Mueller944s2

I really hate this car right now. Anyway, Axle rotated off the tranny hub again on friday night. Pushed the stupid thing home and crawled under it saturday morning. I thought I was just gonna have to bolt it back on until I saw that three of the bolts were bent. After trying to saw them off from under the car, I realized it wasn't gonna work, so I pulled the axle out. Once I sawed them off they still wouldn't come out, so we began to drill. Of course, metal shavings got everywhere. Fortunately they didn't get down in the joints so all I had to do was clean the surface...that was about when I found out that there was only 1 ball bearing left in there. They all fell out on the road somewhere. I remembered I had a damaged axle that I took off over the summer so I was gonna get the ***** from that one. Got everything cleaned up and ready to put back together and found out the ball bearings were different sizes because the new axle was aftermarket from 944online. I thought I could use the whole CV from the old axle but that wouldn't fit on the splines either. So I went to rebuild the old axle and remembered that it had a ripped boot. And of course, the boots on the two axles were different and the 911 boot we had was too small. Bought a universal one and cut it to size, packed the joints with grease and got ready to install it. After wrestling with it for a while I realized I forgot the snap rings. Pulled it back out, got those in, and tried to put it in again....but it won't fit. The axle shaft seems too long. I jacked up on the trailing arm and that gave me a little more clearance, so I only had half an inch to go. I used a giant screwdriver to push the transmission over and it still won't go in. Is there something obvious that I'm doing wrong or I should check? I've never had this problem with an axle before.

phlfly

So I guess you or someone else did re-use old bolt on CV joints, after it was repaired first time.

Mueller944s2

Nope, new bolts. I think the problem must have been grease in the threads. If this stupid thing ever goes back in, blue locktite will be used

DSMblue

Not sure about why axle isn't fitting correctly, but it certainly helps to use new bolts, and ensure they are torqued to spec, along with having the locking plates in place (3 each inside and outside per axle half). Do you have any pictures to share?

Mueller944s2

Here's the bent bolts. For some reason the rest of the pics won't upload. But I can't figure out why it won't go back in. I can get the wheel side in but it seems the transmission side is too long to get on the hub, if that makes any sense

MAGK944

Threads immaculately clean, new bolts and torqued to spec = they will never loosen. No need for locktite.

DerekCanuck

Looks like you are missing the half moon plates too. If you do not assemble the CV correctly it will not move properly, likely why you are having trouble. You can assemble the CV incorrectly where your inner piece and the outer are off by 1/6th of a turn or so. Kind of hard to explain but looking at the CV from the end it should look like a small knuckle in a big hole rather than big knuckle big hole, if my memory serves me correct..

Mueller944s2

This might be my problem. I didn't know there was a wrong way to assemble it. The CV literally isn't moving. I'm not sure what I could've done wrong though

pkt1213

http://garage.ideola.com/prod-SuspensionUpgrades.html

Locking CV bolts. You can also take the new ones and drill a hole in the head and then safety wire them.

KevinGross

Agree with mack944. Also very important to torque them in a crossing pattern - think of the star pattern used to torque lug bolts. Start at 12 o'clock, then six, then two, eight, etc.

Kevin
Catellus Engineering

turbodave

Just by looking at the 3 retaining bolts that are shown above, I would recommend inspecting the flange on the gearbox very closely. When a halfshaft fails in this manner it usually takes out the starter threads in the flange on the remaining bolts. Also check the flange for obvious impact marks and for any imperfections of the inner flange and the face of the CV joint(out of round, scoring ect). These are machined surfaces that depend on exact surfaces and proper torque to maintain integrity. The installation of the steel backing plates ("half moon plates") are absolutely necessary to carry this torque evenly and should never be omitted from the assy. You really got off lucky here if that's all the damage that was done and I'm really glad I wasn't the guy behind you when it let go!

Lemming

Since adding a simple star washer to each bolt and torquing correctly, I have not had any issues with the bolts backing out. I also buy my bolts from McMaster Car (allen head) for far less than you'll pay for cheeseheads.

Mueller944s2

Actually, like before, it gave out while stopped. This time as soon as I pulled up my neighborhood gate, I punched the code, then "snap!" They were all torqued in a star pattern, although one of the axles is missing those half moon plates, can't remember which one though. The threads on the hub are good, one was a little difficult but I lightly threaded a bolt through and it seems fine now. I'll half to check those half moons again. I'm not sure how those ball bearings could even come out. But it also wasn't a Porsche part. The CV face is good because I'm using another axle that I have. Any idea why the axle isn't fitting in?

DerekCanuck

When you hold the axle in your hands assembled can you move the CV joint in and out? Or does it lock up?

87 944 C

1) it's a car, use some muscle and force the inner hub into the trans, push(like compress) the cv joints(do not pull them). if need be pry on the wheel hub to give just a little more space, disconnecting the shock will help to, allowing the trailing arm to swing a little more.

2) if something is on the car, in a vital spot, put it back on, half moons your missing, won't allow right torqueing(is that a word?). not saying you didn't put those back in

3) I had the same thing happen, sitting at a traffic light no issue, the minute some torque got to the rear it snapped. difference is I wasn't as fortunate, mine didn't bend, 3 bolts backed out the other 3 snapper. so I put the axle back on using the 3 good bolts and limped home and to a shop the next day. drilled out and threaded the holes and installed 12 new bolts and 2 new rear axles(Just in case)

once you have the bent ends cut off the other half of the bolt should slide out of the hub.