I ordered Autozone halfaxels and got them today for $125 shipped.

In general, they are pretty close to the originals. The new ones are a lot tighter when I try to move the joints in/out/around. I assume that is a good thing?

So, question I have is that my left side halfshaft is a little different than the new one. My old one has this rubber *** between the outer and inner CV joints. What is that thing and why is it missing from my new one?? Does it matter that it is missing?



Also, the input to the tranny for the left side halfshaft is a little different on the new one.


I made sure that I ordered the correct parts (according to the numbers) so I don't know if anything is wrong. Hopefully not

I have not tried to install it yet ... Is this replacement OK???

 

Yes, it's a good thing, that's why you are replacing them. Aftermarket brands will not look 100% like OEM parts.

 

It looks like it could be a damper ... according to worldpartsexpress.com diagram.

 

I requested for a quote from raxles for my 98 I30, and the prices are 119 and 149 for LH and RH ... is it the same price for a similar maxima too ?!?

lemme know how hard it is to do the install palaman ... thanks

 

I would guess speed sensor for the CC ... just a guess tho!

Cheers!

 

the rubber thing has pretty much no use. most aftermarket axles dont have them. it will cause no issues. dont worry.

 

Those axles do not look the same on the tranny side in the second pic in post #1...

 

the axles are diff.... do not put it in


there's 2 types of axles lsd and non lsd...

 

That is a vibration dampener. Don't worry about it.

The fact that the oil grooves in the two stubs is different is not a problem.

 

Thanks ... I am even more concerened about the length of the solid collar just beyond the oil groved section. The section of the axle which lays just inside the tranny.


According to my VIN plate, I do not have LSD ... and I ordered a non-LSD axle ... this is what I got.

 

is one longer?

neither of those look like an lsd axle. an lsd axle has longer splines with a 2nd grove in them.

 

They are the same length ... the only differences are the parts I showed in the original post. Here is the overall picture.

 

I had an issue with the cv axle for left side from autozone, there was a piece on the axle that was bigger than the oem cv axle. I was able to attach it, but it would not clear my enkei rims. i believe there part # is duralast 4271N if i recall.

 

I finally got around to installing this axle and I confirmed that it does NOT fit. I slid it in ... got the ring to compress so I could slide it all the way back and clunk. It seems to be hitting the piston or whatever it is. The ring did not lock the axle in so I removed it and measured the end that goes into the tranny (as seen in the picture of the original post). The new one is at least 1/8" longer than the original and I guess that is what is stopping it.

The part number is 4271N. Fearfox what do you mean that you got it attached? How is the wheel side of it too long?

I guess I will have to try the part from Advance or somewhere else ... and return this one.

 

WTF are u smokin.. they are both open differential ones... not lsd..

 

I'm in your shoes palaman, I have a blown C/V joint taken a while to replace, I know tisk tisk, I broke down and bought the whole factory outer C/V joint (half shaf). Expensive but it matches perfectly no missing parts

OEM FTMFW! Good luck @ Advanced

 

In the big picture I would rather save some money so I can afford a basic house in expensive northern NJ ... so I will stick with the cheaper parts. If none of them work out, I will just go through the trouble of changing the boot. I guess if I did that from the beginning I would be done already ... oh well.

Buck96, do you know anything specific about Advance's axles? Sounds like you have tried them ...

 

palaman ... why don't u try getting them from raxles ?

 

If the ring did not lock in the axle and it was sitting proud then it sounds like the axle never snapped in. It can be tricky, since the ring doesn't like to sit in the very center of the groove.

Try this: mush some grease around the groove and center the ring. Now gently slide it into the diff until it stops. Pull it back just 1/2" and push it hard. It might take a couple of tries, but it works for me.

Now looking at your pic another time, I notice the journal for the oil seal looks longer in the axle on the left. It shouldn't be hard to measure the length of the parts and verify if one is different than the other.

 

Thanks! I did get the ring to compress so I could push the axle all the way in doing similar to what you are advising. When it wouldn't go any farther (hitting the piston I think) I was able to just slip my fingertip between the metal shield and the rubber seal.

I measured from inside the metal shield to the end of the gear and it was about 3 1/2" on the old and 3 5/8" on the new. I am guessing that is the problem.

 

They are about 2X the cost.

 

I tried another axle from a local auto part store and I get the same results.

It measures the same as the ones I got from Autozone (1/8") but I tried putting it in just to make sure I didn't do something stupid with the last one.

Here is the picture with the axle pushed as far in as possible. I did not force it beyond a few firm "withdraw a couple inches and push". The same result of "thud" against something hard. Again, the snap ring is not holding the axle in.

This is the gap ... it doesn't go in any further:


The gray metal shield should butt right up to the trans with the rubber seal (visible) being covered by the shield.

Any ideas?? ... other than just to put a new boot on the old axle ... although it may come to that

 

IDk, got a Q

I how did you get the Hub bolt off? I broke 2 1/2" breaker bars already not good

 

I've come across axle nuts that would break 1/2" drives before as well, I went through way more than 2 though, thank god for craftsmen I finally smartened up and went out to sears and spent a crapload of money on a 3/4" socket and breaker bar, that coupled with 5ft of pipe and my 162 pound body did the trick You will probably not be able to find a 36mm 3/4" socket, but there is a standard equivalant, I *Think* It's 1 7/16th's, I might be WAY off though, I'll look when I'm back at the garage unless someone here wants to figure it out mathmatically, I don't.


