SharkSkin

On a 30 year-old car, you have to go look though... the halfshafts could have been replaced with used from any MY donor car.

axis of evil

Thanks,seems my '82MY has the update.

atb

Well, got this job done. No suprise that yes the axle had to come all the way out.
Ordered boot kits from the OB, and of course, they were the wrong size. Too small. I'm assuming that someone must have replaced the stockers with later model CV's. So, ordered up a set for the "S" and they fit (relatively) fine.

As far as loading the bearings after taking the CV apart and cleaning, it seems to work best if you hold reassemble the joint without the bearings and then hold it in the palm of your hand. Use your fingers to tilt the inner cage to expose the bearing opening and drop the bearings in. If you drop in your first bearing, skip a hole, drop in another, skip a hole, etc., they assemble will hold itself together while your continue to load the bearings. The top pick shows the bearing placement when you are half way through, the bottom pic shows the technique of exposing the openings in the bearing cage to be able to drop in the bearings. Afterward, pack them with the grease that comes with the kit.

Also, important to note as mentioned as Sharkskin's website that in order to be able to reload the bearings, the wide bearing spacing portion of the inner "spider" needs to line up with the narrow bearing spacing on the outer rim portion of the joint, and visa versa, or in other words, the paired channels for the bearings in the inner race needs to be offset from the paired channels machined into the outer race.

Dean_Fuller

I've also heard its a good idea to swap sides with the half shafts when you reassemble. I just did mine a few weeks ago and I swear It felt tighter. This allows any wear to be in the reverse direction now.

Bazinga!....I see GlenL already suggested this.

DR

That's because the outer flanged halfshaft ended in 81, 82-up had the "update" from the factory. :-)

85 shaft difference were due to ring gear changes for ABS.

Landseer

Then another ring gear change late 86.

jpitman2

My 83 S has the one piece outer joint/drive shaft....
jp 83 Euro S AT 52k

IcemanG17

The lemons racer (84) also has the 1 piece axles...

My advice.....is buy an already rebuilt axle assembly....they are cheap at $250 and FAR less messy....with the exposed grease on the early axles....it would be especially messy changing....

John Speake

WSM Page 42-23 states the change of drive shaft was made from MY 83 onwards. It also shows the difference between the older style boot and the newer one....