Okay, I'm trying to get everything buttoned up on the 4runner from the regear and locker installs, and it's the little things that are totally hanging me up.

While I had my front diff out, I replaced my cv's. While I was reinstalling them, I couldn't get the c-clip to get all the way back and in the groove. I was trying vice grips on a bolt in the end of the cv and that didn't work. I gave up and decided to come back to it once I got the front diff back in, thinking that the cv's wouldn't be hanging and I could get a little more movement out of them.

Well, today I finally got the front diff back in and was all excited to test the locker and make sure it worked. I still can not get those damn c-clips all the way back to the groove they should sit in. I've changed my cv's before and have had to pull some to get those back in, but this is rediculous. I was worried that I might snap that brass bolt I had in the end of the axle I was pulling on, so I put my tap in there but ended up snapping that instead. lol I've jacked it up all different ways and turned the wheel to different angles and nothing just getting really close to getting it in with no luck. The bolts on the diff side are not tightened down yet either, so that's not pulling on it. I'm stumped

Any other tips to get that c-clip in? Can you run without it and just use the brass bolt and washer since that will keep it from sliding out? I'm starting to get pissed at these little things.

Also, it is both axles, one is an autozone reman and the other was my spare and I believe was an OEM, so I don't think it's a funky axle.

 

What exactly is inhibiting the circlip from going over the axle? is the axle not far enough out of the wheel hub? Or is the circlip bent out of shape and loose?

 

Axle not far enough out of the wheel hub

 

you can push it out with one hand enough and getsomeone to press the c clip on???

 

That may work, but I tried pushing on it from the backside and couldn't get much movement out of it. No more than what I was getting by pulling on the front.

Only thing I can think it might be: I had loose/worn spindle bushings, so while the cv's were out I shoved some grease in there so they would stop being noisy. I wonder if I used too much grease and it's not allowing the axle to come through enough?

 

hmm werid, i second try getting somone to push from behind to get enough room to fit the clip on. If not, get a small jack and jack up the lower a-arm to see if you gain any clearance?

 

Yeah, I'll have to get a second pair of hands.

I've already tried jacking it way up, full droop, tire turned at different angles from lock to lock.

I may just have to pull them and make sure there isn't too much grease in the back on the spindle bushing. ah, this sucks.

 

yeah the cv joint process can be a pita sometimes

 

YOu could undo it from the diff flange and push it in with the axle.

 

Already tried that.

 

Okay, I've come to the conclusion that it was just the "new" reman axle, groove just being in slightly the wrong spot. The other one, actually did get in the groove, I was just being paranoid because I was having trouble with the other.

I tried everything, I even trimmed the rubber dust shield on it, because it was bigger than the others and I thought that might be the problem. Nope! Anyways, I ended up machining down the splined washer just a little bit and that gave me enough room for the c-clip to fit in the groove.

I should have known, this was the best looking reman axle I have received. Man, looks can be deceiving. Not only was the groove slightly off, but the threads in the end were messed up. Luckily, I was able to fix them with the tap that I later ended up snapping.

So I used my grinder placed in a vice and held the washer with vice grips to take some off that splined washer, I took off just enough to where I still needed to pull on the bolt to get enough clearance for the c-clip to fit.

 

Oh man that sucks!!
I had trouble with mine on one side and I ended up using a pry bar on the diff side of the cv and then with my other hand I had the clip ready to slide in. When I put pressure on the pry bar it allowed just enough to get the clip to slide in.
Good you finally got it though!!

 

lol, didn't try that method, but everything else under the sun. I needed a cv stretcher, haha. It literally was just in the wrong spot. I still had to grunt it to get it in. When it got down to where I machined down the washer, I tried it 3 different times, each time taking just a little more off till it fit.

 

What would be the worst case scenario should that clip not be in its proper little slot?? I wondered that while I was fighting to get that thing in. I know your frustration. At one point I was like.. Damn! maybe I'll just leave it half in the groove and half out. But I came to my senses and fooled it with the prybar method.

 

I think worst case would be that you have a little movement in there and may be enough to let water/dirt in from the back side. The brass bolt and washer will hold it in from the hub side.

 

Even without the bolt/washer, it's not coming out of there!

I replaced those circlips with actual snaprings with the little holes - made life a TON easier!

 

That's a good idea! It would make it much easier to get off.

That was one of my other ideas was to get another c-clip that was the same size, just not as thick. Sounds like next time I take it off, I'll go looking for snaprings. Were the snaprings you got slightly thinner than your circlip?


Yeah, it's definately not coming out of there. Maybe it would help save the cv's a little, having the axle being able to slide out some at full droop.

 

They were quite a bit thinner - too thin maybe, as last time I took it out, the snapring was rolled a little.

 

Okay, good to know. So, it would probably be better to search for one that is similar thickness. I wonder if mcmastercarr lists the thickness of them. Too bad I didn't take measurements when I had them out.

I almost machined down the clip but I figured that it was the only part actually doing something so I probably shouldn't weaken it.