1. Home
  2. Nissan Altima
  3. altima drive shaft installation

altima drive shaft installation

Hi,

I need your help on inserting drive shaft into tranaaxle for 97 Nissan Altima GXE Automatic (driver side). The old shaft is already out of the car.

1: Nissan manual refers to a tool (J34297) to set along the inner circumference of the trans seal and then insert drive axle. Is this tool necessary to have.

2: Per Service manual, be sure to align serrations of the axle shaft and then withdraw the tool. Question is that serration need to align to what. I can not see inside of the tranny through seal hole.

3: Serrations on the half shaft are shrap, how to protect the seal from serrations cutting into. Trying to avoid fluid leak.

4: How to make sure that circular clip or snap ring at end of the shaft is properly meshed with side gear. What if clip is not seated or meshed, does this clip needs to be aligned when shaft is inserted.

5: Is trany has to be in park or neutral when shaft is inserted.
Reply to
suren
Loading thread data ...

Forget about using the factory tool. When installing the axle through the seal, be sure to guide it in carefully and avoid any contact with the seal if possible. Support the inner joint with one hand to accomplish this, while feeding the shaft towards the transaxle with your other hand.

Once the joint is as far as it will go into the trans without force, spin it back and forth while applying light pressure until you feel the axle splines catch on the matching internal splines of the side gear. To verify that you are partway in the splines, you can attempt to rotate the shaft -- if the opposite side axle turns, you are there. (Of course the other side wheel needs to be off of the ground for it to turn)

Now keep pressure on the inner joint and try to keep it as centered as possible with one hand, and push the axle towards the trans with the other hand with sharp blows until the inner joint goes all the way in and seats it's C-clip. This step uses the inner joint's plunge action as a kind of slide hammer to facilitate compressing the C-clip. The steadying hand must do it's job well, or you may damage the seal if the joint were to pop out partially during this operation.

Make sure the differential resevoir (if separate) or trans is full of oil when you are done.

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

I will not think about buying special tool so that axle is aligned in trany.

Support the inner joint with one hand to

I take it that trany has to be in neutral before inserting the axle.

Thanks a lot for this kind of detailed explanation. I think tightening the big nut on the axle at wheel might pressed or messed the c-clip with gear.

Reply to
suren

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.