Axles too long?

[hancho3]

I have been fighting with my 81 brat all day today, I can't seem to get it back together. I think the axles may be too long. I removed the control arm to frame mounting bolt and got it all together but when it came time to re-attch the control arm it was about an inch away and it would not budge. Please help me, I have to get this thing goin for work on monday, I didn't think to compare the old axles before i returned them as cores. they looked the same but I didn't measure. Well im gonna go back out there and get dirty some more, maybe ill have a revelation of some sort.

 

-the helpless noob

[Caboobaroo]

have you made sure the axle is pulled all the way through the hub? I know for a fact you can put EA81 axles into a gen 1 ('81 is still a gen 1 Brat). I had a set of EA81 front axles in my '79 4wd wagon.

[hancho3]

So I hit the books and noticed that the diagram for the suspension on my '81 brat says 75-79 models, and I checked the part numbers on that year range and it came up with a different shaft, I currently have mevotech axles part no. CV8004 and I am thinking maybe I need CV 8008 which is the part number listed for 78-79 models, the think is I can't get the CV8008 and the cross reference shows the same cardone number for both of those mevotech numbers the cardone number is 60-7015. I think im in over my head, the cores are long gone been shipped back to my stores supplier, so there is no comparing . kinda odd that the cardone number is supposed to fit both numbers from mevotech

[hancho3]

have you made sure the axle is pulled all the way through the hub? I know for a fact you can put EA81 axles into a gen 1 ('81 is still a gen 1 Brat). I had a set of EA81 front axles in my '79 4wd wagon.

 

 

Well the '81 brat has gen 1 body with ea81 and 4spd D/R Tranny, the axle looked like it was all the way thru the hub, the lip on the axle goes all the way into the inner seal

[jonas]

i measured the axle on my '81 brat and it is 7.5 inches from boot to boot. not including the actual boots in the measurement, just the exposed metal part of the axle between the boots. hope that helps.

*edit* didn't feel like pulling axle to measure the entire thing!

[Caboobaroo]

Then any EA81 or EA71 (gen 1) axle will work for it. You can put an EA81 axle into a gen 1 but not the other way around. The EA81 axle is about 3/4" longer then a gen 1 axle but they work.

[hancho3]

hmmm, well im stumped. Here is what i know:

 

The BRAT is a Gen 1

The BRAT has a EA81

The Brat has the front suspension found in 75-79 models

The Axle that is Listed for the '81 BRAT is CV8004 which is a Gen2/EA81 Axle

The Axle for 78-79 BRAT is a CV8008

 

I can not for the life of me get everything together with the EA81 Axles, I have tried every order of reassembely possible, i think. So my conclusion is that I have to wait for the Parts store to get the shorter axles. D'oh!, D'oh! indeed.

 

-helpless in Olympia

[Caboobaroo]

here's a thing for you to try if you haven't already. Unbolt the strut from the knuckle and reconnect your control arm. Then see about reconnecting the strut to the knuckle.

 

Also, are you sure that the axle is all the way on the tranny? Sorry if it might sound like a dumb idea but I'm just trying to through possibilities out there for you.

[tcspeer]

I think you have a good idea, that was what I was going to suggest but you beat me to it.

here's a thing for you to try if you haven't already. Unbolt the strut from the knuckle and reconnect your control arm. Then see about reconnecting the strut to the knuckle.

 

Also, are you sure that the axle is all the way on the tranny? Sorry if it might sound like a dumb idea but I'm just trying to through possibilities out there for you.

[hancho3]

here's a thing for you to try if you haven't already. Unbolt the strut from the knuckle and reconnect your control arm. Then see about reconnecting the strut to the knuckle.

 

Also, are you sure that the axle is all the way on the tranny? Sorry if it might sound like a dumb idea but I'm just trying to through possibilities out there for you.

 

Yeah I already tried that, the axle would be all the way in if the pin is in it right?

 

im getting pretty convinced that they are too long I have checked out several manufacturers online catalogs and they are all different.

 

The parts store I got the axles from ordered another axle from a different company but the number covers 78-87. My cores are long gone or I would just go to schmucks and get the right ones cause they get a different brand that has different axles for different years.

 

The moral to this story is don't do what i did, and not place the axles side by side for a comparison. what a bummer

[Caboobaroo]

Yeah I already tried that, the axle would be all the way in if the pin is in it right?

 

im getting pretty convinced that they are too long I have checked out several manufacturers online catalogs and they are all different.

 

The parts store I got the axles from ordered another axle from a different company but the number covers 78-87. My cores are long gone or I would just go to schmucks and get the right ones cause they get a different brand that has different axles for different years.

 

The moral to this story is don't do what i did, and not place the axles side by side for a comparison. what a bummer

 

sounds like if the range covers '78-'87, its probable that they gave you EA82 axles instead. I've had that happen before as well so don't feel so bad. If you can get a couple CV stubs, put the fornt end back together with those and run in RWD, won't hurt it at all.