Seem to be stuck - EA81 halfshaft R&R (long)

[HudsonJoe]

I can't seem to get things back together after replacing the front right bearings on my '83 Brat. Back story: A few months ago I replaced the half shaft since I had a torn boot and a really bad clunking on turns. I put new brake pads on at the same time. I'd done this job before and had it go smoothly, but this last time it just didn't seem to be together correctly when I re-attached the caliper. And doing it from memory (i.e. too lazy to open the FSM right there on my shelf), I forgot about turning the piston as it's pressed back into the caliper -doh!. But the car is only used for a 2-mile commute, and I figured I'd look at it again over the holidays when I had more time and would already have it up on jackstands to replace the rear brake shoes.

 

So a couple weeks ago I took the whole knuckle off so that I could use my shop press to install the new bearings (Having done lots of searching and reading, I now know that's not necessary. I probably could've just cleaned and re-greased the outer, but the inner was shot.). It was clear that somehow I'd bungled the half-shaft/pad replacement, since the pads had just been skating on the rotor surface. I'd already ordered a loaded caliper pair since it was only $20 more than the caliper rebuild kit at Autozone and much less work.

 

So now I've been trying to put it all back together, and am stuck. Can't get the strut into the socket if I've got the ball joint attached, and vice versa. Removed the control arm at the other end in order to get everything back together, but then couldn't bring the control arm far enough inboard to get the bolt through. It's like the knuckle is about a quarter inch proud of where it should be, yet the outboard C/V joint of the half-shaft is drawn up to w/in a few mm's of the inside of the knuckle. I'm confident that I got the bearings fully pressed in, since I used the press and did a visual check. I'm also confident that I've got the axle fully through the bearings, as I torqued it to 150 ft-lbs with the rotor/hub on and then took the impact wrench to it afterward, set at 100psi in a fit of frustration. That got maybe another eigth of a turn out of it.

 

So, sorry for the extra-long post, but is there something obvious I'm missing? A trick I've missed? I'm beginning to wonder if the replacement half-shaft is not to spec (too long). I stumbled upon a thread discussing that a few days ago but now I can't seem to find it again. I'd be grateful for any help/ideas.

- Joe

[mountaingoatgruff]

when i do front axles i always remove the ball joint pinch bolt and pry the ball joint down out of the knuckle to get things opened up. there is definitely no need (under normal circumstances) to have to unbolt the control arm.

 

recheck the part numbers. shouldn't be mixed up since your Brat is an '83 but are you sure its not an EA82 cv axle?

[GeneralDisorder]

They gave you an EA82 axle. Order one for an '84 GL wagon.

 

GD

[HudsonJoe]

Wow, if I'd have known it was possible that I'd been sold the wrong part, I'd have stopped alot earlier and skipped much of the head scratching and swearing. So asking for one to fit a '84 GL wagon is the sure way of getting the right one, eh? Is that a known issue w/ Autozone's parts listing? Thanks very much for the info - I'll pay them a visit tomorrow after work. Appreciatively,

- Joe

 

They gave you an EA82 axle. Order one for an '84 GL wagon.

 

GD

[GeneralDisorder]

Well - they get boxed wrong sometimes, and then there's the problem of having both types used in different models durring the same years. 1985 to 1989 saw both bodies (EA81 and EA82) in production so parts listings are very often wrong for those years. '84 was the last year of EA81 full line production so if you ask for an '84 wagon axle they should only list the one you need - eliminating potential confusion.

 

Unfortunately - as you found out - they are interchangable except for the inner wheel bearing seal ID and the length of the shaft. This happens to people all the time.

 

GD

[Gloyale]

when i do front axles i always remove the ball joint pinch bolt and pry the ball joint down out of the knuckle to get things opened up. there is definitely no need (under normal circumstances) to have to unbolt the control arm.

 

First time you have a casting crack at that pinch you will rethink your axle method.

 

I've seen 2 broken knuckles now from too many Pinch then Pry operations on those knuckles.

 

 

I've done axles everyway they can be done.....and argued against removeing the pivot bolt myself......until I learned better.

 

Easiest way BY FAR, is to unbolt the one inner pivot bolt in the control arm, and the one bolt that holds the swaybar clamp. It really is the easiest and quickest way. And you don't disturb either of the "clamp" parts of the brittle, cast knuckle.

[GeneralDisorder]

I use the control arm pivot as well - works good for the EA's. EJ's are another story.

 

I can see how it would be a pain in the rust belt to use the pivot bolt - that's probably a rusty mess on most of them. But so is the ball joint area. It's a toss up on cars like that - you go with whatever looks like it will come off with less of a fight. Even out here I've run across a control arm pivot bolt that was impossible to remove. I had to cut it with a die grinder and the control arm was pretty much a loss. Car probably spent some time on the coast or in the rust belt by the looks of it.

 

If there's no rust - hands down the control arm/sway bar link is the best approach. If there's rust then you have to choose what's going to be easier, and if they all look equally bad then choose the one that application of the blue wrench will cause the least damage to - probably the pinch bolt on the ball joint since the ball joint itself can be replaced cheaply.

 

GD