hey guys so i got my rear axles replaced because they were on their way out, anyway..last week my axle shaft came out of the differential on the freeway and luckily i had an early morning shift so i was able to pull over on the freeway because my car wouldn't go into gear. So i had the axles replace and when we were changing the axles we noticed the shaft (picture below) was outside of the differential, i got a flashlight and looked inside and the c-lock (other picture below) was inside mounted in the differential and to my understanding it has to be on the axle shaft right? anyways we put it together like that and yesterday i drove it around the city with no problems, i was coming back home late at night and at a red light my car didn't move in gear i got out and checked under the car and the shaft came out once again. Why is this happening? all bolts are torqued down to spec, the only issue I'm confused about is why the c-lock is inside the differential mounted instead of the axle shaft, do i take it out of the differential and put a new one on the axle? Wekfest Long Beach is in 3 weeks and my car is finally done just this problem is whats slowing me down and I'm afraid i won't be able to show at wekfest luckily tuesday is my last day of school so i can just take my brothers car. someone PLEASE help I'm desperate for advice.


picture is not my differential its just for reference
my car is an 04 6 speed with non lsd if it matters

here is the axle shaft that keeps popping out, and its only this side that it keeps happening, when installed properly inside the differential how hard should it be to take it out in other words how snug should it fit inside there?


and here is the c-lock i have
http://www.courtesyparts.com/38225-c...8-p-15545.html

 

Anyone? I'm curious.

 

Did the circlip pop out? You may have a broken stub.

 

The circle clip is actually inside the differential where it's meant to be locked in but from my understanding it should be locked on the actual shaft, which part is the stub?

 

Anybody?

 

The c-clip should retain it but not make it terribly hard to remove the stub axle. One huge hit from a rubber mallet should usually take it out. Or a light pull with a slide hammer if it is stubborn. I don't know for sure but my limited experience is that the clip may stay on the axle or stay in the spline from what I can remember. That part may not be a big deal. If you see the clip in there put the axle stub back in. It should seat and then not pull right back out by hand.

The big question is what is pulling it out? The only other post I've seen on a shaft coming out was when someone left out their clip, so it is correct be be concerned about it and question if it is in there correctly and still in one piece. But since you have one I didn't suspect it as the first thing to check. There are so many different variations on the spline over the years, there must be different size clips. I've seen a couple of different sized width and depth of grooves in the stub shaft splines. Have you done any work on your car and had to try and buy the correct clip or swapped any pieces?

Is your main axle nut loose? Badly worn wheel bearing? Broken shock mount? I am grasping here because I cannot imagine what can make the stub shaft move that much but start looking around! I would think the car would exhibit some other noticeable problem to go with your problem though. Any more info to share

 

the part that is sliding out fairly easy it the part i circled in red, the main axle nut is brand new considering i bought 2 new nuts when i replaced the axles, the axles are also brand new and the wheel bearings were done about 6 months ago so are fairly new as well. I have no idea whats going on and why its sliding out so easy after about 20 miles of driving, but what confuses me is why its only the passenger side doing it. Both sides have been installed the exact same way and all my suspension components are brand new, new suspension, new camber arms new toe arms etc etc. I can't really figure out the problem I'm considering buying a new differential with the shafts already installed but i don't want the same problem to be happening again due to something else causing it, and 2 the center bolt on the muffler side of the differential is stripped so taking that thing out is going to be a huge pain in the a**


one main thing that i know started it or was the culprit was when i was installing my new extended studs, i was using the same method as here on the forum where you leave it in gear and tighten a nut on the new stud with washers in between and i think i tighten the nut with too much force and i felt a slip on something and the hub kept turning even with the car in gear, that same day i noticed the shaft popped out and i just slid it in with my hand and i felt some kind of lock and it didn't slide out anymore so i thought it was fine to drive cause i had never seen that type of problem...the next day is when the shaft popped out on the freeway and thats where the problems began...is there anything that couldve got damaged when tightening the nut on the new stud to pull the stud in?