Axle Shaft Install sequence
 

Hi All,
With the Engine/ tranny out, I'm about to reinstall my trailing arms (new bearings & shocks) and wondered if it would be easier to attach the axle shafts to the hubs in the TA's while they're on the bench rather than in the car?
Then once the tranny is in, it's only a matter of bolting the inner CV's to the tranny, tighten the axle nut to draw the hubs in, and apply full torque to the axle nut once she's back on the ground.
Want to be sure I'm not missing anything...or is this SOP?
Thx
j

It is so easy to install the axles with the engine out. Trying to handle a trailing arm with the axle installed will be very difficult, if you are doing it alone.

subscribed

No. He only wants to install the stub axles. But how will he get the massive torque on the nut to pull it all together?

Jerry, I think what you mean is rather than assemble the axles to the TA's while they're on the bench, put the TA's on the car and with the engine out, install the axles into the TA's...correct? I think that makes the most sense.

By the way, checking with Chuck Moreland of ER, he recommended attaching springplates, TA's and Shocks finger-tight, and then with the assembly in "full droop", torque the TA nut followed by the rest.

Chris, as for full torque on the nut, I would plan to do that only once the car has the wheels/ tires on and it's back on the ground, car in gear and E-brake on...the reverse of what I did to get it all apart. I expect to apply a fair amount of grunt to the axle nut to seat the hub into the bearing, and this will happen once the inner CV's are bolted up to the tranny

John

Yes install the axles after the TA goes in the car and before the trans. You'll need to disconnect the shock to get the axle in place, I think. I'd torque the big nuts after the engine is in and the car is on the ground.

If i understand the question...

I installed the tas into my car, then the stub axles, then the half shafts. I followed the same sequence when I did the full suspension refresh on the 914.

I think it would be impossible to reinstall the ta into your car with the half shaft hanging off of the stub axle. My ta installation required lots of rubber mallet massaging and odd yoga to get back in the body mount after I replaced the ta bushings (also with chucks parts).

Really quite easy to install the half shaft after the ta is mounted.