axle play tranny side '91 Corolla 4AFE

[RotBoxCorolla]

I was planning to go on a long road trip this week, so I did a bunch of work on my Corolla. Here's my current problem:

I replaced my driver's side axle with a brand new one from Napa. I have probably only driven it about 40? miles & it was working great until about the 10th mile of today's ride.

Then I heard a metal on metal noise that I thought might be my front brakes (just replaced). I tested and realized it wasn't the brakes. I took it out at lunch and heard noise all along, plus different noises in transmission? I tested and found out it only made noise when in gear, not coasting downhill in neutral (so figured the axle was not making the noise). It started to be real bad going uphill, and even thumped a few times.

I limped it home. Stopped once to put in reverse, then Drive to see if it would happen at different speeds. Then it started to make a high-pitched whine and didn't seem to shift, unless you kicked the gas pedal. Now I'm getting the whine consistently, but not metal-on-metal nor clunking. It feels like it's laboring to go uphill.

I jacked up the front & took a look. I noticed what seemed to be a bunch of play in the shaft at the transmission side (as I rotated the axle, and moved it up and down or side to side). I decided to pull the axle out to take a look (wasn't sure it was fully seated). I wanted to compare more carefully to the old axle. The new one had a cup that went over the seal, but the old one didn't - I wasn't sure if this was keeping it from being fully seated, so I removed it. I pulled out the seal, so that I could replace the spring that came out, and tapped it back in place.

Put the new axle back in - seemed to be seated, but when I put the axle nut on a bit, it would pull the axle out of the transmission, and the free play at the transmission would keep increasing. I ended up pulling the axle out again, which is no easy job (it seems like the clip is really holding on when you try to get the axle all the way out, but the axle can come out quite a bit before the clip stops it). Put the old axle back in, to see if that had the same free play, and it now does.

I expected the tranny side to be pretty tight, and am not sure how it could move so much, unless the gears are moving, not the axle in the bearing. Is something worn in the tranny that allows so much free play? Should the axle splined end be able to be pulled so far out of the tranny before hitting the clip? I had changed the ball joint (aftermarket, but seemed to be same size) and the rear and front motor mounts.

Please hep me & tell me how I'm going to get up in the morning? zzzzzz Hope the Vanagon's up for the ride, because the Corolla's outta commission! Most people would just stay home, but not this bonehead! Please wave as you drive by me at the side of the road

[Puffie40]

Sounds like your transmission is dying. I'd look into a replacment...

Maybe the torque converter?

[Flashmn]

Maybe the torque converter?

What does that have to do with axles?

Do you have the locking ring on the driveshaft joint?

Also you do realize the inside has basically two joints. The splined end that goes into the tranmission and then the trianglular joint that goes into the splined gauntlet. that gauntlet would have some slack. IF you dont have the locking ring on the inner joint, it would go in and out and clunk.

[RotBoxCorolla]

The splined end that goes into the transmission has the ring on the end, which I can assure you holds it from coming all the way out (after having to get the new and old axles out a total of four times now - they are quite tough to pry/knock out)! But, the splined end itself seems to be able to travel out quite a bit, before the ring on the end stops it (when it's out like that, is when there's the most play up and down, side to side on the splined transmission side) - is there something that is supposed to catch that ring sooner, so the splined end doesn't come out so far when it's up on jackstands?

It seems much better when the splined end is all the way in, before the axle nut is put on. As the axle nut is tightened, the splined end starts to travel out more and more, until it hits the ring that keeps it from just coming out of the transmission completely. At that point, if I rotate the axle, and grab the transmission side of the CV joint housing, I can move the housing up and down and side-to-side way more than it seems I should - excessive play! Don't know if it has something to do with new ball joints or motor mounts, if the engine/transaxle are not sitting right, or whatever???

I think you are talking about the CV joint housing when you talk about the splined gauntlet - although that did overextend a couple of times in the process of installation/removals, when it's pushed back in and no longer overextended, it seems fine, and has the normal lateral movement in and out.

Appreciate any help!!

[Flashmn]

Interesting.... One thing though, are you sure you have the correct axles?
Because even if I let my axles droop, They only extend on the CV joint, the splines dont come out.

[RotBoxCorolla]

That's what I thought should happen too! The axle seems to stay in mostly, until the axle nut starts to be threaded on. The new and old axles look the same too. I believe I checked the thickness with a caliper. The fact that the old one is doing the same, is what is weird. The car has 188K on it, but I think the tranny was replaced maybe at 100K or something before I got it. I've never had a problem.

[Flashmn]

I'm just thinking maybe your axles are too short.