Never Heard of CV Break

[4Runner202020]

So i was wheelin on sunday and i lost power to my front wheels and only my rear were spinnin. Everyone i was with said broken cv but all the boots and visible parts looked good. Then axleike said maybe vacume lines and all those looked ok too. Then i realized gear oil was drippin from my driverside cv connection and the cv was popped out a little not giving it a good seal anymore lettin oil leak so i hammered it back in and thought it was good to go but i still didn't get power to the front tires... So one of my buddies and i went to change my cv yesterday and got it out and realized that the 3in section of the cv that goes intl the housing clean broke in half. that is in solid steal that broke in half!!! so there was still a 1.5in piece of the axle in the diff still while the rest came out. i had never heard of this before and it is going to be a pain to get out!!! i was told by some to drop the diff to get it out and by the mechanic where i work that i can open the housing and try and pop it out that way without dropping the diff. the thing that makes this so hard to get out is that the c-clip is still in place at the end of the axle which whoever of you know that has changed you own cv before that it is a pain to get in let alone get out so i will with the help of other try and get this out. sorry i didn't get any pics of it but on sunday i will and post them up here.

bobby

[AxleIke]

Bobby, its actually more common than you think. Quite a few folks have had issue with that.

I thought it might be that when popping it back in didn't work. Its pretty rare to see a clip come loose.

The reason I suggested dropping the diff is because you likely have chunks of broken axle in there. Its not good for that to grind around in the gears. It will also make getting the shaft out MUCH easier. I think you'll find that drilling the axle is damn near impossible, as it is hardened steel.

Often when an axle breaks, there are big chunks that won't come through the drain plug, so draining oil doesn't work.

Up to you, but I HIGHLY recommend taking the diff out, and opening it up, to both clean it, and get the broken shaft out.

[Good Times]

:good:

[BruceTS]

I doubt you got any metal inside. The easiest way to get the piece out is to remove the jackshaft on the passenger side, then simply take a thin screwdriver or punch to pop the piece out the other side. That's how I've always done it. If your that worried, drain the oil and refill.

BTW those torx bolts are a PITA to remove, so get the proper size before trying.....

You don't need to remove the diff....

[4Runner202020]

i didn't think of hittin it from the other side. that could make things way easier!!! thanks bruce.

[Lee]

this happened in my friend's taco.. i believe he drilled into it, then extracted it...

ill ask him.

[20005spd]

this happened in my friend's taco.. i believe he drilled into it, then extracted it...

ill ask him.
he did drill it. i think he taped it with enough thread to use a slide hammer. but pulling out the other axle to hit it from the other side seems better. once you get the peice out you can match it with the other broken peice of shaft and see if your missing any big chunks.

[BruceTS]

Just to make sure you understand what I wrote earlier, you have to pull the jackshaft tube after the axle is removed. That's the part with the ADD actuator attached to it.

[20005spd]

Just to make sure you understand what I wrote earlier, you have to pull the jackshaft tube after the axle is removed. That's the part with the ADD actuator attached to it.
what do you mean by jackshaft?

[Lee]

this happened in my friend's taco.. i believe he drilled into it, then extracted it...

ill ask him.
he did drill it. i think he taped it with enough thread to use a slide hammer. but pulling out the other axle to hit it from the other side seems better. once you get the peice out you can match it with the other broken peice of shaft and see if your missing any big chunks.
yup that is what he did

definitely a better option to try first imo. it took him a matter of minutes and minimal effort.

[BruceTS]

Sometimes those retainning clips hold that broken piece in so tight that even after drilling they still don't want to come out.

[AxleIke]

I'm curious as to why you feel there isn't any broken shaft in there Bruce.

I've never seen a CV break, either early IFS or late IFS, that didn't have some residual pieces from the break.

Not being a dick here, just wondering.

[BruceTS]

I'm curious as to why you feel there isn't any broken shaft in there Bruce.

I've never seen a CV break, either early IFS or late IFS, that didn't have some residual pieces from the break.

Not being a dick here, just wondering.


Usually they snap off fairly clean outside of the outer bearing, and the axle assy drops out. If by chance any debri does make it's way into the diff, the magnetic drain plug catches it, not enough to worry about tearing down to bother with.

If you drill the busted portion of the axle you actually create more debri that the break causes. There's a narrow spot between the bearing and outer seal that the metal shavings can drop between. I usually just smear some grease in there before driling then clean it out afterwards. Now if the broken axle is allowed to rub against the other half, you can wear off material, even then all I'd do is change the oil to clean it out.

[AxleIke]

Got it. Thanks.

[BruceTS]

what do you mean by jackshaft?

The jackshaft is the intermediate shaft assembly between the diff and the cv axle.

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/2000/Repair%20Manual/Suspension%20and%20Axle/Front%20Diff%20Carrier/comp.pdf

Scroll down to SA-50 intermediate shaft No. 1, the spline end is identical to the inner CV's, this has to come out to get access.

[RunnerUp]

ok i think i have a bad cv, whenever i turn right i feel something that doesnt seem right, how do i check this out to verify the cause?

[Lee]

just grab it shake it.. if it rattles around, its broken.

cv breakage usually means you have an accompanying noise though.