Geo Metro 97 CV axle help needed.

[Hairechest]

I'm fairly new to fixing my own car. I bought this Geo with the intention of teaching myself. Please forgive a rookie mistake.

I bought the CV axle replacement, it was a rebuild. Looked online and read/watched video on how to replace it. Bought the tools, took the old one out and put the new one in. The original nut didn't fit, made me nervous. I road down the block and it made a scraping noise (which was only a brass collar scraping on the axle near the wheel - it sounded like the brake was jarred out of alignment is all), so I parked it. As I was backing in to my parking spot all the transmission fluid came out.

I had the right box, with the wrong part in it. I now have the right part (for the left side, not the right). The problem is, it won't seat into the transmission crank case. Looking into the hole, there seems to be a brass rod horizontally across the inside blocking my CV joint from going back in.

How screwed am I?

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by Hairechest

The original nut didn't fit, made me nervous.

If that nut was not tight and you drove it, hopefully no bearing damage was caused in the wheel hub. Sometime a new axle is tough to get in because of the axle lock ring on the end of the axle. Measure the depth of the axle hole until you hit that "brass rod" and measure the axle stub. If it will fit, then you need to force it in. If the "brass rod" thing is totally blocking access, then see if it slides one way or the other. Are you sure that brass rod in not a leftover ring from the old axle shaft stuck in there?

[Hairechest]

Thanks for that. I talked with a buddy today, he told me to start it up and shift the gears. I may have had it in park the first time the wrong one fit in, and in neutral this time. I will give it a shot tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

[Hairechest]

Photo:

Direct link: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j2...t/IMG_0518.jpg

I have tried prying it, won't budge. Tried turning the car on and changing gears - it rotates - like a spoke, but stays in the way.

[Hairechest]

Since this is my first time doing anything like this, I consider it a learning experience. Though it has put me on the bike for three months. Finally got a buddy of mine to come over and look at the issue. The first axle was correct, I went back to that one. The deal breaker is - it comes with this collar that doesn't work with my model. I removed that, and everything worked fine (one I got the gasket facing the right direction).

Now I can pull the tire off, the CV axle off, put it all back together in 45 minutes. For me, that is a true accomplishment, and gives me more confidence in doing other things. Though, I will be paying my buddy to just come and talk me through the hard bits so there isn't so much anguish.

[some_other_dave]

The "brass rod" looks like a part of the differential, BTW. (Specifically, one of the shafts that the "spider gears" ride on.) It is steel; the color is from being coated with brownish gear oil. It should be too far in to affect the axle itself.

Glad to hear you got the problem sorted out!

-soD