Now that I reviewed it... I know that:

Auto Passenger Axle = Manual Passenger Axle
Auto Driver Axle =/ Manual Driver Axle
The difference is that one of the Driver axles has a longer shaft(I'm assuming Manual is the longer shaft or else the auto axle wouldn't fit into the manual trans)

Vehicle: 96 Maxima, 5 Speed Manual trans.

Well, in my rush to put the spare maxima together, I forgot about the above fact and thought it was the other way around.

I went to the junkyard and pulled a driver side axle from an Automatic Transmission Maxima. I installed it and it actually went in and locked. I've been driving the car around for about 500 miles now (softly since I have a new clutch installed as well).

Questions:
- Will my manual tranny get damaged from the smaller shaft Auto Axles? If yes, how so?
- I have noticed a small amount of trans fluid leaking from the driver side axle seal. Is this from the undersized auto axle or should I look to replace the axle seal as well?

Pmohr please chime in. S1cTech please chime in as well. Also anyone with any good input please let me know what you think.

It's not like I'm going to keep the auto axle in there, but it'll take me a little time to get a manual trans axle in and I'm just wondering if I'd be okay to drive around on the auto axle for a little while.

 

500 miles? Sounds like you have been driving on it for a little while. How bad is the leak?

 

^^^ The leak is very slow. Now after driving around for a little while, it seems to have slowed down even more. The puddle stain that it leaves is about 1 inch in diameter and it only leaks after I've driven around for a while.

 

Why do you only want Pmorh to help you. I was going too, but now I dunno. >_>

 

^^ LOL it's an invitation so that he remains on pmorh's good side.

say chewie, how'd that trans from the swap kit work out? maybe i should have just bought the whole kit, ya know? haha

 

LMFAO, original post edited to include you

I'm not sure what trans swap kit you're talking about. I'm assuming you're talking about an auto-manual swap kit but both of my maxima's are originally manuals. I bought another maxima with a blown manual trans because I had a 5th gen clutch setup and manual trans sitting around.

 

because pmohr knows what he's doing -.-

 

I see lots of pmohr spelling fail

I"ve never looked at them side by side, but fanaticroc...damnit, Maxima_Joe put a few together and came to the conclusion that the only difference is that the manual axle is longer (not taking into account open vs VLSD, of course).

Here: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...vs-manual.html

Only an 1/8" difference.

Will it cause damage?

Do I wish I had just tried my auto axle instead of buying a new axle for my 5 speed swap? Kinda, now.

 

^^^ Hmmm, yeah I searched and found that thread.

The only thing I can think of would be if the manual trans shaft is longer (Which was only 1/8th of an inch) then that would mean that there's another gear or something that's moving in order to rotate the axle.

I just did a quick test, I jacked up the front end and put the car into gear. The driver side still does spin. This confirms that the Driver side Auto Axle, though shorter, is engaged with the transmission.

However, in the end I'm thinking there is still less contact than what would be provided on the correct manual trans' axle. Therefore, if I beat on it, I may risk breaking some teeth on the axle/trans gear.

Then, because the axles are still the same size in circumference... Am I safe to assume that the small leak that I am getting must either be from the axle seal or bad diff bearings that weren't shimmed correctly?

 

The auto/manual diffs both work the same way, no worries about extra gears or anything.

Can you pull it out by hand at all, or did the circlip lock in pretty good?

The length difference might just be to account for a seal being in a slightly different spot due to case thickness, who knows.

You could've just nicked the seal during install. Honestly with the little work it takes to swap out that axle, I'd replace the seal, put it back in, and see what happens.

 

It seems to be locked in there decently. I test fitted it in and it locked up fine.

You gonna do an axle seal DIY video any time soon? Lulz, I just like to read up/watch it being done before I actually try it myself.

 

Well, mine needs replacing, and I've got the seal sitting in the car, just no gear oil to refill.

 

it is because it is such a hard name to spelllllll. lol

 

the swap kit we parted from paisamax back in december. you got the trans, i got the rest.

 

Added a couple pics to my thread.
Difference in drivers axle? Auto vs manual

 

Oh snap that's right! Now I remember! My bad lulz, it's been so long since that deal and I had totally forgot about it.

But yeah, even though my trans turned out to be OK and I didn't need the trans anymore. I picked up a maxima for $600, body and frame is in better condition than mine!

So... you got a manual axle that you could sell me? How much and would you take an auto trans axle as partial trade?

 

yeah my cars doin the same thing..
i have a 96 maxima se, when i its hard to start 1/2 of the time.just like yours. sometimes i turn key it starts runs fine. sometimes i turn key it cranks then the cranking kinda slows down and sounds funny then it cranks like normal but it doesnt start and if i give it a little gas it fires up.. iam guna check wht you guess wrote up here.. but also have another problem my oil pan seem to be sweeting oil. i thing i need a new oil pan gasket.as well a little oil coming frm the back of the tranny where the half shaft/axel is jus not really sure its the seal tho.. ???HELP ME>>>>

 

i just finished my 5spd swap and when i pulled both axles out i was wondering the same thing but the axles are identical except the length of the manual was longer by like a couple inches.

 

Just drove to Rock Falls Raceway in Wisconsin and back to the twin cities. I've now driven close to 1K miles on this Automatic Transmission Axle in my manual transmission without any issues...

??? Wierd...