Help! W123 1/2shafts won't seat
 

I'm replacing the rear halfshafts on the 240D. Got the old shafts out and the new ones are in place and clipped inside the diff. However, I can't get the outboard ends to go all the way inside the hubs. I know the splines are lined up, everything is clean and lightly greased, but they just won't go the last 1/2 inch. It's just enough that I can't get the bolts to thread in either. Anybody have a tip?

you have to jack up the hub so that it is in line with the differential

Aye, CAPT Kirk is exactly right.

When completely assembled, the axle shafts are the motion limiting devices on how far down the wheels can go from the body of the car. During the maintenance action of removing the axles, the manual tells you to also take the brake calipers off the rear wheels and tie them up to the body. The reason is, once the motion limit of the axles is removed, the next motion limit is the flexible brake lines!

During disassembly, you often have to jack up the back of the car to get the wheels off the ground, and further loosen the differential bolts and jack up the differential a bit further. That gives you the clearance to get the axles out of the hubs. Assembly is the reverse of course. Let the differential back down if you had to jack it up, and raise the wheels relative to the body of the car. You can do this by lowering the car (but hopefully you are on jackstands, not a jack) or putting a jack under a wheel hub to push it up.

Just remember the next time you take your W123 airborne over the top of a hill - the only thing holding your axles in are those two little bolts in the hub ends.

:)

Ken300D

While I agree with all the procedures which you describe for dealing with this...

I really really doubt what you have attributed the reasons to ... "the axle shafts are the motion limiting devices " ... this would violate a whole bunch of principles... and they could not be made strong enough to do that....
I suggest that the shocks or a strap or something else is the final limiting device for wheel drop....I am sure someone knows for sure on this and will post soon.... I know that on the wagons the shock is listed as the travel limiting device...

I am pretty sure the shocks on 123's are the limit stop on the rear suspension. I think the axles would surely be damaged if they were subjected to this. To get them to line up I just released pressure on the jack under the rear diff and allowed it to drop enough to seat the outboard end of the axles in the hubs. I had to persuade one axle by tapping VERY GENTLY on the outside lip of the outer CV housing with a block of wood and a hammer. Once I could get a few threads of a retaining bolt into the axle tightening it up pull them right in. RT

They're in!!
 

Even with the differential directly in line with the hubs, they didn't want to go in enough to get the bolts threaded. On the left side, I was able to persuade it by pulling on the shaft with my hand while hitting the outer (metal) portion of the CV with a rubber mallet. However, that would not work on the right side. So I took a 13mm deep socket and put the bolt in backwards through it. Threaded it in the hole and grabbed the protruding portion of the socket with vise-grips. That gave me enough pull that I could again persuade it with the rubber mallet. Once they were in far enough to thread the bolts, it was surprising how little force was required on the bolts to seat them the rest of the way.

BTW, I was able to do the job with the brake calipers in place, although removing them probably would have made it easier. Even at full drop, there was still a little slack in the rubber hoses. Maybe mine's longer than yours. :o

Anyway, the job is done. Thanks for the help, gentlemen.

You need a longer bolt to pull it thru the wheel /rotor hub--no luck finding some bolt like this at homo depot/lowes but--
Your spare tire hold down bolt works fine for this job, just get a 2.5 inch piece of cast pipe/etc - place the big hold down washer against the pipe and then thread into the axle end and tighten to pull it in enough to use the stock bolt!http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ons/icon14.gif

He needed it SEVEN years ago!

Maybe an old thread, but the info is relevant.

I never thought of using the tire hold down bolt to pull a difficult axle into the hub.
It helps also to lube the splines to get them to slide in easire.

Charlie

Oh -Dont mind bob, He has the SCUMAND disease-You know;) something crauled up my ass n died:D



INAPPROPRIATE
B.C.