CV Joint Axle Studs..cheap tricks
 

Has anyone done the mod of replacing the studs on stub axles with bolts. The one online tech write up is kinda vague. Can this be done on the vehicle? And if anyone has done it can you provide a little detail. Also can any one explain a little more about this darn c-clip. I have seen all kinds of write ups on how to "pop" the axles out of the diff but what is happening to this c-clip and how does it go back in upon re-installation?

TIA ... Lee

Mmmmm, nobody has done this? Anyone, maybe someone who has not done it but just want's to offer an opinion maybe, perhaps?

I can address the second part...

The c-clip compresses to pop in and out of a groove in the housing where the half-shaft seats. It will "pop" out, but there is a trick to reinserting it.

When reinserting the half-shaft to the differential, put a dab of grease on the c-clip to hold it such that the opening is facing down. That keeps the clip centered on the shaft and the shaft will pop into place with a slight tap. If the clip is in any other position, it can interfere with the seating of the shaft and make for a hellish install.

Thanks, that deffinitely helps a lot.

Haven't done it, but all you are doing is pressing out the studs from the drive flanges, then replacing them with bolts. Some folks file/grind down the knurling at the base of the old studs in order to reuse them as bolts. Without the knurling, the stud will slide in and out of the flange. The idea of the mod is that you don't need as much room to pull the axle off, since it'll just drop off the flange once you pull the bolts out. Without the mod, you need to slide it out past the studs before dropping it out. I think it can be done on the vehicle as long as you can find something (like a c-clamp) to use to press the studs out of the flange.

Here's the writeup:

http://www.off-road.com/toyota/cheaptricks/quickcv/

Here's some pics of when DMG and I did mine:

Air hammer with blunt tip makes quick work of knocking the studs out. Make sure you thread the nuts on to protect the threads!
http://rigs.corequipment.com/Cebby/9...0DMG%20005.jpg

I ground the splines out of the holes, but you could also grind the splines off of the studs, or replace the studs with bolts.
http://rigs.corequipment.com/Cebby/9...0DMG%20006.jpg

I have found that if you unbolt the lower ball joint and swing the hub outward, it makes it alot easier to slide out the cv.