I was doing some axle maintenance this weekend (replacing rear bearings, output shaft seals, etc.), and I'm at the point where I need to reinstall the driver's side half shaft. I've got the passenger one in. I removed the starter in order to get enough space to get the end out of the trailing arm -- barely! Now I can't seem to figure out how to get it back in. No matter how much I push the tranny end up over the tranny I still have 1/8 to 1/4 inch of threads on the spline end that won't get past the trailing arm opening.

Is there a secret position or contortion I need to learn? Do I need a BFH? I've got a BFH. I'll use the BFH if necessary. Just say "use the BFH" and I'll use the BFH....

Remove the shock and spring from the trailing arm.

A BFH will only result in a damaged wheel bearing.

You could simply detach the stub axle from the rest and pull it through the bearing first and then install the rest the old fashion way.

That way, there's no need to remove the starter or anything else ...

Thanks, Fellas. So I do have to take something else apart or out in order to make progress (sort of thematic for 914's, eh?). Taking apart the stub axle sounds like the least painful approach. That makes perfect sense. And I wouldn't have had to remove the starter.

Live and learn...

Now I need something else to hit with the BFH...

Make sure the car is jacked high enough. Remove the shock from the trailing arm and pull the trailing arm way down. Insert the stub axle into the trailing arm, push the trailing arm back up, install the bolt into the shock. The remaining installation should be fairly easy.

You can also push the trailing arm UP pretty high without the shock in the way.
Make a straight shot out of it.

I think i pulled the starter and just put it straight in with the suspension compressed.

Man, I'd like to see how. I managed to get it out, very barely, that way. But darned if I can't figure out how to get it back in that way. Tomorrow I take off the stub axle as a first choice.

One single bolt removes the rear shock and spring from the trailing arm, then it swings free. two nuts removes the whole assembly from the car.

What makes you stuck on taking apart the stub axle?
Good luck getting the bolts back in when its in the trailing arm.

Hey Rich, I'm looking for the solution most likely to result in success. My gut was that getting that shock bolt off could be a bear, and that I could service that CV while I had the axle out. But if you say getting those bolts back in is no picnic once it's in the trailing arm, then I'll rethink that.

Taking off the rear shock and spring is one nut, it should take a few minutes if you have the right wrenches.

Putting the bolts between the CV joint and the stub axle in while the axle is inside the trailing arm will require either long Allen head sockets of long triple square sockets depending upon what type of bolts you have used.
It will also require a lot of patience.


Your issue is the angle of approach, that can be fixed by moving the trailing arm up for a straight shot, or down for a steeper angle with more length as a result.

Rich

I've got a pipe wrench. Otherwise, what would that be, a 27 mm box wrench?

Pipe wrench might work on the outside flat part, normal crescent wrench or socket on the insidious can also take off the one top nut in the rear trunk, drop the trailing arm down, swing the shock out of the way rearwards, move trailing arm to get axle in, then put it the shock back in place again.

Hey Rich -- this is what I ended up doing this morning. It was the best approach. Got that top nut off without too much trouble and was able to lower the strut down far enough to get the stub axle through the trailing arm hole. Thanks for the input.

Glad that project is over and hope I did it well (enough) as I wouldn't relish doing it again soon. Changing the output shaft seals and bearings was about all I could handle this weekend, although when I DO have to do it again, I know how. Almost everything is harder the first time...

So true....