97 camry 4cyl psgr axle replace HELP

[thebeatfarmer]

I have to pack the tools i need and drive a few hours and replace the

passenger side axle assembly in a 1997 camry 4cyl automatic

please give me a heads up as to what size tools i need.

axle nut size?
Lug size?
caliper mounts?
sway bar?
tierod?
ball joint/control arm?
anything special i need?
diff drain/fill ports?

If there's a step by step, please give me the link.

thanks much

[rusty9]

theres a search button, a DIY section and a complete repair manual at the top of the forum...

[thebeatfarmer]

thx Rusty. it helped a little, not at all a 'complete repair manual' though. unless i missed something.,,,,just a bunch of pix of boots and a 30mm axle nut.

psgr axle replcmt???

TOOLS I NEED TO REMOVE:
Lug size? 21?
caliper mounts?
tierod?
ball joint?
anything special i need?

[Chris Crash]

You'll need a 30 mm socket for the axle nut. 21 for the lugs. Calipers are either 14 or 17mm. You'll need a set of long needle nose pliers to get the clip out. There's also a 14 mm bolt under the bearing that the clip is attached (hard to explain, but you'll see it when you get there)

Good luck getting it out. Those things are bitches.

You won't need to remove the tierod or ball joint.

You will however need to unbolt the lower control arm, those three bolts are either 17 or 19mm. Bring a breaker bar, you'll need it.

[thebeatfarmer]

you made my day chris!

[Mike Gerber]

"Calipers are either 14 or 17mm"

It's actualluy both sizes, depending on what you are trying to remove. The caliper bolts to the mounting bracket with 14MM bolts. The mounting bracket bolts to the car with 17MM bolts.

Mike

[Chris Crash]

Originally Posted by Mike Gerber

"Calipers are either 14 or 17mm"

It's actualluy both sizes, depending on what you are trying to remove. The caliper bolts to the mounting bracket with 14MM bolts. The mounting bracket bolts to the car with 17MM bolts.

Mike

Yeah, thinking about it, you don't need to remove the calipers. Just unbolt the mount and the calipers will stay attached to the mount and it will all come off as one piece.

Just one less thing to have to unbolt and bolt back up, and two less bolts to lose!

[jtex2717]

make sure you bring 2 long pry bars too......they are essential to popping out the axle from the tranny.....and getting it out is the easy part fyi.....

[ycartf]

I didn't really know whether I should post this in a new thread or in this one. Since this thread was the closest I could find to answering my questions when I started this job, I thought posting "in it" would make better sense and help others find more information in a single location.

We have a 1997 Camry I4 that has a tear in the outer boot of the passenger side CV axle. I bought a new axle and was going to put it on yesterday. I have swapped out axles on other Toyotas, a Honda, and a Volvo before, but this was to be the hardest one by far. I had no problem getting everything done (except for the part I'm going to address) and Chris' advice below was very valuable.

Originally Posted by Chris Crash

You'll need a 30 mm socket for the axle nut. 21 for the lugs. Calipers are either 14 or 17mm. You'll need a set of long needle nose pliers to get the clip out. There's also a 14 mm bolt under the bearing that the clip is attached (hard to explain, but you'll see it when you get there)

Good luck getting it out. Those things are bitches.

You won't need to remove the tierod or ball joint.

You will however need to unbolt the lower control arm, those three bolts are either 17 or 19mm. Bring a breaker bar, you'll need it.

I had the snap ring out, the bearing "set" bolt out, sprayed some penetrant in there as much as I could, pried with the biggest prybar I could fit under there (even breaking the tip off of a steel prybar when I got my feet anchored and pulled with both hands), but I have still failed to get the axle out. The bearing that is fixed to the axle just will not budge to come out of the housing it is in, so I wanted to ask a couple questions -

1. It is supposed to come out of the housing right? Snap ring removed, set bolt out, hub end free, and should come out straight, toward the wheel, with force?

2. Would hitting it with a torch for a bit and heating it up help/hurt? I did not think of this until I had reassembled it all, cooled off, and cleaned up (exhausted from 3 hours of prying, trying, sweating).

3. Once it IS out, should the new one be this hard to put back IN there? I know you can clean up any sand, corrosion, etc. that may be there, and lube it up with some axle grease, but there seems like there would be less of a way to press it in there than to pry it out. This really reminds me of pressed-in bearings too by the way, like the throwout bearing for a clutch or something.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am also going to try and get in contact with a very well-respected mechanic here locally, who does import automotive work when not at his law enforcement job. I have not (at all) ruled out just paying someone else to do it ... but I wonder HOW will they do it and I hate to pay someone good money when I was one agonizing inch from having it out myself yesterday afternoon. I currently have it all put back together and on-the-road (minus the snap ring and set bolt - I would LOVE if it "worked loose" and came out).

