88 ranger front right axle Question!!

[djk]

I had a home mechanic attempt to replace my u joints on the right side and decided to pull the whole axle out of the differential without removing any c-clips, he reinstaled the axle and spindle and now i have a few inches of play. is there any way of returning the c-clips to original position without having to remove the spindle and tire?

 

[adsm08]

Well did he pull the whole thing out or just the out-board half? You can split it at the slip joint and be fine.

I'd make sure the spindle is bolted up tight.

 

[PanamaExpat]

How can you pull the axle out of the diff without removing the c-clip? You would really tear some stuff up if you did that. Either pull off the diff cover and reinstall the c-clip or pull the axle out again and put in a c-clip eliminator spring.

Like adsm said maybe he split it at the slip joint... But I don't get what you mean by a few inches of play???? (pictures)

When I did my front axle I put in a c-clip eliminator spring. If you do that don't forget to weld the cap on at the slip joint. I think there are instructions in the tech library.

Keep us up to date on what you do.

 

[djk]

adsm, I will refrase what i said as i fell asleep while he did the right half of the truck...The reason i think he pulled the whole assembly out is because when he mentioned inspecting the u-joints on my right shaft, he mentioned moving the shafts around as if he had both of the shafts out. But i am not sure. And the second reason i think he pulled it all out is..why would there be play from where the shaft enters the front diff? Could he have missed something by the spindle? And Panama what i mean by play is i can literally jump underneath the front end, grab on the right axle shaft and move the whole assembly back and forth, from wheel to differential in that direction, It is only a good 3-4 inches of play but it is sure enough to pull the shaft back towards the differential whenever i'm driving in 4 wheel drive and disengage it.

 

[djk]

Oh my bad, Panama....what "stuff" could he have messed up, I sure hope not a lot haha. There has been an occasional time where my four wheel drive was needed and i honestly had no choice but to climb under and engage the shaft into the hub. However...those seldom times i did use four wheel drive, i tried to listen for grinding or any odd souds coming from the differential seeing as the though a loose c-clip could do damage, but i failed and could not hear a peep, other than my front two tires crawling me out of a ditch just like they used to

 

[PanamaExpat]

It kind of sounds like the C-clip has come off. You say the movement is where the axle enters the right side of the diff? If that's the case then you will need to do like I said in my other post. Open up the diff and look to see if the C-Clip is laying in the bottom and reinstall it. Or do the c-clip eliminator. In your case just because I am that anal I would do the eliminator and open the diff to see if the C-Clip is floating around in there. You wouldn't want to munch up some spiders now would you?

 

[adsm08]

I am with panama on this one. Pull the diff.

This is why other people don't work on my stuff.

Postin' from teh Galaxy

 

[djk]

Ok thats what i was feelin i would have to do. As both of you would understand i didn't have the tools, place or time to attempt this, which was my original plan until i had to move and winter came along. And i also have never pulled a front differerntial, or took the cover off for that matter, i'm assuming i'm going to have to purchase some gear fluid?

 

[adsm08]

Yeah. There isn't so much a diff cover as there is a pumpkin bolted to the one beam.

You have to take the shafts out, then unbolt the 3rd member and take it off.

 

[djk]

but to take the shafts out i must take both spindles off on each side? if rhats the case i'll most likely just wait until i drop my front end for a 5.0 swap.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah. You have to take the spindles off.

 

[kunar]

hang on a sec, im confused. what shaft has free play, the left or the right?? if it's the passenger side, is it the inboard half or the outboard half thats moving? there's a slipjoint in between that should be able to move some.

from the sounds of what i have read, youre missing a c-clip on the spindle end of a shaft, not inside the diff!

 

[djk]

Kunar, this is exactliy what i was wondering. The thing is the whole assembly moves, both inner and outer shafts. I don't have much knowledge of diffs and spindles but i wasn't sure if there was anything on the spindle side that could have went wrong because my front differential works flawlessly. But who knows.

 

[kunar]

on which side though, im still a little confused as to what exactly is happening. there's only 3 places that there should be c-clips to limit movement.

on the driver's side, the shaft is short. it's only got one u-joint and only one c-clip on the spindle. there's nothing inside the diff to hold the drivers side shaft. it shouldnt have much free play, but if the clip on the outside is missing, it could very well move end to end.

on the passenger's side, there are two shafts (and two u-joints) with a slip joint in between. there's a clip thats only accessible from inside the diff that holds the inner half. there's a clip outboard of the spindle just like the other side, that keeps the outer half of the shaft in place.

 

[djk]

Kunar, this i am aware of. But what i'm trying to explain is going underneath the passneger side traction beam, i can put one hand on each half of the passenger side axle assembly and move the whole thing back and forth, from the spline end being engaged in the hub to it hanging out. ALSO!! there is play when you look at the shaft entering the differential as i rock the assemby back and forth