Drive Axle Problem....

[blade34609]

Hi,

I finally got my D16 in the 90' LX.
Now I am puttin the driveaxles back in.
I tried just twisting them and pushing them back in but they wont go all the way in.
There is still about 2 inches till the axles are all the way into the tranny?
Is is safe to hit the HUB with a hammer lightly and maybe they would pop in?
Thanks
ALso I put all purpose grease in the differential and CV joint area.

[91lxdreamer]

Hey man, if they are the right axels, than you should be just fine with hitting the END OF THE AXEL. Make sure you hit just the axel to slide it in to place. I mean if you tap something else it shouldnt damage it, but dont like wrench into it or anything...lol. But yeah, if they are the correcty axels they should should pop in with some help.

[blade34609]

Ok thanks.

Someone told me the axles have to click in place?
if it already more then halfway in there it has to be lined up the the gearing inside the tranny, right?
Ill try the hammer thing tommotow morning.
Thanks

[91lxdreamer]

Yup, if theyre that far in anyways, then just hammer them suckers in. Theyll get all the way in and not come out.

[blade34609]

Hey just got done tryin to hammer the axles in.
They didnt barely budge at all.
I bolted it to the steering bolt and the other 2 bolts to hold it in place.
THen I hit it with a hammer hard and it barely even moved!
Abny suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

[blade34609]

Any suggestions?
Thanks

[4-Door Flunky]

Are you sure these axles go with your transmission?
If the axles aren't sliding right in, there is definitely something wrong.
Flunky

[blade34609]

no its correct.
Because I have the D15 LX tranny bolted onto the D16.
You dont have to have the axle completly disconnected from the steering arm and lower balljoints?
Its only about an 1inch away from fully being locked in.
Thanks

[4-Door Flunky]

I didn't have a pickle fork to break open the ball joints, so I just took out the bolt that holds the upper part of the arm to the car's body.
There's a little 'keeper' about an inch away from the outer end of each axle. You'll feel it 'pop!' into place when that keeper is holding the axle where it's supposed to be.
When installing axles, I just rotated it a bit, tried to push it in, repeat, until it went in. Those are the same axles you started with, the same transmission you started with, so I don't get why they aren't popping back in. Shouldn't take more than a minute or two per axle.
I'm stumped.
Flunky

[91civichatch2571]

They dont go in easy at all, you just have to push really hard. What flunky just said isnt 100% accurate. 88 has 21 splines while 89-91 have 20 splines.

[blade34609]

Ok ill try that.
Thanks

[bigben21]

haha ever since i have been hearing people have been taking the lower control arm off because they cant get the ball joint loose i just laugh. here is a tip on getting those suckers to break loose, first take the cotter pin out, then take off the 17mm castle nut, instead of using a pickel fork to break loose the ball joints, just take a big hammer and hit the lower control arm right at where the ball joint is, but dont hit the ball joint. the vibration should break it loose. it may take a few times but dont be scared to hit it harder or get a heaiver hammer. this is why i do it at work all day long i take a 5 pound mallet and take me about 3 swings then viola.