front axle removel and rebuild

any one have a link where to remove it the best and rebuild it? idk if its worth rebuilding or just replacing. have to call around for prices yet. mines got a crushed drivers side thrust washer and bearing prob. it's got alot of play where it goes into the diff. gonna start dropping tomarrow. anyone rebuilt one before?

Replace it.

With core return they can be very reasonable and will be far better than anything anyone can do at home.

is it safe to get one not knowing what kind of condition it is inside?

is it safe to get one not knowing what kind of condition it is inside?

It will be new or they can't sell it.

Rebuilt are just like new without the OEM prices.

Friend just redid his and they were easy and work great. The CV joint itself isn't a repair item and you can just swap another in, it will be hard to find the parts.

Once you replace the boots, the grease, the parts and spend hour refurbishing them, you will be far better off to get the aftermarket replacements and get on the road. That way you will have a warranty as well.

i called around junk yards today and they want anywhere from 250-175. i can't even imagine how much a rebuilt must be.

Are you talking about the differential? If you are, they are not that bad to work on, I just took mine apart a couple of weeks ago, as I had it out for the pan gasket leak. I took it apart, cleaned all the internals, checked everything for proper clearence and any play. I ended up replacing the two axle seals, as one was leaking and the other was just as old. After putting it back together, it now has no humming noise when its engaged, its nice and quiet, and engages smoothly now.

You are talking about the axles with the CV joint i them right?

If so, the junkyard is trying to rip you off.

They want to charge you to take them off of the truck probably.

Trust me, phone for new ones and you can get them for close to the same price as the used.

My friend just replaced his on his Toyota 4Runner and their parts are more expensive that any chevy.

thats a good point about the pan gasket. i'll prob change it since i'm there. i know it's leaking or the crank seal is a little. nothing to bad though. no drips. just wet. anyway back to the axle. well the drivers side is the one with all the problems. i can slid it in like 1/8-1/4 of a inch. but i can push it up and down and rock it side to side so i know the bearing on that side is prob crushed. since you've pulled your apart can you pull the drivers side off with out craking open the diff? since thats all i really need 2 do. i know theres a lock ring on the shaft but idk where it sits. on the defeltor or the diff. like, can i pull the 5 bolts that hold the cover on that side off and then i can change the bearing right there. where did you get the parts for the rebuild. the only thing i've found is a ring and pinion rebuild kit which is 115. as for the axle from the junk yard. 225 is for everything. don't know if the includes hubs. and 175 for just the center section. what ever that means. i'd like to fix what i got and maybe if i'm lucky with out dropping it. can i drop just the drivers side? it deffently would be nice.

all thats there is cv joints. mine are fine. although i tore one of the boots the other day. i need the bearings and bushings and axle seals. them kind of things.

Dude, the CV is the axle.

I dont think it can be done with it in the truck. There is so little room there, I would think it would be almost impossible. I purchased the seals in my case, at the dealership. I paid a little under $12 for each. As for the bearings, bushings, racers, you should be able to get them at a good parts store. I can't see those parts being dealer only. I think what they meant 175 for center piece, is just the differential, and not the housing for the passenger side axle. Kind of stupid in my opinion considering that is also required to make it work as a unit. Not only the pan gasket, but now is also a very good time to change the oil line adapter gasket and rubber seal. Its so easy to do it at this point.

Dude, the CV is the axle.

There are inboard axles, within the differential that lead out to the out board axles, the ones you are mentioning.

what i'm talking about is from the flange on one side to the other and the passanger axle tube. not the CV's. i think i might try it though cause i pulled the upper and lower ball joints out which then i swung the entire hub out of the way and pulled the cv axle out. i then had full access to the drivers side of the diff. i could pull the 5 bolts out of the plate but what i wanted to know is if thats all that holds the drivers side short axle.

no progress today due to getting home late. anymore info on if that side can be pulled off. also what holds all the bearings and stuff in on that side. i got the book but i can't really see nothing as far as what holds it in inside the diff.

I know the passenger side inner axle can be pulled right out while the front diff is in the truck, but i don't think it can be done on the driver side. I am not positive on this as I don't remember with that type of differential. The '98 and up the outboard axles go right in to the differential, they don't bolt up like the earlier ones. But on the other hand, it would be difficult to change the seal on the driver side if you can't get the driver side inner axle out.

Either way, once you get in there, the bearing is pressed in both the case for the drivers side and the passenger axle tube , so they have to be pulled, and either pressed in, or tapped either with a large socket, or a bushing/bearing tool. The axle seals are also pressed in the axle tube for the passenger side, and the flange thats bolted in the side for the drivers side.

I wouldn't advise doing this if you have to completely pull the differential. I have been working with mine for about 17 hours as I ripped my housing from their holding bolts.

See my thread a little below for my experience as what I have been running into as I just gave up last night.

ok. got all the bolts out. the only ones left in are the 6 on the drivers side flange, the top bolt which is impossable and the bottem is loose but still in there just holding it. what the best way to get the top bolt out. i'm having problems with it. any ideas?

finally got it out today. found out you must follow every detail they tell you other wise its twice as hard. anyway, i pulled it open and theres tons of play with the pinion set inside. so much that i can pick the diff up with it and the gears no longer touch the input shaft. working on try to find a junk yard one. so far nothing til monday. so much more fun is it going to be to put in. and the drivers side will not come off unless you pull the pinion set out to pull the lock pin. so i could have never fixed it in the truck.