Reinstall Half Shafts

[Duffman]

I searched to see if I could find an answer but was unsuccessful. I removed my half shafts to have new Spicer u-joints installed. Was an easy removal, but I failed to mark the shafts to make sure I reinstalled them at the same location on each side. Is there any special way that they install? Will I be able to tell how they line up without marking them prior? Wish I had paid better attention to this, but I did not!

[beermanpete]

There is no left/right shaft and there is no issue with indexing them. If I remember correctly the bolt holes are on a rectangle so you have to make sure all the holes line up but that is it. Intsall the shaft so the end that is larger in diameter is toward the differential.

Edited October 15, 2011 by beermanpete
spelling/typos

[Zed Head]

What beerman says. I've had several different half-shafts on my car (so the original orientation was lost in transit) and never noticed a vibration.

Make sure the mating surfaces are clean and smooth,without any gouges or old dirt, so that they lay parallel and the bolts don't loosen. If you used a screwdriver or similar to pry them apart (not recommended but common, I'm sure) when you took them off, there might a be a small gouge or two that needs to be smoothed down. The wheel side has a raised ring that fits in to to a groove. Clean those up so that they seat properly.

[240260280z]

I found the best way to install was to pull the wheel off and play with box end wrenches and extensions while rotating the shaft so that I could get a wrench on the nuts. At certain places in the rotation, it is easier to turn some of the nuts. Actually I am about to install the same shafts and may find a better way than how I did it 8 years ago when I started wrenching. Click

[Duffman]

Thanks, everyone, appreciate the response! Thought I had screwed up something else!

[240260280z]

Nah, you are not special: we all were there too.