altima drive shaft installation

Hi,

I need your help on inserting drive shaft into tranaaxle
for 97 Nissan Altima GXE Automatic (driver side). The
old shaft is already out of the car.

1: Nissan manual refers to a tool (J34297) to set along the
inner circumference of the trans seal and then insert
drive axle. Is this tool necessary to have.

2: Per Service manual, be sure to align serrations of the
axle shaft and then withdraw the tool. Question is that
serration need to align to what. I can not see inside
of the tranny through seal hole.

3: Serrations on the half shaft are shrap, how to protect the
seal from serrations cutting into. Trying to avoid fluid
leak.

4: How to make sure that circular clip or snap ring at
end of the shaft is properly meshed with side gear.
What if clip is not seated or meshed, does this clip needs
to be aligned when shaft is inserted.

5: Is trany has to be in park or neutral when shaft is
inserted.

suren wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I need your help on inserting drive shaft into tranaaxle
> for 97 Nissan Altima GXE Automatic (driver side). The
> old shaft is already out of the car.
>
> 1: Nissan manual refers to a tool (J34297) to set along the
> inner circumference of the trans seal and then insert
> drive axle. Is this tool necessary to have.
>
> 2: Per Service manual, be sure to align serrations of the
> axle shaft and then withdraw the tool. Question is that
> serration need to align to what. I can not see inside
> of the tranny through seal hole.
>
> 3: Serrations on the half shaft are shrap, how to protect the
> seal from serrations cutting into. Trying to avoid fluid
> leak.
>
> 4: How to make sure that circular clip or snap ring at
> end of the shaft is properly meshed with side gear.
> What if clip is not seated or meshed, does this clip needs
> to be aligned when shaft is inserted.
>
> 5: Is trany has to be in park or neutral when shaft is
> inserted.

Forget about using the factory tool. When installing the axle through
the seal, be sure to guide it in carefully and avoid any contact with
the seal if possible. Support the inner joint with one hand to
accomplish this, while feeding the shaft towards the transaxle with
your other hand.

Once the joint is as far as it will go into the trans without force,
spin it back and forth while applying light pressure until you feel the
axle splines catch on the matching internal splines of the side gear.
To verify that you are partway in the splines, you can attempt to
rotate the shaft -- if the opposite side axle turns, you are there. (Of
course the other side wheel needs to be off of the ground for it to
turn)

Now keep pressure on the inner joint and try to keep it as centered as
possible with one hand, and push the axle towards the trans with the
other hand with sharp blows until the inner joint goes all the way in
and seats it's C-clip. This step uses the inner joint's plunge action
as a kind of slide hammer to facilitate compressing the C-clip. The
steadying hand must do it's job well, or you may damage the seal if the
joint were to pop out partially during this operation.

Make sure the differential resevoir (if separate) or trans is full of
oil when you are done.

Toyota MDT in MO

>
> Forget about using the factory tool. When installing the axle through
> the seal, be sure to guide it in carefully and avoid any contact with
> the seal if possible.

I will not think about buying special tool so that axle is aligned
in trany.

Support the inner joint with one hand to
> accomplish this, while feeding the shaft towards the transaxle with
> your other hand.
>
> Once the joint is as far as it will go into the trans without force,
> spin it back and forth while applying light pressure until you feel the
> axle splines catch on the matching internal splines of the side gear.
> To verify that you are partway in the splines, you can attempt to
> rotate the shaft -- if the opposite side axle turns, you are there. (Of
> course the other side wheel needs to be off of the ground for it to
> turn)

I take it that trany has to be in neutral before inserting the axle.

>
> Now keep pressure on the inner joint and try to keep it as centered as
> possible with one hand, and push the axle towards the trans with the
> other hand with sharp blows until the inner joint goes all the way in
> and seats it's C-clip. This step uses the inner joint's plunge action
> as a kind of slide hammer to facilitate compressing the C-clip. The
> steadying hand must do it's job well, or you may damage the seal if the
> joint were to pop out partially during this operation.

Thanks a lot for this kind of detailed explanation. I think tightening
the big nut on the axle at wheel might pressed or messed the c-clip
with gear.

>
> Make sure the differential resevoir (if separate) or trans is full of
> oil when you are done.
>
> Toyota MDT in MO
>