CV Joint strange-ness.

[Camry_Hell]

So here it goes......

I'm doing a little front suspension work on my 90' Camry. I plan on replacing the wheel bearing and the control arm bushings for good measure. While I'm down there, I see some really serious damage to the CV shaft and decide to replace it as well. I consult my service manuals (a Chilton's and a Hayne's) and see that they both describe the CV's as having side gear shafts with the six studs and nuts that hold the inboard tulip. I get underneath the car and see that this is not the case. The transaxle has the little gravel shield as shown in the diagrams, but below that, it's just a regular looking tulip that ends in the inboard shaft. Every diagram I've looked at shows the same thing, and I'm getting a little frustrated. I'm at the point where I think the engine might be a transplant, althought I'm not positive. It's a 3S-FE and the tag on the transaxle reads 4T1SV24E1. The second line is cut off, but what I can see reads 97930. If it is just a regular type inboard CV joint, do I go about removing it with a prybar and a little love? Or is there something from Toyota I should know? Thanks guys!

[88 LE]

Theres bolt on (6 studs and nuts) and pop in type axles. Sounds like you have the pop in type.

On the drivers side, use a prybar to pop it out of the transmission.

Passenger side, you need to remove the big snap ring and bolt on the center bearing / axle carrier. Then try to pry the axle out of the transmission. I say try, because the axle may be seized to the axle carrier.

If the axle is seized to the axle carrier, unbolt it from the block, then try to remove the axle.

[marc780]

Camry hell, if you are lucky that pup will pop out with a bit of love from a pry bar. But alot arent so easy. Heres some tips if you get the stuck CV.

1. tap and beat, tap on the shaft apply pressure, set up some vibrations. Soak inside the hole with WD-40 or what have you and i do mean SOAK. (You'd think somebody would have thought to use anti sieze compound on that splined shaft but nope, never happens. I always anti sieze on mine or at least some grease- but thats for later)

2. Two pry pars, apply pressure, rotate shaft, repeat.

3. Have someone help by pulling on the end of the shaft as you apply the pressure.

4. If youve read this far, its time for the heavy artillery in the form of some kind of puller. Many use a slide puller, if theres a harbor freight store nearby they have them dirt cheap. Otherwise its worthwhile to just buy this tool whereever you can, its paying for itself if it works which it ought to.
You may need some chain and a long bolt, nut and washer to wrap around the cv to improvise some way to hold it on the cv joint. But if this doesnt get it out, nothing will.

[Camry_Hell]

I don't think I'll have to go as far as a slide hammer......well, I hope not. But I'm glad to see that I don't have some kind of junkyard special hybrid, because every service manual I've found shows both CV's as using nuts and studs. Thanks for the help, guys! Awesome forum, and I'll probably be back before this is all said and done.

[fredk]

if the rh side will not come out of the bearing holder after you pop the snap ring, dont start hitting it hard, simply take the bracket off the motor and remove the axle from car, then an easy thing to do is take a slender shaft and pass it through the axle hole and to one side of the spider gear pin and pop the other axle out

[Camry_Hell]

Slide hammer, prybar, and an extra pair of hands did it.

[Camry_Hell]

Well, just got the new axle. After I fixed up the manufactuers crap job of refurbishing the old shaft, I put a little anti-seize on it and now I'm just waiting for daylight to finish her up. Any other Toyota tricks I should know before I finish? And where can I get the tranny refill procedure and capacity? Thanks for the help, guys!