Inner axle shaft fixin

[George B]

Deleted

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@OR VietVet that's what I was afraid of. I don't have the vehicle nearby right now so I couldn't just go look at it (it's at my parents place 2 hours away) but and didn't think there was a removable cover. I was wondering though if they could be flushed out so I appreciate the suggestion @gooffeyguy . What's meant by the hand pump? I don't believe I'm familiar with one. Also, what keeps the new ring from breaking when the shaft is reinstalled?

 

[OR VietVet]

The hand pump is usually used for spraying bug spray outside. They are cheap to buy new and are handy to have around. I think it would work for what you are trying to do. You can buy brake clean in bottles instead of the aerosol cans too. The cir clip is designed to fit in that groove on the stub axle shaft and as it is installed the opening that it is sliding in to actually tapers to compress the clip as you push it in and then on the other side the opening open back up to allow the clip to expand again and hold axle in place. The reverse of that is the removal of the stub axle. If you ever take a front diff apart, you can see the design I just talked about.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@OR VietVet oh ok. I was thinking you meant there was something out there specifically designed for brake cleaner. I know what you are referring to though. I didn't realize either you could get brake cleaner in other forms besides aerosol cans.

Thanks for the explanation on the cir clip. I wasn't sure if it compressed somehow as the shaft was installed. That makes sense now.

 

[OR VietVet]

@OR VietVet oh ok. I was thinking you meant there was something out there specifically designed for brake cleaner. I know what you are referring to though. I didn't realize either you could get brake cleaner in other forms besides aerosol cans.

Thanks for the explanation on the cir clip. I wasn't sure if it compressed somehow as the shaft was installed. That makes sense now.

Yea, shops buy brake clean in large jugs instead of all being in aerosol cans. Then they use hand pump bottles to spray it. At least the shops I ran had that option. I just remembered that instead of hand pump jugs we used containers that we could charge with compressed air and use or were attached to the air hose during use.

Think of the cir clip like a piston ring. That ring has to be collapsed somehow to get that piston in the cylinder. Same with the cir clip. A cir clip should easily collapse in on itself into the groove on the stub shaft but when diff fluid is not changed regularly, the gunk builds in the groove and causes the cir clip to fight for space to collapse. Before you reinstall that cir clip in that groove, make sure to clean that groove out. Your cleaning station, in the shop, is your friend, or your drain pan and spray on brake clean is your friend, along with a stiff bristle brush.

I almost forgot. The drain plug on that front diff housing should be a magnetic drain plug and if it is not, get one. That should help protect the gears in there from any remnants of the cir clip.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@OR VietVet i already have the oil drained out of it and yea the plug does have a magnetic tip.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

Working on the tahoe again today. I couldn't fish out any pieces of broken cir clip, but after looking in the bore I think it's still in whatever groove there. You can kind of see it back there.

 

[OR VietVet]

Are you talking between 5:30 and 8:30?

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@OR VietVet yea. It looks like what I'm pointing to here. I can move it with a screwdriver. It seems like its still in one piece.

 

[OR VietVet]

That piece is still in one piece but that cir clip is bigger when new. Use a curved pic and a magnet and dig that out. I bet you can see where it is broken.

After looking at your drawing, pic was not there before, I am talking about the other piece between 5:30 and 8:30.

 

[89Suburban]

Great job using the camera and pics to investigate!!

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

I got it out in one piece. It looks nothing like what I figured I needed. Rockauto only had these C-clips so I figured that's what was needed.

 

[Rocket Man]

I got it out in one piece. It looks nothing like what I figured I needed. Rockauto only had these C-clips so I figured that's what was needed.

That’s for the rear axle.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@Rocket Man thanks. That explains it.

 

[89Suburban]

I got it out in one piece. It looks nothing like what I figured I needed. Rockauto only had these C-clips so I figured that's what was needed.

Good job man damn!!! Like @Rocket Man said that new clip is the wrong one.

 

[89Suburban]

You may be able to recycle the old clip or find a replacement with some help here. I'll let the more educated here take over.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

Here's an FYI. If anyone orders an axle shaft bearing when changing the shaft seal (at least on the drivers side anyway) the Timken bearing does not fit. The OD is too large. From what I can tell you need the SKF bearing.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@89Suburban I'm not sure I trust the old one now. It's a little deformed from being pulled out.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yep, the one you pulled out is not it, I think. Supply the pic of it, dammit! LOL!

I was talking about what I saw between 5:30 and 8:30 in the first pic. It should be smaller and completely round. Then of course the new one would be bigger and have a gap at the end. Picture a piston ring collapsing as it is compressed onto the piston to fit in the cylinder.

I edited post #30.

 

[George B]

Yep, the one you pulled out is not it, I think. Supply the pic of it, dammit! LOL!

I was talking about what I saw between 5:30 and 8:30 in the first pic. It should be smaller and completely round. Then of course the new one would be bigger and have a gap at the end. Picture a piston ring collapsing as it is compressed onto the piston to fit in the cylinder.

Post 32. Its next to the c-clip on the left.