Drive Axle

Timon · 08-25-2009, 11:36 PM

Well unfortunately the drive axle fell off the car... while it was moving. Honestly, I have no idea how, as I wasn't driving the car when it happened or 2 months prior (it was being lent to my cousin). Anyway somehow the 6 studs holding the axle to the side gear shaft disappeared and the axle fell off.

I got new studs (dealer only), bolted it back up and drove it home. Now I'm trying to remove the axle to fill the axle with grease, however, there's no obvious way of keeping the grease inside the shaft when you go to bolt it back up to the side shaft. The manual says when replacing it to fill the joint all the way, which is hard to do when it has to be tilted sideways when bolting it back up. Unfortunately gravity pulls a lot of the grease out, which is why there is some missing. Not a tremendous amount, but a few ounces worth of grease.

Ideas?

328FTW · 08-26-2009, 12:04 AM

This has happened to me a couple times, I think that there is meant to be a metal backing plate that clips on and holds the grease until you bolt it then it gets squeezed to make a seal. That is how mine were but the axles changed a lot for some reason all my cars are different, maybe mine are just messed with though.

Timon · 08-26-2009, 01:14 AM

Well technically if I pulled out the side gear shaft with the axle I could fill it to the top and then bolt it together and it would be full, literally, but the manual doesn't mention to do this. Also the manual says to get the side gear shaft in it has to be removed from the axle and tapped in with a brass or rubber mallet.

Assuming I could pull the axle out with the side gear shaft as a unit, would it be advisable to fill the joint to the tippy top so to speak?

328FTW · 08-26-2009, 01:23 AM

Mine are always pretty packed out with grease, you need a little bit of air so the boot can compress without blowing its load or make sure it can compress fully (withing how it moves on the car) into the "cup" when you pack it. Make sure that it is possible for a full seal on the 2 surfaces otherwise you will get a grease sprayer that will make a mess before ultimately failing. I use a good quality thick grease that I can kinda hold in place then shove it all together.

Removing from the hub can be tricky but it should work once it is off

mr3 · 08-26-2009, 10:40 AM

I took off the boot and that was the only way I could see getting grease in there. I'm kinda stuck on getting the outer cv off. 328 you got any suggestions on that one? Replacing the inner boot was easy and it came with new grease so now thats all fine. After so many miles a new axle boots arent a bad idea right?

curvesrgood · 08-26-2009, 01:30 PM

Yeah, you're missing the cover plate that holds the grease/bearing stuff in there it sounds like. You'll definately want that I'd think. Better call Toyota again or hunt the boards. They don't make the axles anymore so good luck with the cover! A used one with all three tabs there should be fine too. I repacked a set for a customer that lost one just last month (while driving... went into the transmission and busted a big hole in the casing). I replaced his tranny and repacked his axles and sold him one of my spares. Fun job, but not too bad.

328FTW · 08-26-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr3

I'm kinda stuck on getting the outer cv off.

They are tricky SOB's I normally land up taking the whole assembly out of the hub and lowering it down so I can get a decent smack at the inner ring on the cv. It just has a little circlip thing holding it like the axles coming out of the box just they are trickier to hit or lever. I used a brass pin last time so I didn't damage the cv and then smacked it with quite a force until the end popped off. I've replaced one mid raceday and that was a mission to do fast.

mr3 · 08-26-2009, 09:41 PM

Thats what I thought. I watched a video on youtube where the guy just has a hammer and smacks it and it comes off. My dad had a try at it and it just wasnt going no matter what he tried. We had a little bit too much play in our vice and I think it was just enough to not let the outer cv come off. He's going to take it in to work when he goes back to midnights and do it there. He works at the steel plant so he said he'll be able to do it. He just has to get out of the hvac thing and back to his other position.

Timon · 08-28-2009, 12:35 AM

So is this plate required in order to work properly? The car seems to drive fine, but I know it's low on grease in the joint along with this missing plate now. Anyone have pictures of this? I'm almost willing to be I'll probably need to pull it off a junkyard one since they're not produced anymore.

