Drive Axle help needed yesterday kidn of fast.

fantacmet · Nov 19th, 2008, 09:18 PM

Ok so my CV joint in my passenger side drive axle went south. Still moved but made noise and was getting worse by the day. No $$ for a new one. I go to the wrecking yard. All the axles there had torn boots and such except for one. Except it's not in a Sentra. It's in an 89 Pulsar. B12 body. So I check the cross reference database. AH HA! It will work. So I get it home, I pull the drive axle out of my car, and it breaks in 2. Ok no problem. I have the other one. I get it in, and try putting the thing into the hub and it won't go. Hrm. So I check it out and problem number one, is that there is less then 1/4" between the splines and the shoulder on my original axle, and about an inch on the pulsar axle. GRUMBLE. It won't work. To top it off the reason why it wasn't going in is the Sentra axle has 25 or 26 splines, and the Pulsar has 32. WTF? I thought this thing was supposed to fit?

Any idea's? I have no money to get a new drive axle. I have no way to get to the wrecking yard to get my money back. If I don't get this fixed, I'm out of work. No work, no insurance, no insurance they suspend your license, come to your house, and tow every single vehicle on your property because "you could drive it" and "If you have no license or insurance you don't need a car."

It was the CV joint that turned the original axle into a 2 piece unit. Is it possible to use the guts of the Pulsar axle to rebuild the Sentra axle?

BTW I have an 88 Sentra, 5 speed, Fuel Infected, I mean injected.

direct e-mail is fantacmet at gmail dot com.

BeyondBiscuits2 · Nov 19th, 2008, 10:20 PM

Your problem lies in you have an E-series (most likely) and an E-series transmission. The CV axle you grabbed from the Pulsar NX was either for a GA-series or CA-series. That is why the length is different, and the spline count. You'll have to get one from an E-series Sentra or Pulsar, pre-1989. Hope that helps. You might be able to use the halfshaft itself, but use your original CV axles (both ends). Usually, it is the ends that go bad, not the halfshafts, though.

fantacmet · Nov 20th, 2008, 09:11 AM

Yeah it's the joints themselves that are bad. Both inner and outer are bad. Comparing the two assemblies side by side they are exactly the same length and everything, the differene seems to be the end that goes into the hub. If I can swap the guts at each end(I can use my manual which shows how to rebuild them as a guide to do it), then I'll be ok. My main question is, are the guts of the joints the same? The axle outof that Pulsar is in GREAT shape. For what it's worth the engine in that Pulsar was identical to the engine in my Sentra.

It's supposed to be pouring down rain for the next 3 days, but if there isa break in it, I will see if I can take pictures of the two axles.

Thanks for the quick reply.

fantacmet · Nov 25th, 2008, 01:21 PM

Well I found someone nice enough to loan me the money I needed for a new axle. I tried to put it in and got it partway into the tranny, but it won't go any further. The splines are lined up and are actually inserted partway. I think it's that damn spring ring on the axle that helps hold it into the tranny end of things. I coated that end of the shaft with gear oil before inserting it. I'm pretty sure I could hammer on the other end of the axle and get it in there, BUT, one I'm leery about damaging something, and two I could be wrong about the spring/ring thingy keeping it from going in, in which case I still don't want to damage anything.

So I thought I would ask the experts. So any idea's?

IanH · Nov 25th, 2008, 02:56 PM

sometimes its a bugger to get in.
Put the nut on the axle and hit it with a plastic hammer or a hammer and a piece of wood.
so long as its in the splines sometimes you can pull the cv joints back, hold the trans end in and use the axle like a slide hammer, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
don't worry too much, its always a bit tough to get it in, just make sure the ring is in the groove and it should go in.
If you really cant get it in, get the ring off and crush it down a bit with vice grips, put back on, so long as it still sticks out a bit it will still hold.
anyway that's my 2 Cents....

fantacmet · Nov 25th, 2008, 03:35 PM

Thanks. I ended up calling a dealer service center. Several of them actually, most said just tow it on in and they will junk the one I bought and put two brand new ones in, as well as new wheel bearings etc. I get free long distance so I decided to try out of state. I finally got one that said, as long as the splines are engaged, and you've oiled it, you have the nut on the axle and you don't hit it TOO hard, then yes.

The only hammer I have is a 2 pound mini sledge. I didn't have to hit it very hard. Up until that point I had only gently tapped it. This time I actually hit it a few times, but not hard. slide right in. Too bad I couldn't get the ball joint out, so I had to unbolt the knuckle from the strut killing my alignment(not that I had any alignment in the first place). The good news is, I'm damn good at doing a home alignment, and getting within half a degree. I discovered this after eyeballing it on my truck taking it to an alignment shopand having the guy tell me that an alignment wasn't needed, and if I eyeballed it, then he wished he had a position open for me. My tires are toast anyway and i'll get an alignment in early January after I replace some suspension parts. Now I just wish the rain would stop so I could get the thing all the way back together.

Also what's the diff between the E and the CA? Mine is Fuel Infected(throttle Body), so if that helps.

IanH · Nov 25th, 2008, 03:45 PM

Different engine series, CA GA SR etc guess there is an "E" as well !!!