing for the install, was getting it out easy?
I know you have to get the wheel off, calipers rotors, but after that was pulling out the axle hard? or
just a little force and some friendly hammering set it free?

thanks

bullfrog

The one thing I have found lately while working on cars is that the Hayne's manual tells you how to do pretty much everything, but not how to do it when it's broken. Such was the case with my axle. Since something in the CV joint had popped out of place, it was a biatch to get the axle out of the steering knuckle (the whole rotor+caliper+other stuff assembly). Theoretically, it should just pull out of there once you have the strut unbolted. I had the strut unmounted, the tie rod end undone, the control arm unbolted, and was about to undo the ball joint before i finally got the axle out of the steering knucle. From there, there are three bolts about halfway back on the axle that had to come out and then supposedly the whole axle would just slide out. As shown by the beginning of this thread, however, it didn't turn out to be that easy. I had to take that metal bracket off the frame before the whole thing just slid out. Then I had to figure out how to get the bracket off, which I have just now done. It was just rusted on there, and I wasn't sure if it was supposed to come off or not, as the remanufactured replacement axle I got didn't have it. Installation is just the reverse of removal, and fairly straight-forward. A couple notes:

1) The axle nut on the outside of the steering knuckle is on there tight as hell. I had a 275lb-ft air wrench which got it off, but a large breaker bar should do the same job. Just know that it may take some effort. [bold]This requires a 36mm, $20 socket.[/bold]
2) Don't take off the tie rod if you don't have to. It's held on there with a castle nut that, while easy enough to take off (assuming you have a puller), I had the hardest time trying to get it back on there. You shouldn't have to do this so it shouldn't matter.
3) The driver's side axle may be a bit different than the passenger side, so check with a manual before you do anything.
4) You don't have to take off any of the caliper or rotor or any of that mess to get the axle out.
5) If nothing else is working, soak it in liquid wrench, call some friends for an extra set of ideas, and go sit inside and watch football while you think about it for half an hour.

All in all, it SHOULD be a fairly straightforward process, but budget twice as much time as you think you need and watch out for the inevitable complication.

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

Try taking that axle out on a 180,000 mile car

MDeezy

iTrader: (27)

Thanks for the detailed Info I'm going to plan well, I planing on lowering at the same time as axle replacement so I'm in preparation mode, gettin all the info part#s etc. thank for the explanation I'll pre soak bolts before I even try to take them off jus to save time, will have a hammer near by and a block of wood.

thanks again.good info