Transmission/axle stub shaft insertion??
 

When I replaced my left front axle today the inner stub shaft came out with it. The part that the axle slides onto and the pin goes through. I noticed a groove on the inner end(the part in the transmission) that looked like some kind of clip should be there. I didn't give it much thought, being in a hurry to get the new axle in.
But now I wonder if this is a problem. Remembering that I had an extra shaft from the parts car when I replaced the right axle I looked and sure enough there is a clip on it. I checked the right side(which I replaced last week) and it is firmly secured into the tranny. So I put the clip on the left side stub shaft but I can't get it back into the tranny. Is this possible with the tranny in the car? I assume it is since I have the clip out of the parts car and that tranny is still intact. Should I try using my prescision adjustment hammer?
I jacked up the car to check the rear tranny mount.
This is when I noticed that the inner cv joint was about an inch and a half away from the tranny. And realized it should be secured.
But how do I get it in there???

:confused::confused:

Anyone?

Usually the clip will stay in the tranny, so take the extra clip off, and put the stub back in.

take the new clip off and take a dead blow hammer and give it a wack or two u should be fine, but you do need to have that axle secure in the diff case

Well, if the old clip is still in there then it's somewhere in the diff. When I took the axle out the first time to replace it the stub shaft came out with it. So I put it in the new one and hammered the pin through outside the car.
And when I replaced it, it slid in all the way(until the axle hub almost touched the diff). But it wasn't secured. I could pull it out far enough so the splines were no longer engaging the differential.
So yesterday I went ahead and, with the "new" clip on, wacked it into the diff. It's now secure. I assume for the first time since I've had it, since the thumping/grinding noise is gone now.
It no longer sounds/feels like a deisel now.
I'm actually thinking that it was coming out far enough under acceleration to unmesh the splines and just start grinding.
I'm still terrified that the old clip is still in there. But it doesn't sound like it.
Both of the axles were rebuilds, so I'm assuming(hoping) that whoever did it the last time forgot the clip.

that is a very good posibility, under normal conditions that clip wound have never come out. also you might want to check the splines on that shaft, just to double check to see if that was a problem. i am pretty sure that the clip if it was in the diff would have dropped down into the pan, so drain your fluid, get a magnet and feel around and see if you come up w/ anything, also you could pull the shaft out again and look inside the diff itself. this work is not necesary but if you hear odd noises or feel that something is off, check it asap. its a good idea to change the fluid anyway. use 80w-90 gear lub, not ATF thats a bad idea.

Ya, I think I'm going to do that. Although I just changed my diff fluid with Mobil 1 so I'm going to try and save it when I redrain it.:rolleyes: