While I was changing the driver's ball joint the axle popped out of the tranny. I can't for the life of me get it all the way back in. The splines are meshed but it has about a half inch more to go but won't budge. Consequently I can't get the ball joint bracket lined up.

The manual says to replace the circular clip and something about a special tool. I suppose that's the clip that's loosely hanging down from near the end of the shaft. I suppose that's what's preventing it from going all the way in. Is it not supposed to be loose like that? Can I get it from somewhere other than the dealer? Do I need the special tool? The manual makes it sound very easy, but I've spent a couple of hours already trying to figure just this out.

Any help appreciated. If I don't get this thing back together it's going to be stuck in the middle of the garage.

I would try taking off the axle nut and removing shaft from the spindle then rotate the shaft and see if you can seat it properly in the transaxle. I have replaced the halfshaft on my 94 but the 01 maybe different but I wouldn't think so.

Well I ended up getting it together ok, I guess. I think the shaft was in as far as it was going to go until the ball joint was completely installed and the car was back down on the ground. I had a heck of a time with the ball joint. I had the tapered stud in the knuckle but couldn't get the bolts on the knuckle to line up with the ball joint ear. I was stuck until I realized I needed to unbolt the sway bar from the control arm so I could pry the arm down. Once I did that it went together pretty easily. I was worried that the seal on the tranny wasn't going to seal on the axle, but it isn't leaking yet. I'll have to keep an eye on it.