Half shaft help?????? Oh god please!

[MudisFun]

I went to replace the halfshafts on a 4wd Manual 91 Loyale for a friend. Here are the steps I took until I could take no more. 1. Lifted left front end and removed tire 2. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from halfshaft, also knocked the the inner spring pin to create 'play' 3. Removed brake caliper & housing, rotor and hung them up 4. Removed tie rod from steering knuckle, used a pickle 5. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from lower arm 6. Removed the two upper strut bolts, one pinch and housing connector, this did not cause the knuckle (spindle housing) to be released because the wrap of the strut and the knuckle are one piece; I have never seen this before 7. Removed the lower arm pinch bolt 8. Loosened the lower joint but was not able to remove assembly because the tension on both the lower arm and the spring 9. Read a shop manual 10. Scratched my head.

 

 

So this is where I am at. I have never dealt with a one piece knuckle-housing; before, it was not an issue of forcing the knuckle down three inches, with is impossible due to the tension of the lower arm, to dislocate the strut and remove the halfshaft. I got down to the point that I thought of braking out my spring compressors. Well it happened, and still not enough room to lift that damn strut out of the knuckle. The only part of disassembly that does not make sense is was stage 6 (lower arm pinch bolt). after putting the thing back together and looking at the manual again I realized that poping the lower joint was never called for. I don't think it could be possible but I'm stuck, will the joint stay in the lower arm if I do not remove the castle nut from the stud? That would mean the a 'housing' would come out of the lower knuckle? I need some help:banghead:

[Ross]

I'm not sure i understand what you are saying completely, but:

 

The lower ball joint is removed from the knuckle, not the arm: just undo the clamp bolt and pry it out.

 

To remove the knuckle from the strut, you can swing teh whole knuckle/ strut assy. foraward or back slightly, so as to clear the control arm. Some prying will be necissary, and it can be a prick the first time you do it. If having probs, pry the knuckle aapart around the strut with a flathead screwdriver.

[NorthWet]

OK, not sure what you mean by one-piece knuckle/housing, but it does come apart at the upper pinch-bolt after removing the 2 bolts. Might have to wedge something into the pinch gap and GENTLY pry open. To remove the lower ball from the knuckle you just need to do the same as at the upper pinch-bolt. You don't need to mess with the balljoint's castlenut unless you are replacing the balljoint.

 

If I recall correctly, to get the wiggle room you can take the knuckle loose at either pinch bolt. Alternately, you can pull the control arm pivot bolt.

 

As far as not getting enough room to get the strut or balljoint out of the knuckle, you can loosen the bolts on the brake reaction rod (rod bolted to control arm with 2 bolts, heads back to 2 rubber mount donuts). Even loosening these bolts can give you enough room. Then, press control arm downward with hand or a spare foot, and out it should come.

 

I can't remember if I've ever pulled just the control arm pivot bolt to do this, but that might be easier unless your aim is to remove the knuckle from the car.

[Ratty2Austin]

easiest way to do this...

 

tools needed :

 

lugwrench (19mm)

breaker bar and 36mm socket

pliers or something to remove cotter pin from the 36mm axle nut

(2) 14mm wrenches

(2) 12mm wrenches

3/16" punch tool (for the axle DOJ roll pin)

prybar

BFHammer (peferable to have a soft ended one to not damage the core axle)

 

step 1. set parking brake and remove cotter pin and break loose that big 36mm nut on the axle

 

step 2 raise car and remove wheel and nut with the washers (pay attention to which way the conical washer was removed it is dish shaped ever so slightly and it can undo-itself if installed wrong)

 

step 3. remove axle pin from the DOJ using an reasonable hammer tool and the 3/16" punch.. (you may need to release the parking brake to get the pin to line up where you can hit it with the hammer, then set it again)

 

 

step 4. remove bolt that holds lower A arm to the cross member (14mm both sides-a bolt and nut)

step 4.1 if needed, remove one link bolt to the sway bar (12mm bolt+nut) to release the arm (so you can pull the whole thing away form the tranny)

 

step 5. pull arm assebly away from tranny, the DOJ should slide right off of the tranny, let it flop down and then whack the end of the axle and hammer it thru the bearings and hub... it should slide thru and pop out the other side... (this usually needs a lot of whacking force to get old axles thru the bearings...)

 

step 6. once axle is out... pop the new one in its place in reverse order of these instructions...

