CV axles from HELL. Need help putting it back together.

[ChrisCam84]

Oh

my

God...


This has been THE WORST repair I've ever done on a car.

So, I needed to replace the CV axles on my Camry, I thought it would be a piece of cake.
Got the driver's side out just fine, got the new one in just fine.
spent probably a combined 14 hours trying to get the passenger side out, the intermediate/carrier bearing had frozen in the housing, tried pounding it, tired heating it, tried pushing it out with a hydraulic ram (the shaft seperated from the bearing, so the axle was out, the bearing was STILL stuck inside it's housing). Finally spent 2 hours with a dremmel tool and a cutoff disk and I ground the bearing down and took it out in 100 tiny pieces.

Here's my question, now that I have the 2 new Axles in, how the hell do I get the hubs back in place to reconnect the control arms? I tried jacking the hubs, but without the control arms in place the hubs just move to the side and not up in a position where I can reattach the control arm.

What have people done to get the control arms re-attached?

thanks.

[davemac2]

I assume you are dealing with the 4cyl single control arm with one anchor connection to the subframe, with the stabilizer bar that keeps lateral movement minimized? Otherwise, it should not be a problem with the larger V6 control arms. You should be able to disconnect the ctl arm at the subframe and attach the ctl arm to the knuckle at the ball joint. Then re-attach the ctl arm to the subframe by using your jacking method and pushing the ctl arm back into the subframe socket with your weight, or use a rope jig around the end of the arm and around the subfrrame with a tension dowel twisting the rope slack up to draw the ctl arm in towards the subframe, assisting your body weight pushing on the knuckle. That's the way I do it on my Saturn.

dave mc

[ChrisCam84]

Originally Posted by davemac2

I assume you are dealing with the 4cyl single control arm with one anchor connection to the subframe, with the stabilizer bar that keeps lateral movement minimized? Otherwise, it should not be a problem with the larger V6 control arms. You should be able to disconnect the ctl arm at the subframe and attach the ctl arm to the knuckle at the ball joint. Then re-attach the ctl arm to the subframe by using your jacking method and pushing the ctl arm back into the subframe socket with your weight, or use a rope jig around the end of the arm and around the subfrrame with a tension dowel twisting the rope slack up to draw the ctl arm in towards the subframe, assisting your body weight pushing on the knuckle. That's the way I do it on my Saturn.

dave mc

Yeah, I forgot to mention, 4-cyl automatic. Hmmmm, interesting approach with the tension dowel.

Any other takers?

[new echo owner]

What have you taken apart that will cause you so much problem? Got a picture?

Usually just unbolting the ball joint from the control arm would be sufficient. Of course don't forget to unbolt the wheel speed sensor harness if you have ABS.

N.E.O.

[ChrisCam84]

Originally Posted by new echo owner

What have you taken apart that will cause you so much problem? Got a picture?

Usually just unbolting the ball joint from the control arm would be sufficient. Of course don't forget to unbolt the wheel speed sensor harness if you have ABS.

N.E.O.

I unbolted the control arm from the ball joint like mentioned in the Hayes manual, the problem is that the strut/hub/brake has extended about 3 inches down past where the control arm. I can't see an easy way to reattach things.

[new echo owner]

You will have a better chance of using a pry bar or tire iron to pry the control arm down than to mess around with lifting the strut. Remember that strut supports more than one quarter of the vehicles weight. Stick the pry bar between the control arm and cradle and push down on it.

N.E.O.

[ChrisCam84]

Originally Posted by new echo owner

You will have a better chance of using a pry bar or tire iron to pry the control arm down than to mess around with lifting the strut. Remember that strut supports more than one quarter of the vehicles weight. Stick the pry bar between the control arm and cradle and push down on it.

N.E.O.

Thats what we ended up doing and we got everything back together! Just road tested the car and its good as new!

[new echo owner]

That's great!

N.E.O.