CV un-seat question / ARB front locker

Hello mechanics,

So I pulled my front diff out for a nitro regear that had an ARB installed. Had the work done at the shop that installed the locker and I installed the front diff. Now the arb locker is leaking internally and pushing oil out the overflow(it will be getting fixed soon).

I had the front driver side axle unseat on the trail less than 500 FT in and I’m 90% I seated it correctly. My question: Is it possible the internal air leak combo with snow wheeling popped it out/un-seated it? Or not a chance and I failed to seat it correctly?

After I installed it I drove it about 1/4 mile in 4x4 HI(city streets in the rain) and 500 miles in 2wd with no oil leaks (without engaging the front ARB). - If I didn’t seat it correctly I noticed it after this point which I discovered the internal ARB air leak and no prior oil leaks.


Update: I don’t think it was unseated after all. Can a worn out needle bearing cause extra play in the axle side to side and up/down motion?

I discovered the seal is worn out and way more play in the axle on the driver side vs the passenger side.

 

It unseated itself from the differential?

 

The possibility of the air pressure pushing out the axle is low, the vent should bleed off quick enough. In all likelihood the axle wasn't installed fully.

 

Given the last time I pulled a CV out of a front diff I had to beat it with a brass punch with a decent sized hammer to unseat the cir clip. I’m going to say a bit of compressed air would not unseat the CV.

At the same time I’d said a plugged breather with pressurized air would only vent out the seal. The CV shaft is not really an air tight design after all with all the splines and loose tolerances even on a correctly installed one. (Referring to the play in shaft)

if you’re 90% sure you seated it correctly... how much force did you use to put it back in? Did you give a double check pull back in removal direction to make sure she was good?!?

On my reinstall needed some grease between cir clip and cv just to keep it in the middle. Even at that point felt like I had to beat it in to compress the clip to go back in. Plus screwing around continuously rotating back and forth to ensure the teeth engaged.

 

Thanks for the info! I just thought it was weird no oil leaks up till that point.

 

it felt the same as the passenger when I installed it. Same amount of play as the passenger one. Honestly my first time pulling out cv axles. So more than likely it wasn’t seated correct.

 

How did you remove the cv to begin with?

You'll know when the cv is seated if you tug on it and it doesn't slide right back out.

 

they have about 1/16” or so of play once installed, correct?

large hammer and screw driver removed them.

they both felt locked in and secure once I installed them.

 

Did you bend the little collar that is in the cv nearest to where it goes into the diff at all?

 

Well at the end of the day, you learn from mistakes. Might cost you a couple bucks but automotive school ain’t free either lol.

 

the c-clip? Negative. At least not that I’m aware of.

 

No not the lock ring. I was wondering because when I took my axle out I just pried against the flat collar that sits close to the differential to get them out and I could see that if I didn't bend that back into place it wouldn't allow the cv to fully seat inside the diff when I put t back in. If the cv wasn't seated I think you would know. It would've fallen out when you were putting the other end into the hub assembly I think.

 

This silver part is what I was talking about

 

I think I straightened those out. I wasn’t able to pull it out by tugging on it for sure.

 

Like others stated, I doubt air pressure is going to cause the cv to unseat before the breather line releases the pressure. Possibly the c-clip that holds the axle in the diff is bad after removal/install?

 

Fortunately the arb internal copper line is on the other side so it wasn’t my seating issue that caused the leak!

 

10-4, thanks for the input! I will inspect the c-clip when I pull it out for the repair.

 

That is strange but hopefully you figure it out. Keep us posted

 

So I think my seal is bad and possibly the needle bearing. It might not have been unseated. It just had a lot of play.

 

When you go to seat the CV into the diff, thread the axle nut onto the end of it and give it a few good whacks with a big hammer. The axle nut will protect the threads on the end (very important) and the hammer blows will ensure that the CV goes all the way in.

I also highly doubt the ARB air compressor popped out the axle...with how much force it takes to get those suckers out with a pry bar there's no way the air compressor can create the pressure to do it.