Okeedoke, 'Yoter voters, I've got a valuable insight that I couldn't find here which will answer one of those simple little questions everyone comes to the boards at 2: AM to ask.

What do you do with the third-gen four-by 4Runner and matching Taco half-shafts (or CV axles, or constant-velocity shafts, or driveaxles as Toyota calls them) when you have the steering knuckle off and they don't seem to want to pull out of the front differential? I did the figuring and asking and inquiring (not at 2: AM, thankfully) so you don't have to figure it out in the driveway.

I was doing a set of top-hat spacers on my '97 4Runner, and saw my CV boots were fragged. 170K, you come to expect things like that. I pulled the knuckle, popped the shaft, and the half-shaft seemed to be stuck in the diff, even though it was also retained by the big nut on the outboard end of the driveaxle. It didn't make sense for otherwise sensible Toyota engineers to require you to crack the diff to get a set of C-clips off like you find with a live-axle diff, so there had to be another way. There is.

The internal retainer, commonly referred to by Toyota manuals as a "snap ring", is essentially a round wire ring, not the typical "C-clip" with squared edges folks recall when they think of an axle retainer. It will compress when the axle is pulled outward firmly, or when the new axle is pushed back into the differential. Most mechanics I've spoken to use a large pry-bar and push the inner CV tulip outward, leveraged against large support members. It takes a few firm pops with the bar, and if at first you don't succeed, rotate the half-shaft and try again. Be patient.

By the way, there's an outfit in San Diego - AES in Mission Gorge (and probably one in every neighborhood) - that rebuilds half-shafts in about an hour, for less than the cost of the Kragen or Toyota units. Call Mark at 619.282.3207 for info.

I know there are experts out there who are feeling a case of the "Yeah, duhhs" right now. Sorry. This is for the shade-tree mechanic or novice who might be run into this problem with this Toyota for the first time, like me. Any constructive comments or additions are very much appreciated, though.

STICK

PS> Yes, Daisy, irresponsible or inscrutable mechanics will defect your CV boots because it's an automatic $1000 receipt at the dealership (including parts). Know your mechanic, and keep him in your pocket with bribes or threats of naked pictures on the web. Of him. Or yourself, if you're super-ugly, whatever works.

 

I had to read that 4 times....and I am still not sure who Daisy is!

 

Heh, it's an expression from some old movie that I picked up from some old person. Can't remember which of either.

STICK

 

So what you wanna know is whether you can safely take off the snap ring so it is easier, to remove next time?

 

That's a good question - can it? Once I figured out how to work with the snap-ring, it seems that it's not too much of a hassle. I wouldn't take it off because of the extra step with the pry-bar. Do you recommend doing so? Any adverse effects?

STICK