CV/Axle falling out?

[cek77]

2006 4runner V6 Sport. 93k

I put a Daystar 2.5/1.5 lift on not to long ago. I don't drive the truck much, only a few times a week if that. I thought I've been hearing a slight gear sound when slowing up to a light. I also have felt a slight repetitive vibration until I'm up to speed. You had to have listened real hard to hear either one.

Anyway, I've been waiting on a weekend to pull the wheels off and take a look. Well, Saturday night I took it for a short drive and parked it. Sunday morning... A puddle of oil on the ground. Had the smell of gear oil so I started poking around. Grabbed the driver side CV and it was hanging out of the differential loosely. I just did the CV axle Assembly on my '01 golf and it has 8 bolts holding it in. These CV's have no bolts? how do they connect? I must have overextended it on the removal and re install of the strut during the lift. Must have been sitting in there loosely for the last few weeks? Then popped out Saturday night. Do they pop out like that? How do they go back in and stay there? Did I lose/break a part that holds it in? Thanks, My Golf is about to go into the shop for a few days and I need the 4runner on the road.

 

[Jeremy556]

There is a snap ring that holds it in. Use a hammer and drift to seat it.

 

[Mike07SE]

Jeremy is correct. There's a C-clip that holds the inboard joint into the diff. Some other car designs have axles that bolt onto a flange at the diff housing. To have the inboard joint come out or loose as you suggest is quite surprising. I don't think I've ever heard that happening, and usually these things take a good deal effort to pop loose without proper tools, leverage, and strength. If anything, you would've pulled the boot off of the inboard joint.

The inboard joint should be fully seated when you see the dust ring on the axle fully flush with the diff housing. If it's not, you'll have to reseat it. This takes some force to get the c-clip to snap back in place properly in the housing, which basically means undoing the lower ball joint from the hub. Grab the hub assembly and pound the axle in the diff until it's seated. Some people will say that the clip opening should face 6 o'clock and that it helps, to me it never really did matter much. Whatever you shouldn't do is hammer and pound on the end of the axle shaft. This can warp and distort it and the threads if you hit it enough that you can't get the nut either off or back on.

Or do like Jeremy said, a BFH only with a drift pin in the concave area on the end of the axle shaft. But I'd recommend that only if you can handle the method I mentioned above.

 

[cek77]

Ok, I checked out in install thread. So to double check, I have two options:

1. Could I loosen the axle nut, then drive the axle in with BFH and drift pin without having to take disconnect the hub assembly from the BJ. Then torque the axle nut.

2. Disconnect the hub assembly from the BJ, leave the axle nut on and then push/pop the axle back in holding the hub to drive it back in.

My VW Golf just has 8 bolts. Quick and easy to attach. To get the puck on top of the strut we had to use the factory bottle jack to press down the LCA. Im guessing that last 1" of travel must have popped it out.

 

[4gin007]

With out being able to find a good picture to show you Ill try and describe what you need to do.

I wouldn't take anything apart just to get the axle to seat properly, there should be enough play in the two joints to get it to seat in the diff. I would lay under the truck and get a 4lb hammer, aka mini sledge hammer and a chisel driver, not a wood working chisel but one for metal work and driving things with a hammer. Once under the truck with those two tools locate the inner cv joint, on the metal part of the joint there should be three notches located around the joint. Pick one of the notches and lay the chisel in it and drive the axle in with the hammer. It shouldn't take to much force so go easy with it, you will hear and feel it bottom out once seated.

But with your description of hearing a slight gear sound when coming to a stop concerns me. I once experienced the same thing with a car I had in the past. I couldn't get the axle to seal after hearing that noise and once I removed the axle for inspection I discovered that the splines between the c clip and the end of the axle became stripped and no longer able to seat in the diff. Hope that hasn't happened to you and I hope you can get it to seat properly.

PS I wouldn't hammer the end of the axle with or without the axle nut on

 

[charvey]

Seating CV

I concur with 4gin007. Two weeks ago I did a new axle install with the Daystar lift on a 2005 Sport with xreas suspension. Used huge long neck slotted screwdriver to push the new axles to get them seated. There are notches on the CV joint specifically for this purpose. Also I highly recommend getting an alignment, my caster and camber where completely out of whack. Also re-torque all of your nuts after a week. Several of mine had become loose.

 

[cek77]

I took the wheel off and just couldn't get the shaft back in all the way. Took it to the shop and they popped it back in. Problem is there is some serious growling from up front. Did I ruin my front diff? The CV now feels loose even though it's all in. Maybe the bearing in the diff. Is ruined? The shop is more of a independent brake and tire place so they didn't diagnose any further. I need to find a 4 wheel place. This may be above me now.

 

[4gin007]

It is possible that the carrier/ needle bearing assembly that the joint rides on is destroyed. It happened to me also. I replaced it with ecgs clamshell cv axle bushing. My diff turned out to be fine after a few cycles of fluid to make sure all the metal pieces came out. Also check to see if the growling goes away when riding around in 4wheel drive. Mine did. I drove with it engaged till i fixed the bearing.

 

[cek77]

It is possible that the carrier/ needle bearing assembly that the joint rides on is destroyed. It happened to me also. I replaced it with ecgs clamshell cv axle bushing. My diff turned out to be fine after a few cycles of fluid to make sure all the metal pieces came out. Also check to see if the growling goes away when riding around in 4wheel drive. Mine did. I drove with it engaged till i fixed the bearing.

I'll drive with it in 4 wheel to see what happens. Thanks. I feel terrible that I may have done some damage. I found a 4 wheel specialty shop that does gearing and suspension work so I may make an appointment to see them and get this straightened out.