Front drive axle shaft clip

[Mike McKown]

Let's see if I have this figured right. The axle shaft slides through the inner CV joint and a clip on the end of the axle spreads open and locks the axle shaft to the CV joint Is this correct?

I pulled a hub off the other day and the axle shaft tried to come with it. It moves in/out on the transmission end. Feels like just the inner boot is holding it. Does that mean the axle clip is missing/broken? The axle won't lock in place when you shove in on it.

I'm a little confused. I pulled the axle shaft out of another car. The shaft, inner boot and inner joint all came out in my hand. This isn't supposed to happen, is it?

[jglutz]

Hmmmmmm. I'm a little confused by you description but may be this will help.

From the tranny to the boot. The tranny end of the drive shaft is splined.
under the boot is the first part of the CV joint.
Then the other half of the CV joint has a splined shaft that drives the wheel.

Under the boot the two halves of the CV joint are held together by a sping clip. Once the boot is removed and the majority of the grease is also removed...the clip will be apparent.

ALSO...FOR EVERYONE...when the axle is pulled out of the tranny....you will notice a little circular clip in the spline that provides retention of the shaft after installed. If you ever remove this clip and re-install it...use extreme caution not to over strech it. If it has been over streched and then re-installed...it will over expand inside the tranny and might not recompress again if the axle needs to be removed.

[Mike McKown]

Joe:

I'll see if I can post a picture. The Haynes doesn't really show what I'm trying to describe and searching the archives hasn't answered my question either. I'm sure this is simple.

[Mike McKown]

here's a picture

Okay, let's try this again.

Here is a picture(s) of an axle shaft with what's called a "tripod" inner CV joint. Looks like it is held on the end of the axle shaft with a clip on the end of the splined axle. This is what came out in my hand on ANOTHER car I have for parts. Not the car in question.

On THE CAR I'm WORKING on, when I pulled the spindle off the axle shaft, the axle tried to come out of the transaxle with it. It will just slide in/out of the transaxle freely. It doesn't catch or lock in the transaxle. After reading of the problems of getting some axles out, I assumed the axles were supposed to be held in by some kind of clip.

I haven't taken the inside boot off. Don't know if there's a need to. I now see the Haynes also shows two different kinds of inner CV's. Don't know which type I have.

I had the car back together and driving with the right side axle in the condition I described. It ran fine but there was a rattle coming from the right side going over bumps.

Using my pic(s) as a reference or what I've described here, do I have a problem with the axle slipping in/out or not? Why can't I lock it inboard to the transaxle or does it need to be? Where is this "clip" that everyone refers to?

[FB71]

The circlip in question belongs on the stub shaft end of the Tulip or Tripod joint, that plugs into the transaxle housing. It retains the stub shaft in the differential side gear. In most vehicles, the only thing holding the Tripod or Tulip joint together (while out of the vehicle) is the boot. One the axle is installed, its travel is limited, and the Tulip joint cannot come apart.

[Mike McKown]

So my picture doesn't show the clip that retains the axle in the transmission? There must be a short shaft still in the transmission that the end of my axle plugs into? That short shaft must have a clip on it to hold it in?

My situation as described above is entirely normal ?

The circlip in question belongs on the stub shaft end of the Tulip or Tripod joint, that plugs into the transaxle housing. It retains the stub shaft in the differential side gear. In most vehicles, the only thing holding the Tripod or Tulip joint together (while out of the vehicle) is the boot. One the axle is installed, its travel is limited, and the Tulip joint cannot come apart.

[Festy46]

So my picture doesn't show the clip that retains the axle in the transmission?

That's correct.

There must be a short shaft still in the transmission that the end of my axle plugs into?

That is correct also.

That short shaft must have a clip on it to hold it in?

That's right. That short shaft you are referring to is actually part of the cv axle assembly. You have dismantled the cv axle assembly by pulling it apart at the boot. Both boots should stay in place and you remove the complete axle as an assembly. That means you take the nut off the outside of the hub and pull the splined end out of the hub. Then take a pry bar between the transmission and the big outside part of the cv joint (that you took apart) and pry it out of the transmission. It's not going to want to come out easily. That's where the clip is located and it's job is to keep the shaft IN the transmission under normal operating conditions.

My situation as described above is entirely normal?

I think you may be getting confused with the different "clip" locations. The part that is still in your transmission has a circlip in a notch on the end of the splined shaft keeping it in the transmission. The shaft with the tripod bearing has a snap ring holding it on the shaft. When the cv shaft is completely assembled, the 2 splined ends can be pulled in and out a short distance. This is necessary for driving through potholes and steering.

[jglutz]

Mike....are all of your questions answered?

FB71 and Festy46 nailed it....I skipped the boot at the transmission because they normally don't come apart like yours did.

[Mike McKown]

Yes. I've got it now Joe. I didn't know there was a short stub axle in the the transmission. When I saw the clip on the end of the shaft I pictured, just inboard of the "tripod", I thought this was the clip everyone has trouble with. I guess the answer I'd gotten up to that point assumed I knew more about what was in there than what I really knew.

I knew it had to be simple but I'd never seen a blowup of all the parts involved.

Thanks for the off-line coaching from FB and Joe and Festy46.

Mike....are all of your questions answered?

FB71 and Festy46 nailed it....I skipped the boot at the transmission because they normally don't come apart like yours did.