Comments on: Driveshaft / half shaft carnage

By: Ted J

Ted J — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:49:39 +0000

Thanks for the info on removal as above. The manuual I have says removal as same as Manual Transaxle, but the fitting on the diff end is different as I found out. It,s a Gregory Manual and is as useless as #$% on a bull for this repair.
I shall go and look for a slide hammer and a decent prybar before I waste more time.

By: jeffinchrist

jeffinchrist — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:38:36 +0000

Definitely use a slap hammer after cutting off the shaft at the inner boot. The claws will have to grip the outside of the housing, as there is nothing inside to set the teeth of the puller jaws into. Prybars didn’t work for me, and I had to cut off the shaft nut as well. Removing the strut from the steering knuckle was fine (instead of the tie rod, etc.), and I had to loosen the strut at the top to create clearance for the slaphammer.

By: mack

mack — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:13:06 +0000

thanks to all for the postings. i got the job to be done on 96 camry with 110k. you have increased my knowledge a lot. i plan to pay to have job done rather than try it. i have eliminated the dealer but have yet to find a reputible mechanic.

By: parts puller

parts puller — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:20:56 +0000

parts puller…

In my opinion about parts puller, I agree with your post : Standard Mischief ” Driveshaft / half shaft carnage.Good job,Keep walking!…

(Edited to add: I’m shocked and annoyed that you posted a comment just to direct people to your website, just so you could direct people to Amazon, just so you would get a tiny little referrer kickback for buying a slap hammer. And you never even offered to cut me in on the deal! I’ve neutered your URL. Thanks for playing.)

By: milo

milo — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:58:27 +0000

I have had the same problems as other readers but here is a twist. I pulled the axle and it parted at the inner rubber boot. Now I have a thing called a ‘tulip’ staring at me and not much space to get a pry bar under the car as it is only as high as the jack would take it, now on blocks.Anyone have any good ideas of how to get a grip of the ‘tulip’.

By: Standard Mischief » Kroil – the best penetrating oil

Standard Mischief » Kroil – the best penetrating oil — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:14:10 +0000

[...] it’s not a complete step-by-step, the driver’s side half-shaft was covered in my blog here. 2006-01-11 22:24 by Standard Mischief, Filed under:payola free reviews, reassembly is the reverse [...]

By: Standard Mischief

Standard Mischief — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:57:43 +0000

Thanks, Bob.

By: bob

bob — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:24:11 +0000

Another website had the following recommendation:

http://phorums.com.au/archive/index.php/t-199284.html

There’s a secret.
I went through the exact same thing.
You do need a good pry bar. I found one at NAPA that has been very
useful for a variety of other purposes. Cost around $30, one end was
tapered, the main point is that it was very sturdy – solid quality
construction. I also used a pipe as a “cheater bar” extension to gain
an overall length of apx. 18 – 24 inches.
But here is the secret.
The Factory Service Manual tells you to position the open ends of the
circlip at the bottom when installing the new axle.
If you have a replacement axle, look at the installed circlip and
notice how that when the gap is as the top, the solid part of the clip
hangs down slightly at the bottom, whereas when the gap is at the
bottom, the solid part is recessed into the groove near the end of the
axle at the top. That is the position you want the clip prior to
removing the axle.
The problem is that you cannot see the circlip on the installed axle
end inside the differential.
Here’s how it is done.
Push the axle in slightly and rotate it apx. one third turn. Then pry
with enough force to see if it will move, but not such pressure that
you damage the clip.
If not successful, turn the axle another one third turn, push in
attempting to get that clip to drop into position, and pry again.
Then turn and try again.
You want that clip to slip into the proper position.
When you get it right, the axle will slip out relatively easily after
overcoming the initial resistance of the clip.

By: S D

S D — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:32:29 +0000

Most info I have found yet on this subject. Starting with the passenger side shaft on my 1995 Camry has been a ridiculous job, unlike any other shafts I replaced. The outer half came off so using a slide hammer on the axle end obviously won’t work, as several parts stores have suggested. Removed the lock nut and clip, and don’t you know the inner shaft does not pull out of the transaxle by hand as the Haynes manual says it should. A 2 pound hammer with short bar does not budge it nor do the pry bars. Perhaps that outer bearing is seized to the carrier. I will try to locate a slide hammer and give her a yank. Thanks for the posts.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:59:09 +0000

Thank you for posting this. This was the first job I did on my Camry in 1999. Now, in 2009 it needs another half shaft because both boots on that shaft are split. In 1999 my father and I must have spent 2 hours prying on it with curved pry bars and all kinds of crap. We finally managed to pop it out of there with two bars prying and a hammer tapping on a curved tire tool. It was probably a freak event. The people who say that you just pull real hard don’t know this car and don’t know what they are talking about. The first time we heaved on it, we pulled the rubber boot off and both rolled backwards with the rest of the shaft in our hands. Now, in 2009, after breaking off a pry bar in my hand (ouch) I read this post and then started calling the local auto parts shops until I found one that rented tools (pay for the tools then 100% refund upon return). I ended up with a large size 3 knuckled puller that I could get over the ridges on the tulip after I removed that silly metal shield on the top that attaches to the casing. I also got a slide hammer that fit through the middle of the puller hub. Exactly 5 medium hits popped it out. It was beautiful. It was out within 6 minutes of me getting home with those tools. It even came out even though one of the puller tabs slipped off while I was hitting it. The two were sufficient. To put the new one in, I put the 30mm nut on the very end to protect the threads and gave it a about 4 medium jolts with my sledge hammer. I tried a smaller hammer first, but the extra mass seems to work better than a lesser mass at a higher velocity. Don’t want to damage the bearings after all.