Im planning on going to Oregon on Monday, the past few days my 4Runner just keeps giving me new problems... Finally got my window regulator fixed (many thanks to tacobell) this morning and guess whats next? I noticed my truck was tilting to the side.

Problem: Front axle shaft (driver side) has slipped out an inch and was dripping diff. fluid(leaking between the axle shaft and CV axle) :pat: , after I jacked the axle shaft up, the whole truck bounced up, and was leveled.

First attempt: I have a extra CV axle waiting to be replaced (both inner cv boots on both cv axles are torn). Took the hub apart this afternoon and all the bolts that need to remove the CV axle as well. CANT get axle off (it slides now)! I've jacked up the a-arms so the cv is leveled but still no good (a few more mm. and it would be off!). Read a few threads, many different ways, didnt work for me (I havent tried to take the ball joint apart...)

Guys, help!! need quick temp fix that will last around 1400 miles! I have manual hubs so my front end wont be moving, but Im not sure if the axle shaft will slip out again or not!

Thanks!!

 

This might be a little late for you, but try extending the suspension as much as possible. Be sure to disconnect the sway bar too. If that doesn't work then take off the ball joint.

 

No Steve, it wasnt too late, I gave up last night and tried again this morning, after an hour it finally came out, but theres a little problem, it didnt come out in one piece!...

Now I cant put the new part in... :cry: I think the main problem is from the differential drop, its in the way!! I took the old axle out from the shock position, there was no way it would "slide" out from underneath like the hanes manuel says...

Any tips on how to put the new part in?!

 

It sounds like you're going to have to remove the ball joint. I watched Thai (from the pismo trip) change out mine and he extended the suspension as much as possible and the CV axle still had to be manuevered around to get it to slip out the bottom.

 

As in both top and bottom?! This is gonna be fun... I've just taken the bottom bolts out, still no good, I was thinking I might have to take the whole thing off... ok... wish me luck....

Thanks Steve!

 

Well, I guess I wont be going to Oregon this week, the upper ball joint bolts broke off on me, two in a row, my 4Runner just really doesnt want to go that far I guess... Thanks guys!

 

I just replaced mine. It was easy to slip the drive shaft out when I finally realized that I needed to jack up the suspension until the lower arm was parallel to the ground... of course that was two hours into the project when I got the epiphany...driveshaft removal and replacement would have been no more than an hour otherwise... hope this helps.

 

While you've got the axles out do the stud to bolt mod that is on offroad.com or 4x4wire.com (can't remember which its on). All you do is while you have it apart, take the solid shafts out of the IFS diff (is just takes a hammer and prybar). To press the studs out of the axle, use a 17mm deep socket and a bench vice or press (you could probably get by with c-clamps if you can get enought pressure of it). Put the head of the stud in the socket and get it all sandwiched in there and start pressing on the stud and it should pop out into the socket. Just go to Lowe's or somewhere and get 12 bolts, nuts, and lockwashers to replace the studs. This will save you a lot of headache if you ever have to take all the crap apart again. I did this when I regeared my ring and pinion and it made it sooo much easier to put back together. This will keep you from having to mess with all that A-arm stuff.

 

Thanks guys!! Sorry I didnt update my progress, I got the new axle in with the help from Brad(tacobell) and Chris who works at Toyota here, we took the lower ball joint bolts, shock and sway bar off, after lots of pulling and pushing we got the good axle in.
Because of the differential drop I couldnt "slide" the axles in and out like the Haynes repair manuel says.
I didnt get to wack out the studs and replace them with bolts, I tried to wack one out when I was getting the old one out, but it didnt move a bit, maybe next time...

Thanks again!!