Al Gerhart
Member
- Joined
- December 21, 2019
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 7
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2007 Exp 4WD 4.0 liter
Okay, had some thumping and a intermittent vibration above 40 mph and could have sworn it was the left side, drivers side CV axle. So I learned how to replace it here on this excellent explorer forum, got it back together, and the noise was still there. So today I picked up the passenger side (right) CV axle and thought I was in for a few hours work. Nope, found out that the old axle was pulled way, way, out of the differential and had been rubbing against the differential axle and galled the first half inch or so.
The right side has a female hub with internal splines that pushes up onto a male axle that comes out of the differential, it is that axle that is messed up.
Looking through the forum I didn't find this issue but I found a very old post on how to replace the CV axles and on page 14 they had these pictures:
This picture was posted by a guy asking if the axle should be sticking this far out and he was told that the axle could be pushed back in flush with the end of the differential tube end and even removed and replaced by carefully aligning the axle and wiggling it.. That front section of the splined axle end is what is ground down/galled on my vehicle. I tried pulling the axle out with pliers, then vice grips on the ruined front part, it moves back and forth an eighth of an inch but won't pull out so I can grind down the damaged area. My question, is this axle supposed be pulled out? What is its proper name?
Second question. In the picture below you can see the inboard hub of the CV axle that is supposed to fit onto that buggered up differential shaft. It has all the small splines and one much larger keyway. However on my damaged differential shaft I cannot see or feel any sort of keyway that this would line up with. Tough to see up in there, around half of the damaged axle can be seen so I jacked up the other side and spun the wheel in small increments while I looked for the keyway. If you try to insert the new CV hub you can feel it engaging on the splines just a bit but it won't tap in or wiggle in. I don't dare try to whack it in if there is a keyway and key that is present.
I have thought of going after the damaged axle end with a triangular file if it is impossible to remove the axle shaft or going after it with a dremel tool or die grinder with a stone if the axle cannot be pulled out.
Any other ideas?
The right side has a female hub with internal splines that pushes up onto a male axle that comes out of the differential, it is that axle that is messed up.
Looking through the forum I didn't find this issue but I found a very old post on how to replace the CV axles and on page 14 they had these pictures:
This picture was posted by a guy asking if the axle should be sticking this far out and he was told that the axle could be pushed back in flush with the end of the differential tube end and even removed and replaced by carefully aligning the axle and wiggling it.. That front section of the splined axle end is what is ground down/galled on my vehicle. I tried pulling the axle out with pliers, then vice grips on the ruined front part, it moves back and forth an eighth of an inch but won't pull out so I can grind down the damaged area. My question, is this axle supposed be pulled out? What is its proper name?
Second question. In the picture below you can see the inboard hub of the CV axle that is supposed to fit onto that buggered up differential shaft. It has all the small splines and one much larger keyway. However on my damaged differential shaft I cannot see or feel any sort of keyway that this would line up with. Tough to see up in there, around half of the damaged axle can be seen so I jacked up the other side and spun the wheel in small increments while I looked for the keyway. If you try to insert the new CV hub you can feel it engaging on the splines just a bit but it won't tap in or wiggle in. I don't dare try to whack it in if there is a keyway and key that is present.
I have thought of going after the damaged axle end with a triangular file if it is impossible to remove the axle shaft or going after it with a dremel tool or die grinder with a stone if the axle cannot be pulled out.
Any other ideas?