New CV's, Cant Move Steering, WTF!

[neRok]

hi, put some brand new stock gq cvs into my mq for an upgrade. also re-did all the bearings, seals etc. put the RH (drivers) side axle+cv in, and attached the stub axle + backing plate. all is good, moves freely. left it at that as i am waiting for some new discs, so went to put the axle+cv in the LH side. now for some reason this cv is a bit stiff and it doesnt flop around. you have to push it a little to get it to move. but i put it in, put the stub axle on, tightened the bolts, and it wouldnt budge at all. took the stub off and i could grab the cv and move it and the swivel hub pivots fine as well. put it back on, same thing. took it off, turned it 180° and put it back on, same thing. loosened the bolts, and then i could move it, but there is a 1-2mm gap between the stub and the swivel hub. i also tried a different thrust washer but it didnt help. no idea what is going on
thinking about trying a different stub axle (although the one on it now has a new bearing) and maybe a different swivel hub as well.

its really wierd, anyone have any ideas what is going on.

[crankycruiser]

keys arent in and steering is locked??

[pongo]

do you have the circlip on the end before the manual Hub. maybe the cv is in too far and binding as it tries to turn on a different arc.

sometimes mine binds up, I done away with the circlips and used tack welds to limit things instead to allow quick changes. I get the odd bind up every now and then.

[neRok]

i dont have any steering rods connected at all, so keys aint the issue. i cant grab the swivel hub and move it on the 'stuck' side.

i also havent progressed past the stub axle, no brakes or f/w hubs, so there is no need for the c-clip (i also read that you dont use the c-clip for the gq conversion). i might try grab hold of the bit of the cv and push it in/out tomorrow. the stuck side looks very similar in 'projection' to the working side.
i suppose screwing the stub on further would make it push in more, but i cant see how it could get spaced out further to combat it? maybe the axle isnt pushing in to the diff centre far enough? might look at that as well.

thanks for ideas anyhow.


also, i had a spare diff and i was looking at the stub axle. they have *17 stamped on them and the ones i am using are stamped *15. anyone know what that is in relation to?

[hillbilliywheelchair]

axle in the cv to far? that was my prob with that conversion martac it like some one else sugested

[Wendle]

but there is a 1-2mm gap between the stub and the swivel hub. i also tried a different thrust washer but it didnt help.

Trim a few mm off the end of the inner axle. Sometimes they are too long to slide far enough into the side gear in the diff.

[neRok]

axle in the cv to far? that was my prob with that conversion martac it like some one else sugested

well i didnt get it fixed but this might be the problem. i am using a different axle to the one that was in the diff. measured the one with the cv and it is 2mm shorter to the c-clip than the one that was in the diff. i suppose if the axles are the same length, this means more has gone into the cv. so i tried to get the cv off but the clip on the very end doesnt wanna budge. so i will have to keep hammering it for a few days until it comes off and swap axles over again hopefully that is it. i will test fit without the end clip next time

[MyGQ]

once the CV comes off the axle you will find your stuffed as to remove the axle you have to break the clip inside the CV, and its a non-replacable item

[toaddog]

And when you break it you replace it with another one when you reassemble the joint.

[neRok]

well i got it off, it broke the clip as expected but also smashed the end off some of the splines. spewin.
i compared the 2 axles, they seem near identical. i put the cv on the alternative axle and put it in the car, i did all this without the c-clip that holds the cv to the axle. its all good now, but can i leave it like this? i pushed the cv in and out and it has the same amount of play as the other side that has the c-clip. both only come out just past the second groove in the cv.

im thinking the groove inside the cv might be located too deep inside, so when the axle stops its too deep???

[RUFNUT]

hay mate just went through the same process . have you got arb air lockers . the cv is the difference the c clip recess is 5mm to far out .
Therefore the overall shaft length is 5mm to long and there is not enough end float on the axil shaft . the way around is to trim 5mm off the axil . no more or the inner axil seal will not run on the seaf surface .

cheers

[neRok]

its just an open centre, but i think i get what your saying, actually Wendles post makes more sense now too.

what do you guys use to trim your axles?
and is it essential to have the clip on the very end of the axle to hold the cv? i like the idea of being able to just pull it off, if something happens in the bush.

[pongo]

is it essential to have the clip on the very end of the axle to hold the cv? i like the idea of being able to just pull it off, if something happens in the bush.

Google martac, didnt know how to spell it. Works well if done right

axle in the cv to far? that was my prob with that conversion martac it like some one else sugested

[neRok]

ah, makes sense now (i read this about the martac http://www.island4x4.com/4x4tech/axle/t ... index.html).

so the problem i had was the end of the axle connected to the gq cv in a different position to the mq cv. this cause the overall axle+cv length to be longer and it would not fit into the diff centre any further, which caused it to 'bottom out' in effect, and stopping the steering.
and i could run without the martac, as its purpose is to keep raised section of the axle in the seal. the axle needs no other limiting, it can only go so far into the cv and diff centre and everything would always be connected. am i correct?

how come the shorter drivers side didnt have this problem, anyone care to speculate? whatever i do to one side should i do it to the other? i dont have an easily available spare short axle so dont know if i should risk knocking off more splines.

[pongo]

and i could run without the martac, as its purpose is to keep raised section of the axle in the seal. the axle needs no other limiting, it can only go so far into the cv and diff centre and everything would always be connected. am i correct?
.

Think you ned to stop the axles going right in to the centre i think? try gen chit chat for exact results.

I also used the circlip on the hub end of the cv to keep it where its supposed to be.

It mainly save trying to bang a cv on and off an axle in the bush. also no need to carry spare axles. I could change on one under 10 mins if i had to. remove wheel, manual hub, wiper seal, king pins, lift assemb off and balance on springs, slide out axle/cv and reverse process. No mucking round at all.

Cheers and glad you found the prob

[neRok]

Think you ned to stop the axles going right in to the centre i think? try gen chit chat for exact results.

yer i think thats the idea as it cant move out because there is still the clip on the end to stop the axle going too far into the cv. but i know mine is almost at the centre anyway, hence why it must of been getting stuck. makes sense to me, i will just leave as is and check it after a month of driving, see if its leaking. might look at martac'ing it when i get my diff centre sorted (thinking lokka), i read that different centres may be slightly different 'widths' so require the martac in different spot.

thanks for everyones help.