intermediate axle shaft won't line up with transmission (resolved)

[tektic]

I am trying to fix a leak in drivers axle seal first seal failed after 1000 miles. On a hunch I placed the new seal on the shaft bolted the axle to the block. The seal is about a mm off from aligning with the hole.


What can I do to remedy this major inconvenience?

 

[tektic]

I figured it out. The bracket that holds the axle to the block is incorrect. I tried to use the bracket from my automatic trans. The axle is the same but the bracket that bolts to the carrier bearing is different.


The green one is the manual and the black one is the auto. You can see that the one on the right is slightly offset.
X04 317 printed on black , j30 3901 on the green.

Now how do I swap them? I guess I'm going to look up carrier bearins and try to swap to the other axle.

I'm glad I found this as it will likely make my drivetrain noise go away.

 

[FlyingEagle]

Here is a blowup parts diagram of your front axle setup. USDM E39A intermediate shaft and axle.

Click me for axle diagram

 

[CutlassJim]

The axle and the dead shaft come apart. Just hold it up and down with one hand by the dead shaft and hammer down on the axle with a deadblow or 5 lb sledge and it will pop right off.

 

[GSTwithPSI]

When I replaced the bearing in mine, I used a press to get it apart. You have the correct spacer for the offset part of the bracket, right?

 

[tektic]

thanks for the tip. I swaped the shafts and everything lines up nice.

I still have the air conditioner. No need for spacer.

Lastly what is the length of the thread on the bolts? The grade 10s I'm using are a little short but obviously stronger. Will get some grade 8s at about 45mm tomorrow. I think that will do the trick.

Resolved!

edit: MB297860 BOLT 10X41.5 w/Pilot Join

 

[FlyingEagle]

Click for bolt picture and product number

Good thread info from tuners.

MB297860 - Bolt
MF450406 - Washer

 

[donniekak]

Use only oem bolts. They have a special dog point, and shoulder to locate the bracket, as there are no dowel pins.

 

[tektic]

I don't see how a bolt with a special tip would effect fully tightened alignment in any way. It's just there to make it eaiser to thread it into the block initially. There is 17mm of thread and a round hole undisernable from any other threaded hole drilled and tapped into the block. There is no way that the tip of the bolt effects the position of the bracket.

To make sure everything was as straight as possible I fully asembled the hub so the axle was in a natural position.

Ill take my chances with just longer bolts. I'm not ordering and waiting for mor parts. Maybe ill get 45mm bolts and grind the tips down just for good measure. Thanks for your concern.

Edit: the hardware store had nothing in m10x1.25 over sae grade 5. Looks like I'm ordering the stock bolts any way.

 

[donniekak]

The oem bolts have a dog point that fits with a tight fit into a hole in the block past the threads, this coupled with a very large shoulder locate the bracket. Believe me I found out the hard way, breaking non oem bolts off in the block launching the car. If the bracket had dowels to locate it, it wouldn't matter what bolts are used, like a 3000gt axle bracket.

To make it simple, the oem bolts act as dowels, and bolts. To just use regular bolts, you have no dowels.

 

[tektic]

I got the bolts today and I see what you mean, however imo what does the aligning is the wider shoulder not the tip.

Either way I'm glad you talked me into it.

 

[Fiascoxl]

Exactly, the shoulder fits the bolt to the bracket and the tip fits the bolt to the block. It's a very simple three way. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif