So I'm finishing my 2.4LR build and I realized my drivers front axel was just spinning and not hitting the splines. I removed it and found the center shaft was way to long on that side, so long that it actually punched a hole in the back of the inner axle joint and the splines slid past each-other and is just spinning. I cant seem to get the center shaft to move in any more and it is engaged into the trans (spinning when you move any of the other wheels). I know I'll need a new half shaft, but anyone have any idea what has happened or how to fix this? Also I can't seem to remove the center shaft, any tricks?

Here is a pic of the long drivers side center shaft, a total of 60mm sticking out past the trans casing, whereas there is only 36mm of total splines. The drivers side only has 34mm stick out of it.


Here is a pic of the hole the center shaft punched into the inner joint...


And here is what the passenger side looks like (how the drivers should)....


Any help would be greatly appreciated guys, thanks in advance

 

Nobody has any insight here?

 

Mine took a couple of tries to get it to seat all the way in. Once it does you'll hear it click. How'd you get it out for the build?

To remove that output shaft you can thread an M8x1.25 bolt over a chain into it and tug on the chain (ghetto)
Or go get a cheap dent puller... find a nut that will thread onto it, weld three nuts together and the M8x1.25 bolt on the end.

 

It pretty much came right out before, I pulled my engine and trans last April and just got side tracked with other projects arounds the house (my other half calls those "priorities" lol) so it's been a while. I had one hell of a time getting the transfercase back on too for some reason. The shaft use to slide back in forth kinda if my memory serves me right, now the thing is almost stuck out like that.
I have a few slide hammers and will make your "special tool" tonight and give it a try. Thanks, any other thoughts?

 

yeah i know how that is.. my build's been going on for about a year now. but make sure you thread that bolt into the shaft far enough, a few pulls to get it out, and look at the splines to check for damage. It's probably just a matter of lining it up right. Like I said, I had to pull mine back out and try again to seat it all the way in.

As far as the t-case its usually hit or miss for me. sometimes they go on nice and easy flush to the trans, and sometimes it takes some wiggling and turning of the shaft and playing with to get it on.

 

In the first picture, it looks like the shaft was installed backwards. I've done 3 clutch jobs and 2 tc swaps and always installed the shafts with the bearing surface facing outwards on both sides. Never had a problem.