Hummmm, this axle problem is odd, I could have SWORN I've seen this EXACT SAME ISSUE in a previous thread, maybe one of them will come across this, did you bring your old axle back already for the core? See if they still have it if you can and rebuild it/get it rebuilt.

 

I got a 3/4 inch ratchet and 5' square pipe that fit perfectly and a 36mm socket from princess auto - cost $50... worked like a champ... and if it broke I would have returned it.

 

Sorry bro, just spent about 25 minutes digging through the millions of axle threads, but the more I think about someone else had this exact same problem, arrrgggh

 

I wonder if its hitting the other splines or the other CV shaft... try rotating the other wheel a bit to see if it goes in ... and if it does, scratch your head a in perplexion...? is that a real word??... did they maybe give you a shaft for an automatic vs 5spd or vs versa?


*edit re: did the old ring come out with the shaft?
nvrm - i looked at the pics...

 

Since I am saving the money of having someone else do this stuff, I thought it was worth getting the right tools to do the job. Bought a used IR 231H off of ebay for $42 and it has made life a lot easier. I bought an SK 36mm impact socket from Grainger for $11. Regarding the axle, I just used a breaker bar to keep it from spinning and the air wrench easily broke it free. Works like a charm.

 

I didn't bring the old one back yet. Actually, tonight I started ripping it apart by removing the old boot and much of the grease. Since I don't have a slide hammer, I found a 1x6 laying around so I drilled a hole in it and put it on the wheel side followed by the axle washer and nut ... the other side was secured in the vise. I got my dad to help, so with me pulling on the board and my dad taking a sledge hammer to the board we STILL could not break that snap ring. I thought I was being pretty innovative but it didn't work ... so now I am either going to rent a slide hammer from Autozone or take it to my mechanic and have him seperate it for me.

 

3/4" drive for the Win!

Got the 1 7/16" socket ,a little losse, but boy did it work...

Ty

 

I guess it could be but I think the different measurements is the whole problem. Here is a pic looking into the trans ...



You see the piston with the end of the passenger side axle in the distance. The measurement from the piston to the edge of the rubber seal is approx. 3 1/4" (realizing it is hard to get an accurate measurement). I know that it is in the grooves and pushed as far in that is able to go. I guess that there is a possibility that it could go farther but logic tells me that you shouldn't have to force it at that point. Plus you don't have much room to build up momentum since you don't want the snap ring to slide out of the grooves again.

Since two different parts stores gave me the same one I find it unlikely that they would both be wrong.

 

not wrong mabye remaned to a different spec, who knows...


... if you have to replace the boot here is a good write up / walk thru I'm using. it's got pics too CV Boot write up /w pics

good luck man

 

It's not snapped in yet.

I feel your frustration - I had a couple of axles that just refused to snap in. I even bought new snap rings from Nissan since I wondered if they had been bent or something. I must have tried mounting the axle 30 times. Then it worked.

Dave

 

Thanks guys, I have been following motorvate's "how to" ... it's great. The only problem is with the slide hammer part as I mentioned earlier. What benefit does the slide hammer have over what I was trying with my dad? hmmm...

Dave,
Do you think it just needs more trying and forcing?? Do you recall if you had a similar issue with the lengths being different?? Would you say that your problem was the exact same as mine or were there different issues?

 

Let me know if you got it, I finished up mine last night

there are 2 things I saw may help you,

the C clips supplied maybe to small on the new axle. There are 2 different sizes in the factory kit

2 - it's a "B" to push that axel in there without some leverage like a screwdriver
I used the screw driver from the jack kit and it did the trick

 

Sorry I am a lil confused ... Are you referring to the snap ring on the tranny end of the axle?

What's the "factory kit"? Are you referring to the new CV Boot Kit?

 

Your correct

size the two c clips from the Old factory and New axle & make sure they're the same thickness and size.

 

id post a pic but imageshck is down

Im off to work, GL

 

Update:

I replaced the outer CV boot on the original axle ... it wasn't too bad of a job. Then I went to install the axle ... again the toughest part was getting the snap ring compressed into the grooved gear in the tranny. Then, since this was the right length, it snapped right in!

Summary:

For me, the most difficult parts of changing my axles were:
- seperating the support bearing from the bracket on the RHS
- removing the LHS axle from the tranny (getting that snap ring to compress)

For me, the most difficult parts of reman'ing the LHS outer joint:
- removing the outer joint from the axle (again, getting past the snap ring)
- cleaning out the old grease (just b/c it's time consuming)

I would recommend NOT removing the ABS sensors when working in this area since one of my bolts snapped and created mores problem. Just be careful. (I can be corrected on this point)

 

at least you didn't do what a lot of us did....which is reinstalling the LHS axle and thinkings it's "clicked" in...only to start filling the tranny with fluid and having nice MT-90 fluid all over our driveways and parking spaces.....