2007 Ford Explorer Passenger Side CV axle Will Not Slide in

[Al Gerhart]

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?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Long post, just to clarify. Two questions:

1. can that differential shaft be removed and what is its proper name?
2. is there actually a keyway and key on that differential shaft end? The driver's side CV axle just slid in place, never looked for a keyway.

 

[RangerX]

Welcome to the forum!

I am completely unfamiliar with this generation of Explorer, but looking at your pics, it sure looks to me like there’s a key way in the splines of the hub. That gap at about the one o’clock is what I’m talking about, is that not a key way slot?

*edit* On reread, I see that these are not your pics and that you can’t find the same on yours. Sorry.

 

[imp]

Welcome to the forum!

I am completely unfamiliar with this generation of Explorer, but looking at your pics, it sure looks to me like there’s a key way in the splines of the hub. That gap at about the one o’clock is what I’m talking about, is that not a key way slot?

*edit* On reread, I see that these are not your pics and that you can’t find the same on yours. Sorry.

@RangerX
Presence of a keyway for key use purposes is redundant on a splined shaft. Possibly it's intent was to prevent pressure build up. imp

 

[Al Gerhart]

Welcome to the forum!

I am completely unfamiliar with this generation of Explorer, but looking at your pics, it sure looks to me like there’s a key way in the splines of the hub. That gap at about the one o’clock is what I’m talking about, is that not a key way slot?

*edit* On reread, I see that these are not your pics and that you can’t find the same on yours. Sorry.

Well, I find that same keyway in the female hub on the new CV axle, but for the life of me I cannot find a darned keyway or spline in the damaged differential shaft. No keyway, no key, you can get your finger up inside a bit to feel the first 3/4" or so. Can't see anything, can't feel anything.

 

[Al Gerhart]

@RangerX
Presence of a keyway for key use purposes is redundant on a splined shaft. Possibly it's intent was to prevent pressure build up. imp

I thought so at first, but a post on the other thread that I robbed these pictures from had a poster talking about having problems getting his new CV installed till he jacked up the other side and had someone rotate the other tire to spin the differential axle. That had me thinking that perhaps there is a keyway

 

[massacre]

Isn’t it just a wide spline? I feel like some transmission slip yokes have the same arrangement, but there is no key way per se.

If you look at this slip yoke carefully, you can see that there is a squared off section that looks like it might be for a keyway. But there was is no keyway used it just slips on.
But I think it does have to be properly aligned I think, but it may also not need to be aligned since it looks like the square part is about as wide as 2 teeth?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Wow, great find. That makes sense. I think I got drawn astray by the post from the guy that had trouble till he had a friend rotate the opposite tire to line things up. I wonder if that thread was in the appropriate year model vehicle.

That knocks down one question, the phantom keyway.

Any ideas on that ruined shaft? Getting it out?

 

[massacre]

Sorry
I don’t have any really good ideas for getting the ruined shaft out.
Is there some kind of C clip holding it into the differential?

 

[Al Gerhart]

I think you are right Massacre, there might be a c clip if that one poster that I stole the picture from was correct and the shaft does come out. Problem is getting a grip on the end of the shaft. Almost certainly to be hardened steel, no drilling the center hole deeper and tapping to put a bolt into. Yanking on it with vice grips didn't work and there is so little room to get something in there to pry with. Maybe a slid hammer might work on the vice grips but before I plunk down the bucks for a slide hammer I'd like to find out if the shaft does indeed come out by pulling on it.

 

[massacre]

I was also thinking a slide hammer might work.
I just watched a video on a 2011 and there was a flange with 2 bolts that looks like it needs to be removed?

 

[massacre]

Do you have any pics of your truck, or only the pics that have been already posted?

 

[Al Gerhart]

I didn't think to take pictures, by the time I finished wrestling with the dang thing that it was near 8 pm before I had the old axle chopped down and re installed to hold the hub bearings together so I could go home.

It was pretty simple, first half inch of the male differential shaft is gauled and worn down. Made it impossible to get the new CV axle past the messed up axle end.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I was also thinking a slide hammer might work.
I just watched a video on a 2011 and there was a flange with 2 bolts that looks like it needs to be removed?[/QUO

No bolts, just the differential has that long tube that comes out toward the passenger side tire with a long axle inside. The axle is pretty much flush with the end of the tube.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

Goggle "Ford Explorer Dana 30" front axle assembly. Rangerstation has an exploded view of all the parts.

The stub shaft appears to be held in place with a circlip, similar to the rear axle half shafts. Yours may be mangled and hung-up on the side gear inside the carrier..

 

[Al Gerhart]

That is the answer I was needing. What a great resource this forum is. Much appreciated.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

Was there a circlip on the end of the damaged stub/axle shaft when you removed the half shaft? The workshop manual says that the shaft just pulls out, but other than that, no other info in the manual that I could find.

How far out from the axle tube does the shaft protrude? 1", 2"'s.....
Can you (carefully) clean-up the damaged splines on the axle shaft with a small file or mini die grinder?

 

[massacre]

I am more familiar with the ‘03-‘04 cobra/ markviii type half shafts, those have circlips

 

[Al Gerhart]

Was there a circlip on the end of the damaged stub/axle shaft when you removed the half shaft? The workshop manual says that the shaft just pulls out, but other than that, no other info in the manual that I could find.

How far out from the axle tube does the shaft protrude? 1", 2"'s.....
Can you (carefully) clean-up the damaged splines on the axle shaft with a small file or mini die grinder?

There looks like there is a groove up inside the new CV axle female hub that is supposed to slid over this now damaged axle, or half shaft as one of the posters called it. No circlip though, which is probably why the darned CV axle slid out and ground itself up. Must have broken at some point.

So the manual does say that half shaft pulls out? I guess I am going to need a slide hammer. I have been thinking about taking the right size pipe, slitting it about four inches, putting a bolt and nut about 2 inches from the end and seeing if I can lock onto that damaged shaft by tightening the bolt and pinching the end of the axle enough to hang on when I use a slid hammer.

I am going to find that original page long thread where I snagged the pictures and message that guy that said the shaft can be pushed back in easily, he might know more.

Protrusion on the shaft is very little if any. I was thinking about taking a triangular file and seeing if I can work down the "spun" and galled metal down enough to allow the CV axle hub to slide in. Figure the shaft is almost surely hardened but maybe the friction softened up the end a bit. Or like you said, get a die grinder out and grind down the perimeter.

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I am more familiar with the ‘03-‘04 cobra/ markviii type half shafts, those have circlips

And those half shafts just pull out easily once you get past that clip? No problem getting them back in? Man, I would love to yank that thing out and do a proper job replacing it.