 

the hard part- when sliding the new axle in, it will be hard to get the part into the bearings- there are special tools made for this.. but you can "simulate" these special tools using some metal spacers- use the axle nut and old bearings or similar shaped things to pull the axle thru the hub assemblyif it is a lot of trouble, you may need to pull the brake disc off and stuff, but it should go in.

 

good luck!

 

(btw, I can do on-site work for a small fee )

 

just for the record... I have done many axles.. my record time for one is about 15 minuts start to finish without power tools!

[edrach]

Gee, I wish you had posted first before attempting that job. I think there's a description of mine somewhere on the Board for doing this more easily (what you don't take apart, you don't have to put back together). However, Austin's description is right on. Hopefully, you can get this squared away; I'd take Austin up on his offer to help for a fee (he's more than reasonable).

I went to replace the halfshafts on a 4wd Manual 91 Loyale for a friend. Here are the steps I took until I could take no more. 1. Lifted left front end and removed tire 2. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from halfshaft, also knocked the the inner spring pin to create 'play' 3. Removed brake caliper & housing, rotor and hung them up 4. Removed tie rod from steering knuckle, used a pickle 5. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from lower arm 6. Removed the two upper strut bolts, one pinch and housing connector, this did not cause the knuckle (spindle housing) to be released because the wrap of the strut and the knuckle are one piece; I have never seen this before 7. Removed the lower arm pinch bolt 8. Loosened the lower joint but was not able to remove assembly because the tension on both the lower arm and the spring 9. Read a shop manual 10. Scratched my head.

 

 

So this is where I am at. I have never dealt with a one piece knuckle-housing; before, it was not an issue of forcing the knuckle down three inches, with is impossible due to the tension of the lower arm, to dislocate the strut and remove the halfshaft. I got down to the point that I thought of braking out my spring compressors. Well it happened, and still not enough room to lift that damn strut out of the knuckle. The only part of disassembly that does not make sense is was stage 6 (lower arm pinch bolt). after putting the thing back together and looking at the manual again I realized that poping the lower joint was never called for. I don't think it could be possible but I'm stuck, will the joint stay in the lower arm if I do not remove the castle nut from the stud? That would mean the a 'housing' would come out of the lower knuckle? I need some help:banghead:

[idosubaru]

i've never touched a loyale, but sounds like more work than necessary.

 

on an AWD XT6 all i do is remove the 2 bolts that connect the struts to the hub, loosen the top strut mounting bolts/nuts and the axle will come out. press down on the hub and wiggle the strut and the hub/control arm drop down with the axle. push the axle through and wiggle it out and you just pulled the axle by removing 3 bolts (axle bolt and 2 strut bolts) and looseing the top 3 strut bolts. hardest part of the process is getting the axle out and the new one in through the maze of brake hoses and parts that i didn't disconnect, but it comes out if you find the right path (but that's not very hard). i don't touch control arms, ball joints, brake calipers, rotors, tie rods, nothing. and like he said, i can be done in no time. this is all for an XT6 of though.

[northguy]

I went to replace the halfshafts on a 4wd Manual 91 Loyale for a friend. Here are the steps I took until I could take no more. 1. Lifted left front end and removed tire 2. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from halfshaft, also knocked the the inner spring pin to create 'play' 3. Removed brake caliper & housing, rotor and hung them up 4. Removed tie rod from steering knuckle, used a pickle 5. Removed cotter pin and castle nut from lower arm 6. Removed the two upper strut bolts, one pinch and housing connector, this did not cause the knuckle (spindle housing) to be released because the wrap of the strut and the knuckle are one piece; I have never seen this before 7. Removed the lower arm pinch bolt 8. Loosened the lower joint but was not able to remove assembly because the tension on both the lower arm and the spring 9. Read a shop manual 10. Scratched my head.

 

 

So this is where I am at. I have never dealt with a one piece knuckle-housing; before, it was not an issue of forcing the knuckle down three inches, with is impossible due to the tension of the lower arm, to dislocate the strut and remove the halfshaft. I got down to the point that I thought of braking out my spring compressors. Well it happened, and still not enough room to lift that damn strut out of the knuckle. The only part of disassembly that does not make sense is was stage 6 (lower arm pinch bolt). after putting the thing back together and looking at the manual again I realized that poping the lower joint was never called for. I don't think it could be possible but I'm stuck, will the joint stay in the lower arm if I do not remove the castle nut from the stud? That would mean the a 'housing' would come out of the lower knuckle? I need some help:banghead:

Look at all of the fun we have when we do favors for friends.

[MudisFun]

thanks for the help!!!! I'll keep you guys updated so everyone gets a pat on the back.