Problem with half shaft install - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

kongmen · 09-03-2006, 11:34 PM

I got a passenger side half shaft from the junkyard from a standard shift car same year for my automatic. I assumed they would be the same but I installed it and when I start the car and put it in drive on jack stands that side won't turn. I tried reinstalling it and no go. It looks and feels like it is in the transmission as far as the original was before I removed it. I know the problem is not at the wheel because I got under the car while it was in drive and the shaft is not turning at the transmission. Could it be that the one from the standard shift car has a smaller (in diameter) shaft then my old one from the automatic? All comments welcome. Thanks.

tashirosgt · 09-04-2006, 07:23 AM

The Toyota service manual for the 1990 Corolla shows no distinction between the half axles for the manual and those for the automatic transmission. It does show two different types of hald axle, the "Toyota" type and the "Saginaw" type, but it looks as if both fit. The 4WD appears to have a different passenger side half axle than the 2WD.
Did it require some force to insert the half axle? (It should.) If you turn the passenger side tire with your hands does the entire half axle turn and can you feel it turning the gears of the differential? I think when the wheels of a 2WD are not touching the ground it does not require much force to stop one of them from turning. Could the passenger side tire be rubbing against the frame somewhere?

kongmen · 09-04-2006, 07:59 AM

The first time I installed it it made a loud clunking noise (first time it did turn but I could stop it easy by hand) while turning on jack stands. After installing a second time it won't turn at all. It just doesn't make sense, even if the sap ring is not engaged how could the axle not turn wile inside the transmission? I did push on the shaft as much as I could while inserting it into the transmission. Should I use a piece of would and hit the wheel end of the shaft to get it to engage the transmission when I install it for a third time? Thanks.

tashirosgt · 09-04-2006, 09:34 AM

It would be normal for you to be able to stop the tire from rotating by hand while the wheels are off the ground and the car is on jackstands. That's the way the differential works. You would only have a hard time stopping the tires from spinning if you tried to stop both of them at the same time.

The service manual says to insert the half axle by pounding it in with a soft metal bar. You put the bar on the small ridges on the "tulip" joint near the differential. You won't be able to get the bar pointed straight along the axle so you have to put it at an angle. You pound the bar with a hammer. I find it helps to pound a little and then turn the axle slightly and pound some more. It sounds to me like you had it put in correctly the first time you did it.

kongmen · 09-04-2006, 11:35 AM

Thanks for the replies. I installed it for the third time and got it done. Can anyone tell me if both axles center nut loosens in the same direction or does one side loosen one way and the other side the opposite way? Thanks.

tashirosgt · 09-04-2006, 12:47 PM

On my 1990, the axle nuts (which hold the end of the half shaft to the hub) are both threaded the same way, a normal right hand thread. The Service manual says to tighten them to 137 ft lbs.

kongmen · 09-04-2006, 02:12 PM

Thanks again. I was asking about the center nut because I got the drivers side Axel from the junk yard and I busted a 30 mm socket trying to get the center nut off. I guess it must have welded it's self to the Axel guess I'll have to go get another.

retiredat44 · 09-04-2006, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kongmen

Thanks again. I was asking about the center nut because I got the drivers side Axel from the junk yard and I busted a 30 mm socket trying to get the center nut off. I guess it must have welded it's self to the Axel guess I'll have to go get another.

was it an axle nut socket? Or was it a regular 6 point deep socket you bought that happened to fit?

I use a special axle nut socket that was especially made for the axle nut. They only cost about $15.00 or less.

Just asking..

diver9000 · 09-04-2006, 07:35 PM

You can use a regular deep well socket, but it would be better for you, depending on the tool you are using to tighten the axle nut with, to use an 12 pt impact socket. They are reasonably cheap and most autoparts shops will lend you the tool as long as you leave a deposit with them or you are a regular customer. Be careful not to cross thread that nut when you are removing it or replacing it. If you do then you may as well go buy a new CV Axle (which btw will come with a new axle nut).

toyotaspeed90 · 09-05-2006, 12:02 AM

ok.....

usually the auto's and manuals have different inner splines on the differential...... if your car has the axles that come apart and you just bolted the axle back together (and didn't pull out the inner spline) then your method of checking to see if it works is ok or not...

if your car does NOT have axles that unbolt... then i would assume the spline isn't correct..... go into a parts store and compare if need be.... (or just compare the actual inner splines between the one you have and the one that came out of the car.....)

all NON lsd cars will generally have the axle spin that has the least resistance...... if one wheel spins then usually the other will not.....

kongmen · 09-06-2006, 10:07 PM

Thanks everyone for your help. I had to go get another drivers side axle and I installed it and things came out grate. The one good thing about pulling parts from the junk yard is that some times you have to do the process so many times that you can do it with your eyes closed by the time your done. I found one of the axles that had a bar code on it and was clean so I could tell that it was fairly new. I would like to find some struts like that does anyone know how to tell if a car at the junk yard has after market struts? Any kind of markings or anything that would be different from OEM? I know most people wouldn't consider getting struts from a junk yard but if you know what you are looking for and find almost new ones what difference does it make?

diver9000 · 09-08-2006, 12:06 AM

Yes, If you are looking at the strut housing for the front there are several things to be aware of. OEM struts have a screw on cap. Aftermarket strut housings dont. Like monroe or gabriel. They are junk. The OEM struts are not cartridges. KYB and KONI make aftermarket/performance strut cartridges that are used as replacements when changing struts. Look and see if the screw on cap has a strut cartridge in it or if it has a brand name on it. Also look to see if the strut housing has a brand name on it. You can do one of several things when changing the struts. Its easy to replace the front struts with cartridges its just time consuming. Its even easier if you find some that are already encased in a strut housing. Then just add the springs or coilovers, get it aligned and there you go. Dont forget that when changing your struts to mark your camber bolts. That way you shouldnt have to get it aligned. It should be real close to the alignment you had previously.

retiredat44 · 09-08-2006, 12:20 PM

I put new Gabriel Struts on our stock 1989 Corolla and can tell you they are very very stiff. I would definitely not call them junk. They are very hard dampening. For running the car stock, not racing, they are defintely good enough. I have no clue how they hold up under racing, but they will defintely outlast the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by diver9000

Yes, If you are looking at the strut housing for the front there are several things to be aware of. OEM struts have a screw on cap. Aftermarket strut housings dont. Like monroe or gabriel. They are junk. The OEM struts are not cartridges. KYB and KONI make aftermarket/performance strut cartridges that are used as replacements when changing struts. Look and see if the screw on cap has a strut cartridge in it or if it has a brand name on it. Also look to see if the strut housing has a brand name on it. You can do one of several things when changing the struts. Its easy to replace the front struts with cartridges its just time consuming. Its even easier if you find some that are already encased in a strut housing. Then just add the springs or coilovers, get it aligned and there you go. Dont forget that when changing your struts to mark your camber bolts. That way you shouldnt have to get it aligned. It should be real close to the alignment you had previously.