[nsjames]

what a bugger.

The current situation.
Torn front passenger CV boot. Removed shaft, cleaned and repacked cv, installed boots.
Put shaft back in.

Cannot get shaft to fully seat into the hub. It slides real easy for about half an inch and then simply refuses to come further.

splines have been cleaned and lightly greased.

what's the super secret trick? I don't want to just bang on the hub bottomed out for fear of breaking something deeper on the other end of the shaft.
I did manage to get the nut onto the first two threads by flipping it over. I held it with vice grips and tried to pull the shaft through by banging on the hub with a deadblow.
was completely ineffective and now I'm tired.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Definitely don't bang on it. You'll break the axle. My local shop found this out.

The best way is with an axle shaft puller which is, sadly, expensive for what it is.

https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-5...ian-autosport/

If you've been able to get a few threads of the nut on it, you can start cranking it down with the wrench and pull it through.

I've heard of people making their own at-home puller using an axle nut, but I don't remember where that thread is.

[nsjames]

well I can only get a few threads when the nut is flipped.

I spoke with my brother, we've decided that I'll just sacrifice a nut and build a tool.
I bought enough nuts to do the whole car, so I have extra for right now.


the plan is to just weld a piece of steel to the back side of the nut, weld a nut to that, then my flange puller as a base and a nut over top of that to pull with.

I have most everything needed in the scrap pile.
I may need to go get some larger threaded rod, not sure if the 1/4-20 I have on hand is gonna be stout enough.

but that's a project for tomorrow. I'm tired and covered in grease and it's time to quit for the day.

I will probably grind the nut's flats back so I can get more thread engagement.

[nsjames]

so I had a big brain moment in the hardware store.
This half inch carriage bolt fits perfectly into the chamfer on the bottom of the nut.
I will bloberate some nasty flux core beads into the two and then run the bolt through te hole in my wheel flange slide hammer adaptery thing, which is a 5/8 threaded rod.

hold the bolt still with some doubled nuts on the end and then run it in tight with another nut and a ratchety wrench.

hopefully it's strong enough to get me to where I need to be.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Boom! That's awesome!

[nsjames]

success, went exactly as planned.

right down to terrible welds.
but they held up ust fine. Getting a decent ground on the nut was problematic, so I just turned it to 11 and let it eat.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

This should be a sticky on how to pull an axle through a hub with no special tools

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Welcome to NBA Jam

This should be a sticky on how to pull an axle through a hub with no special tools

I'm not sure how useful it would be since most people aren't gonna have a welder kicking around I imagine.

[ZGator]

Yeah, I had same problem when I took the spindle off to replace the ball joints on both sides.

I cleaned it well, lubricated, but it still required some 'force' to get it back on enough to get the axle nut threaded enough to finish it - I compressed the cv joint using my feet - not on a lift, then hit the hub on to the axle with a aluminum bearing race tool, not proud of it, but it worked, don't think I broke anything but I did put undue stress on the bearing and cv joints, if there is a next time that axle shaft puller tool will be purchased. I have the hub puller which worked great, but the axle shaft puller is just as important to put it back on.

So I see you did not crimp that axle nut -at least not yet? did/ are you? next confession - I did not crimp mine yet.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by ZGator

Yeah, I had same problem when I took the spindle off to replace the ball joints on both sides.

I cleaned it well, lubricated, but it still required some 'force' to get it back on enough to get the axle nut threaded enough to finish it - I compressed the cv joint using my feet - not on a lift, then hit the hub on to the axle with a aluminum bearing race tool, not proud of it, but it worked, don't think I broke anything but I did put undue stress on the bearing and cv joints, if there is a next time that axle shaft puller tool will be purchased. I have the hub puller which worked great, but the axle shaft puller is just as important to put it back on.

So I see you did not crimp that axle nut -at least not yet? did/ are you? next confession - I did not crimp mine yet.

it was staked after properly torqued.

[6Inarowmakesitgo!]

I was lucky, all of mine went in by hand with resistance, but noting i could not overcome myself. I wire brushed the shit out of all the spline surfaces and put a good thin coat of anti-seize on all the surfaces and it went together smoothly.