Front Axle Shaft Boot Change

[canadiankid]

It should turn opposite. Its an open diff. You dont have it seated right. I think. I dont know how front driveshaft out affects this. Mine turns in opposite directions.

[95BMWIC]

Hmmmmm

Front drive shaft out shouldn't matter.. right..?

I need to re-check then..

[nando]

It only affects it if you only jack up the rear

[95BMWIC]

It only affects it if you only jack up the rear

NANDO: I'm sorry.... I am still a bit confused..

After pulling out the axlehaft and reinstalling it.. (and measuring depth) I am sure I have it all the way in.. (see pic.. the blue line is parallel with case... I can only get a screw drive tip in if I angle it a little bit..)

I beat on it so hard I damaged the threads somewhat.. (yes I had the nut flush.. but now it is hard to get on and off the first few threads..)

I can get the far tire to move in opposite direction if and only if I go real real slow... but otherwise I can turn it freely without the passenger tire turning..

I have no front driveshaft installed..

So if I don't jack up the rear, this is normal? without a front driveshaft?

[95BMWIC]

I thought I might post this in case it helps someone else..

Here is how we (my neighbor thought of it) got the circlip open to slide the shaft out for boot install..

at this point just pull with you free hand and one guy can do it..

[nando]

I'm saying, if you have all of the front drivetrain removed (or a CV shaft not engaged in the front diff), and you jack up the front of the car, and the car won't move, the VC is dead.

none of what you describe is "normal".

[95BMWIC]

I'm saying, if you have all of the front drivetrain removed (or a CV shaft not engaged in the front diff), and you jack up the front of the car, and the car won't move, the VC is dead.

none of what you describe is "normal".

I have the car jacked up in the front. The car is not running nor is it in gear. I have no front driveshaft installed.

I am manually turning the front tire.. nothing is happening to the other front tire..


So how would you know the VC is bad? ( Iam just trying to get my head around this...)

How would the VC be affected if there is not a front driveshaft installed and the manual transmission is out of gear?

[nando]

it doesn't have anything to do with the VC.

try to drive the car with the front end up in the air. if it won't move, the VC is dead.

[95BMWIC]

Thanks Nando.. I understand what you are talking about now....

I was trying to understand if I had a problem with my front diff or if I did not get the axle shafts seated properly..

What I learned from another forum is that "the front diff on an iX is an open differential. (sic) and when the other tire is not spinning, the input flange is. (sic) it is normal operation. If you stop the input flange from turning, the opposite wheel should turn freely in the opposite direction"..Richardodn..

The opposite wheels do turn when I hold the input flange...

If I don't hold the input flange, I can spin one tire and the other tire does not spin but the input flange does spin.

[nando]

If I don't hold the input flange, I can spin one tire and the other tire does not spin but the input flange does spin.

that is normal.

[flyboyx]

with your front driveshaft out, just try to drive the car normally without jacking up anything. if it goes forward under its own power, your viscous coupling in the transfer case is good.

instead of doing the jack test you can just jack one front wheel off the ground and try to spin it(with the front drive shaft installed) if you can spin this one lone suspended wheel without a hell of a lot of effort, your vc is bad. this is all you really need to do to test your transfer case. the jack test is actually unnecessary.

[95BMWIC]

We have been driving the car normally. So this is a good sign eh?

I have a front drive shaft now, so I just need to re-install...

Need to search for some info on Guibos, seals, bolts etc.. That is my next project..

[e30jake]

Is a small gap between the CV casing (I guess that's what it's called) and the front diff normal? I just did mine and have a gap maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of an inch wide. I could turn one axle easily with both wheels off and the other axle would spin, so I figured it would be fine.

[95BMWIC]

The following pic shows that I am able to get a large screwdriver flat head in between the axle shaft and housing. There is a little space - I would guess a 1/8 to a 1/4 inch.. depending on angle

[e30jake]

Good. I put everything back together and drove it to get an alignment with it like that and was worried about it all day. Thanks, now I can relax haha