08-25-2009, 11:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Timon MR2 MKI AW11 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 669 Thanks: 13 Thanked 42 Times in 37 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Drive Axle Well unfortunately the drive axle fell off the car... while it was moving. Honestly, I have no idea how, as I wasn't driving the car when it happened or 2 months prior (it was being lent to my cousin). Anyway somehow the 6 studs holding the axle to the side gear shaft disappeared and the axle fell off. I got new studs (dealer only), bolted it back up and drove it home. Now I'm trying to remove the axle to fill the axle with grease, however, there's no obvious way of keeping the grease inside the shaft when you go to bolt it back up to the side shaft. The manual says when replacing it to fill the joint all the way, which is hard to do when it has to be tilted sideways when bolting it back up. Unfortunately gravity pulls a lot of the grease out, which is why there is some missing. Not a tremendous amount, but a few ounces worth of grease. Ideas?

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08-26-2009, 12:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
328FTW Crazy Nasty Honey Badger Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,222 Thanks: 24 Thanked 266 Times in 239 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	This has happened to me a couple times, I think that there is meant to be a metal backing plate that clips on and holds the grease until you bolt it then it gets squeezed to make a seal. That is how mine were but the axles changed a lot for some reason all my cars are different, maybe mine are just messed with though.

08-26-2009, 01:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
Timon MR2 MKI AW11 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 669 Thanks: 13 Thanked 42 Times in 37 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Well technically if I pulled out the side gear shaft with the axle I could fill it to the top and then bolt it together and it would be full, literally, but the manual doesn't mention to do this. Also the manual says to get the side gear shaft in it has to be removed from the axle and tapped in with a brass or rubber mallet. Assuming I could pull the axle out with the side gear shaft as a unit, would it be advisable to fill the joint to the tippy top so to speak?

08-26-2009, 01:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
328FTW Crazy Nasty Honey Badger Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,222 Thanks: 24 Thanked 266 Times in 239 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Mine are always pretty packed out with grease, you need a little bit of air so the boot can compress without blowing its load or make sure it can compress fully (withing how it moves on the car) into the "cup" when you pack it. Make sure that it is possible for a full seal on the 2 surfaces otherwise you will get a grease sprayer that will make a mess before ultimately failing. I use a good quality thick grease that I can kinda hold in place then shove it all together. Removing from the hub can be tricky but it should work once it is off

08-26-2009, 10:40 AM	#5 (permalink)
mr3 unskilled Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Plymouth Mtg, Pa Posts: 2,406 Thanks: 24 Thanked 98 Times in 93 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	I took off the boot and that was the only way I could see getting grease in there. I'm kinda stuck on getting the outer cv off. 328 you got any suggestions on that one? Replacing the inner boot was easy and it came with new grease so now thats all fine. After so many miles a new axle boots arent a bad idea right?

08-26-2009, 01:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
curvesrgood three mk1's Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NC Posts: 499 Thanks: 8 Thanked 33 Times in 28 Posts iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Yeah, you're missing the cover plate that holds the grease/bearing stuff in there it sounds like. You'll definately want that I'd think. Better call Toyota again or hunt the boards. They don't make the axles anymore so good luck with the cover! A used one with all three tabs there should be fine too. I repacked a set for a customer that lost one just last month (while driving... went into the transmission and busted a big hole in the casing). I replaced his tranny and repacked his axles and sold him one of my spares. Fun job, but not too bad.

08-26-2009, 09:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
mr3 unskilled Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Plymouth Mtg, Pa Posts: 2,406 Thanks: 24 Thanked 98 Times in 93 Posts iTrader Rating: (7/100% )	Thats what I thought. I watched a video on youtube where the guy just has a hammer and smacks it and it comes off. My dad had a try at it and it just wasnt going no matter what he tried. We had a little bit too much play in our vice and I think it was just enough to not let the outer cv come off. He's going to take it in to work when he goes back to midnights and do it there. He works at the steel plant so he said he'll be able to do it. He just has to get out of the hvac thing and back to his other position.

08-28-2009, 12:35 AM	#9 (permalink)
Timon MR2 MKI AW11 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 669 Thanks: 13 Thanked 42 Times in 37 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	So is this plate required in order to work properly? The car seems to drive fine, but I know it's low on grease in the joint along with this missing plate now. Anyone have pictures of this? I'm almost willing to be I'll probably need to pull it off a junkyard one since they're not produced anymore.