Thanks in advance

Tracy

[500KCamry]

Originally Posted by ycartf

I didn't really know whether I should post this in a new thread or in this one. Since this thread was the closest I could find to answering my questions when I started this job, I thought posting "in it" would make better sense and help others find more information in a single location.

We have a 1997 Camry I4 that has a tear in the outer boot of the passenger side CV axle. I bought a new axle and was going to put it on yesterday. I have swapped out axles on other Toyotas, a Honda, and a Volvo before, but this was to be the hardest one by far. I had no problem getting everything done (except for the part I'm going to address) and Chris' advice below was very valuable.



I had the snap ring out, the bearing "set" bolt out, sprayed some penetrant in there as much as I could, pried with the biggest prybar I could fit under there (even breaking the tip off of a steel prybar when I got my feet anchored and pulled with both hands), but I have still failed to get the axle out. The bearing that is fixed to the axle just will not budge to come out of the housing it is in, so I wanted to ask a couple questions -

1. It is supposed to come out of the housing right? Snap ring removed, set bolt out, hub end free, and should come out straight, toward the wheel, with force?

2. Would hitting it with a torch for a bit and heating it up help/hurt? I did not think of this until I had reassembled it all, cooled off, and cleaned up (exhausted from 3 hours of prying, trying, sweating).

3. Once it IS out, should the new one be this hard to put back IN there? I know you can clean up any sand, corrosion, etc. that may be there, and lube it up with some axle grease, but there seems like there would be less of a way to press it in there than to pry it out. This really reminds me of pressed-in bearings too by the way, like the throwout bearing for a clutch or something.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am also going to try and get in contact with a very well-respected mechanic here locally, who does import automotive work when not at his law enforcement job. I have not (at all) ruled out just paying someone else to do it ... but I wonder HOW will they do it and I hate to pay someone good money when I was one agonizing inch from having it out myself yesterday afternoon. I currently have it all put back together and on-the-road (minus the snap ring and set bolt - I would LOVE if it "worked loose" and came out).

Thanks in advance

Tracy

Without the corrosion, the bearing and shaft slide freely out of the bearing carrier as you assumed. Adjust a large crescent wrench on the skinny part of the inner axle shaft, slide it towards the bearing carrier, it'll will stop when it reaches the taper on the shaft. Once its stops sliding, hit the wrench towards the bearing carrier with a hammer. The shaft and bearing will come out. Before reinstall sand off the corrosion on the inside of the bearing carrier, the new bearing should slip into it without any effort.

[ycartf]

That is an awesome idea 500K! I was brainstorming and trying to come up with some way to fix something against the shaft where it increases in size (that you're talking about) with the other end fixed against the transmission and a screw-type way of "spreading" the distance between (like a screw jack) but did not come up with anything. Do you think it would help/hurt at all to hit the housing with a torch a bit and heat it up before doing this?
Thanks again!

Tracy

PS - I even have the perfect crescent wrench too, one that is rusty and relegated to my "spare tools" box.

[73sport]

If you have access to an air compressor or feel compelled to rent/borrow one, an air hammer with a blunt tip around the outside of the bearing holder will knock the rust loose.

This things are life savers!


If the link remains active, there is round blunt chiesel on the left and an air hammer on the right.

From the hell others have had doing this, figure you'll need a new bearing to press on to your axel after its out. So, plan around your local machine shop or get an axel with the bearing on it already.

If using a new beaing, I'd heat the thing up allot and then smack it to get it out. 15min with propane (back and forth around the carrier) or maybe 8-10 min with oxi-acetylene torch.

IME: I use anti-seize compound on bolts and threads. But using it on press-fit, interferance fit things like axles, it causes the bearings to STICK and not go on easily! Use grease or oil for the bearing to the axle. As said above, you can lightly sand the bearing holder and likely use Never Seize, Anti-Seize compound on that area.

[ycartf]

Thanks 73sport ... for another great suggestion. I think I am going to hit it with the torch for a bit as you described, then try the crescent wrench method (and carry a pipe wrench under there with me too in case it looks like it would work better), then sand it out nicely and coat with antiseize before installing the new one. And yes, the new axle has the bearing already on it.

Thanks again,

Tracy

[ycartf]

Well I tried the "beating a crescent wrench on the shaft" thing yesterday and was unsuccessful. To start with, there is not enough clearance/room between what you're trying to hit and the flexpipe of the exhaust for me to get a good, solid, straight-on blow. I had to settle for a lot of little blows on it,and they were ineffective. I also couldn't get my propane torch to work, so I will need to get that working before the next attempt. But for now, it's CV axle 2, Tracy 0. Thanks for all the help though!

Tracy

[ycartf]

I am also thinking of renting/buying one of those slide hammers with hook/jaw attachments and trying to secure that to the "chunk" of the CV axle that is right next to the carrier housing, then slamming it out hopefully.