Half Shaft Reinstall
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 140
Likes: 70
From: North Texas
Half Shaft Reinstall
Hey Guys,
New owner here. Apparently a dumb one. I'm trying to get my car ready for a state inspection and the parking brake isn't working. Found the thread on disconnecting the half shafts (rotor side) to make it easier to rotate the rotor while adjusting the shoes. Now that I have it disconnected and adjusted, I can't get the half-shaft re-installed. It's a half an inch away from the flange and I can't get it to move out far enough to get the bolts back in it. I assume the shaft is supposed to slide in and out of the diff housing as the suspension moves up and down but for the life of me I can't get to come out far enough to get it attached. I tried jacking up the suspension to get things closer to ride height but still no good. Unless I just needed to jack it up even more.
Any advice?
Thanks,
Elliott
New owner here. Apparently a dumb one. I'm trying to get my car ready for a state inspection and the parking brake isn't working. Found the thread on disconnecting the half shafts (rotor side) to make it easier to rotate the rotor while adjusting the shoes. Now that I have it disconnected and adjusted, I can't get the half-shaft re-installed. It's a half an inch away from the flange and I can't get it to move out far enough to get the bolts back in it. I assume the shaft is supposed to slide in and out of the diff housing as the suspension moves up and down but for the life of me I can't get to come out far enough to get it attached. I tried jacking up the suspension to get things closer to ride height but still no good. Unless I just needed to jack it up even more.
Any advice?
Thanks,
Elliott
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 281
From: Scottsdale Arizona
As per the chassis service manual it states that you may have to force the trailing arm outward to remove the half shaft. Have you tried to pull the trailing arm in as you try connecting the half shaft flange to the trailing arm?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 271
Likes: 120
From: Rock Hill South Carolina
When I recently reinstalled my diff I had the same problem. I had to jack the trailing arm up until it was parallel with the diff before I could get the half shaft bolted in.
It made me realize how much stress those u joints are under when the rear wheels are off the ground. Good luck.
It made me realize how much stress those u joints are under when the rear wheels are off the ground. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 140
Likes: 70
From: North Texas
Well after I posted this I went back out to have at it some more. I did jack the tailing arm up a bit more which got me closer. What actually got it back together was rotating the half shaft 360 degrees. For whatever reason that put the u joints back into the position they were in when I unbolted it and that was that.
did the other side right after and made sure the half shaft didn’t turn AT ALL while I adjusted the parking brake.
1st side took me and hour and half. Second side took 20 minutes. 🙄
Thanks for the help guys. Appreciate the quick responses.
did the other side right after and made sure the half shaft didn’t turn AT ALL while I adjusted the parking brake.
1st side took me and hour and half. Second side took 20 minutes. 🙄
Thanks for the help guys. Appreciate the quick responses.
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Joined: Sep 2013
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