Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle axle installation major PITA

Alright I have my drivers side half shaft installed but my passenger side is not working with me at all. With the driver side I was able to pound on it with a hammer to push the clip in, but the passenger side has nothing to pound on. I tried propping a big creset wrench on the end of the half shaft where it enters the transaxle, and resting against the subframe then pounding on the end of the wrench to push the axle in. Despite the sweat and blood it didn't work. Any other ideas?

I searched and found only a few posts, but none of them really talk about a fool proof way to install them correctly with little to no hardships.

I put it through the hub and keep it loose. Put the rotor on if it's off and lay on my back and kick it with both feet a couple times. Start yanked the heck out of it with my hands to see if it will come back out. If no play then good to go.

push the axle into the tranny as far as you can and while holding pressure on it use a big arse rubber mallet or a heavy rubber dead blow hammer and pound on the hub end.

Be VERY carefull not to stress the inner or outer CV boot. I managed to slip and split both my inner cv boots. They are currently sealed with bicycle inner tube repair patches and seem to be holding OK for now

I already put a small split in a cv boot. I used some high temp RTV to fill it in (not sure if this will hold). So you guys pound on the hub to push it in?

I guess I can put a little more detail onto the situation. This is still part of my clutch/flywheel replacement project. As it sits everything has been reinstalled except the passenger side half shaft needs to be put in and the steering rack needs to be clamped back down to the steering column.

So would the best way to put this thing back on be to disconnected the passenger side brake caliper, strut and hub and just pounded on the end of the shaft?

OK so I ended up taking everything off on the passenger side and bought a slide hammer. I removed the passenger side drive axle so I could replace the boot (RTV wasn't working). Only thing is I now have a straight shot to the intermediate shaft and was really pounding on it. The shaft would not go into the transaxle, period. So now I want to take it out, try realigning it, and pushing it in... trouble is the turd won't come out now. How would one remove this shaft, there really isn't anything to pry on as the y-pipe is pretty much blocking everything except the entrance to the diff. I also can't see a way to use the slide hammer since there isn't anything to connect it to. There is just the spline and clip ring at the outer end.

Ideas?