CV axle won't go far enough out to get cotter pin in

So I did my right side CV today and it went, not smoothly but it went, and now as I'm trying to finish up my CV isn't far enough out to properly place the castle nut and cotter pin. I could squeeze the cotter pin in if I didn’t use the nut, would that potentially cause problems? I will add pictures.


I'm thinking my outer dust seal isn’t allowing the CV to properly seat against the knuckle. The dust cover came a little warped but I thought it wouldn’t matter and put it on anyway, but then I tried to bend it back out once everything was on, but that didn’t really work. I’d rather not take the knuckle off again as I replaced my lower ball joint too and already torqued down the one time use bolts.

any suggestions?

 

Pics aren’t working.

Did you replace or change anything else?

 

Sorry bout that. Here they are. The CV is (im pretty sure) seated fully against the diff

Nope just CV and LBJ

 

Loos like that dust seal is mangled and there's a gap between the dust seal and cv joint. I wouldnt run that. Seems like an invitation for water intrusion etc. Can order that dust seal and replace it on a stock axle. Been there done that. Shifty has a writeup. But who's the manufacturer of that axle and is it new? If it came bent up then can't it be swapped out for a replacement?

BTW, how much torque did you put on it to pull it through?

 

Its a remanned Napa one.

I don't have a torque wrench that goes to 173 so I got it to 150 and then added a little bit.

 

Can you swap it for one that doesn't have a bent dust ring. Also have you tried the factory axle nut? That one seems to have a base on it?

 

Orielly's, Advance and Auto Zone have tool loaner programs to borrow a larger torque wrench for free (0 net cost). And did you mostly (if not all the way) torque it with the wheel off the ground?

 

One more tip. My Toy remans came with paint and may want to consider adding that if it's just blasted bare metal on the outer joint before the dust seal. Because ... rust. What does the axle shaft and other joint look like? Are they not painted either?

 

Did you stack something under the axle nut? I agree try the factory axle nut. This doesn't look right to me.

 

I could but I'd have to take the spindle off and I'd rather avoid that because I just put in fresh LBJ bolts that are supposedly one time use. IF theres not a quick fix I will do it.

Good idea I'll try the other axle nut. I don't think the old one is an OEM CV though, it looks different.

Would it be possible to just put a thinner spacer before the nut so it sits deeper? As a temporary fix?

 

Does anyone remember how much more of a turn 173 was than 150? I only put another 1/4 turn on it maybe.

 

As long as the retainer and cotter are installed, you shouldn't see much rotation out of it.

Note: If you intend to continue working on these, there are quite a few fasteners that require more than 150ft-lb of tightening on these trucks. You really should consider getting a decent quality split-beam torque wrench. , especially if you have a store coupon. Project Farm tested it and found it to be an overall great unit. I've got a similar Tekton that's worked for me over the years. I suspect the same factory is making both the Tekton and Icon units.

Also note: That HF one I linked **IS** ½" drive. So make sure your larger sockets in general are 1/2" drive. Else get the other one. Although HF also has adapters to step down if you don't have larger sockets. Make sure you get reinforced adapters (i.e. package says "for impact use" or similar)

 

Realized I have 4 extra new bolts for the other side, so I pulled it off and put the old seal on it. It still doesn't leave me enough room.

I made the fatal mistake of losing the old nut and washer. Don't know how I have even the remains of my old cotter pins but the nut is nowhere to be found.

So I'm gonna go to the store grab myself a torque wrench and maybe a smaller washer and then hopefully that'll give it enough. I'm assuming that as long as it is secure and the splines are lined up on both sides that wouldn't cause any problems?

 

See my reply in post 9. That axle nut is a flanged nut and does not use a washer behind it. If you have a spacer or washer behind the axle nut, that is why you can't get the nut down far enough.

 

Yes it came with a washer to put under there so I did. The TRQ video also shows it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJMVeJcANvg @8:02

Mine is just like that. My stupid self lost the original nut so I can't try it. Thats good to know though. Would you say to just run it without the washer then?

 

Well then, parts store parts gonna do parts store stuff then. OEM isn't designed like that. If it's designed like that, give the torque wrench a try first.

 

Without the washer it does fit perfect. I'll run it like that.

Thank you for humoring my dumb questions and leading me to solutions.

 

I guess my big question is, where'd that washer come from? Isn't there one that looks like that sandwiched between the oil seal and the tone ring?

 

Here's a pic of the exploded. Not saying this is it. Just saying, there is one just inside the dust seal for the hub (down arrow), and it looks like if you have non-ABS truck, there's one (side arrow) that gets pressed in the place of the tone ring, but that shouldn't be free floating.

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Guy in the video indeed puts it behind the axle nut, ugga duggas, torques it down, and the castle ring and cotter pin fit in normally.

 

I think I found my problem. I didn't put the inner side CV seal/ washer thing on (1st pic). The new Napa didn't have it, and all the videos I watched everyone just slides the new CV in, no putting stuff on so I thought that was how it was supposed to be.
But looking at the other side it has that seal holding the axle a little off the diff, but on the new side it doesn't. I figured it was just how the napa ones supposed to be but now I'm guessing that's what is missing. Added pictures for that too.

I spent 3 hours struggling to get that CV in the diff because the C clip is stretched so I'd rather not have to do all that over again. Will it be fine without, temporarily, just road driving?? Thoughts?

 

Sorry just saw this. I think I am missing the part to left of that.

 

The c-clip is like $1-2 and is technically supposed to be replaced per FSM. Yes the dust seal should be on the inner cv. But I don't think it will change the distance the CV enters the hub ... the joints expand.

 

Yes true.
If it wont change the hub distance then am I fine to not put it in at all and just leave as is? The rubber seals seem solid.

 

Is it you @455h0le_dachshund or @Mr.bee who ran into this issue recently w/aftermarket? Forgetting to transfer over or something? I forget.

Anyway, I thought that dust shield engaged another gasket to serve a function. But given I haven't had my hands in it yet, I'm not sure.

 

We swapped mine over every time I've done new CV axles

 

The diff seals that the cv axles mate to are double lipped. The inner lip surrounds the OD of the axle shaft (keeping the oil in the diff). The outer lip mates to the the dust shield (protecting against dust/dirt).

 

Thank you guys so much for all your help you're the best.

Update: Pulled it all back off just to find that I DO actually have that inner dust seal, it just wasn't visible. So put it all back on and 4wd seems to working so waste of time but not too bad.

 

Is this guy restoring the titanic? I'm rusted out, but good god.

 

Yeah, had to go through my records after posting that to make sure I'm up to date on my tetanus shot.