Filbee Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 I've got a bit of a dilemma after changing my front drive members... The passenger side was fine. Got that one done in 15 minutes. The driver's side wasn't so straightforward though. I realised some time ago that I might have some problems with it when I removed the dust cover to find the circlip and shims were a rusty mess. I managed to get the circlip off in bits eventually, but the drive member was stuck fast on the end of the driveshaft. I cleaned it up, squirted Plus Gas at it on a regular basis and even tried using a bearing puller to move it, but nothing worked. In the end I had to resort to belting the end of the driveshaft with a sledgehammer. Not ideal, but it did the job eventually. Each time it moved, I packed out the space between the rear of the drive member and the hub face with some scraps of ally, so that I wasn't just smacking the outer end of the CV joint against the inner end (see first pic). Eventually it gave way to the mighty hammer. After cleaning up the splines, I fitted the new heavy duty drive member, but somehow the driveshaft has moved too far in and it won't pull back out so I can fit the shims and circlip. I've tried screwing a bolt in the end and pulling it, but it makes no difference. The annoying thing is, when I was cleaning everything up, I felt the driveshaft move inwards further than it had before and sort of 'lock'. I assumed I just needed to jiggle it and pull outwards and it would become an back in position. A bit like a dislocated shoulder I guess! The second pic shows how it looks at the moment. It's almost completely flush with the end of drive member. Any ideas on how to get it to pull out fully again please?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Remove the hub, and stub axle. See if your corrosion is limited to the flange, or is indicative of trouble further in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 I don't really want to have to strip the whole thing down until I'm ready to do a full swivel, bearing and CV joint change. The issue is that the driveshaft was sticking out far enough initially, and following the drive member removal. It was only when I was cleaning up the splines that it sort of slipped in towards the diff and wouldn't come back out. There's still in/out movement in the driveshaft and everything feels nice and free, it's just as though it's gone past some sort of detent and won't come back out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 Take the new drive flange off then try pulling the shaft out, Does the shaft slide through that new drive member if you fit it the other way round, it coud be something in the new part stopping the shaft moving, only other option is strip the hub & CV joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurbie Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 you could try gripping the bolt with a pair off vise-grips (after tightening the bolt a bit) , and wiggle the shaft while at the same time turning the shaft and the hub around . it is probbebly catching at the end of the brass ring inside the hub. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 49 minutes ago, western said: Take the new drive flange off then try pulling the shaft out, Does the shaft slide through that new drive member if you fit it the other way round, it coud be something in the new part stopping the shaft moving, only other option is strip the hub & CV joint. Everything slides nicely and it's all free moving. It's something further in the hub itself that's causing the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 The only item inside is the CV joint itself, Can you rotate the shaft & pull out at the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 16 minutes ago, western said: The only item inside is the CV joint itself, Can you rotate the shaft & pull out at the same time? I can rotate the shaft and I can rotate the hub. I've tried rotating the shaft and pulling it out at the same time, and also wiggling the shaft and pulling it out at the same time. The shaft will go in slightly and come back out so far, but not far enough. It's as if something isn't lined up or it's catching on something that's preventing it coming out far enough. It's the same whether the drive member is in place or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 I can't think of anything else that would prevent the shaft coming out without stripping it back to look inside the swivel housing & CV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 I may be completely wrong but all I can think of is either, 1. That the weight of the CV/halfshaft is making a bearing surface out of true so it won't pull back into place? Or 2. That there aren't any shims on the halfshaft to CV and that you have pushed the CV further on to the shaft such that it is stuck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uninformed Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 Maybe oil seal? there should be a spacer on the cv input spline end of the inner drive shaft, and a spring clip on the end that retains inside the cv star. Of course without stripping no one knows. the other maybe is the diff side gears have spline wear where they run, tapping the unworn section in further May have made it grab?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveSIIA Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 Does the circlip face of the new drive flange sit at the same distance off the hub face as the old drive member i.e. thickness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 2 hours ago, DaveSIIA said: Does the circlip face of the new drive flange sit at the same distance off the hub face as the old drive member i.e. thickness? Yes, it does. The passenger side fitted perfectly 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 Update for this evening: All sorted 😊 (hopefully) After tea I jacked up the front end, took the drive member off and turned the steering from side to side a few times (it wouldn't go lock to lock, presumably due to the CV joint sitting too far inboard), and resorted to a bit more gentle jiggling and wiggling, turning of the driveshaft and pulling outwards. And out it popped! I've no idea what did the trick specifically, and it took no force at all (in much the same way as it took no force to cause it to pop in in the first place), but we're back in business. Thanks for all who chipped in with suggestions. I hope there's nothing amiss inside the hub, but at least I can plan for a proper swivel housing/seal/bearing/disc replacement job when time and funds allow 👍 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 Glad you managed to get it all fitted without any major extra work or expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 28 minutes ago, western said: Glad you managed to get it all fitted without any major extra work or expense. Yes indeed! I'm relieved I didn't resort to taking it all to bits before giving it one more go... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paime Posted July 26, 2021 Share Posted July 26, 2021 The gold looks really good against the black modulars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbee Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 8 minutes ago, paime said: The gold looks really good against the black modulars It's definitely got a touch of John Player Special about it 😎😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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