new Dana 30 axle shaft won't slide in all the way

'97 4 door SE with Dana 30 non-disconnect front axle

I'm replacing the axle shafts. The driver's side went in perfectly, however the passenger side isn't going in all the way. It needs to slide in about 1" more but won't budge. I've tried turning the yoke and the driver's side wheel hub to align the splines but it hasn't helped. I measured the new shaft and it is the same length as the old one. I know the splines are at least partially engaged because I can get the passenger side axle shaft to turn by turning the other wheel hub, but something is keeping them from engaging all the way. Because of that I also know that the end of the shaft is making it past the axle seal without issue.

Any advice?

I guess I need to pull the diff cover next.

The diff still has its factory bar code and PN#: 0671-7 in case that helps inform axle and diff information.

Assuming the new axles are the right length, you probably are not lifting the splined end high enough to engage the differential.
I hold the hub, pulling outward on the top and pushing inward on the bottom, to lift the splined end.
At the same time, rotate the axle slightly side to side, to aid the engagement.

Agree with lazyxj. ...
Had the same issue when I replaced the axel seals in mine.....used a pry bar and lots of colorful language. Stopped and took a break. ....pulled it out and it slid right in. The seal makes it a pain sometimes getting it lined up right.

Thanks guys. I'm double check the new axle shaft against the old one more time to make sure they're identical and then I'll play around with it a little more per your suggestions. I'll report back on what I find.

I am not to sure that your year (I know the slightly newer model years do) had guide rings on the shafts. They are nylon and slip on the shaft at the splined end and typically would sit about 1-2" inbound of the splined end. They free float on the shaft. They are there (if they were put there by spicer to start) to help guide the shaft in during assembly and to lift he shaft end in to the seal ID.

If they were there to start, it is very common for them to fall off when sliding the shaft out and sit in the tube. If / when that happens, and the shaft is reinstalled, its very poss to take that nylon ring and push it in to the seal/carrier. And then the shaft wont go all the way in.

Just one other small possibility. Take the shaft out, and get a good flashlight and look in there well.

Well, there's the not so obvious also...

...when I had that issue, I realized that my axle tube was bent and wasn't seating all the way.

Have you checked that? Was the old pax side shaft hard to remove, like it had some tension on it?

RWKHausSupply said:

I am not to sure that your year (I know the slightly newer model years do) had guide rings on the shafts. They are nylon and slip on the shaft at the splined end and typically would sit about 1-2" inbound of the splined end. They free float on the shaft. They are there (if they were put there by spicer to start) to help guide the shaft in during assembly and to lift he shaft end in to the seal ID.

If they were there to start, it is very common for them to fall off when sliding the shaft out and sit in the tube. If / when that happens, and the shaft is reinstalled, its very poss to take that nylon ring and push it in to the seal/carrier. And then the shaft wont go all the way in.

Just one other small possibility. Take the shaft out, and get a good flashlight and look in there well.

Click to expand...

Hmmmm, this seems possible. I can see down the axle tube pretty well but I'm not sure how to tell the difference between a guide and an axle seal... one thing worth noting is that I can get the yoke to turn when I turn the passenger side axle shaft, which makes me think that the splines are barely engaged but won't slide in all the way. That makes me think that if there is an axle shaft guide stuck in the tube, then I'm at least getting partially past it.

Cottontail said:

Well, there's the not so obvious also...

...when I had that issue, I realized that my axle tube was bent and wasn't seating all the way.

Have you checked that? Was the old pax side shaft hard to remove, like it had some tension on it?

Click to expand...

I don't think the axle tube is bent. It looks straight as an arrow and this jeep has never seriously been wheeled as far as I know. There is some tension on the new axle shaft when I try and pull it back out however. It seems that the splines are partially engaging and then don't want to release again, even though they won't slide the whole way in.

I took a picture of the inside of the axle tube that is giving me trouble:

Why don't you put the axle shaft in and then put the hub in and snug up the axle nut and then take a picture of the axle C showing the dust shield. I've been reading this post by post but don't really understand the issue from the thread messages. If the tube was bent enough you should be able to "see" the problem. The drivers side being as short as it is is easy to hold straight and put right in. The drivers side being longer is harder to install. But they both only go in so far.

Are the splines on the new shaft the same length as the splines on the old and are there any burrs or damage on the new shaft splines?

Are there the same number of splines on the new and old shaft? Worth a check.

So I finally got it sorted out... turns out the splines were partially engaging but some friction (still not sure what) kept me from pushing the axle shaft all the way in by hand. I had read that it was bad idea to try and force it with a hammer because pounding on the outer spindle at the wheel hub might damage the u-joint, but I thought a little bit more force was needed.

I ended up pulling the knuckle off, so that I could bend the u-joint completely out of the way and strike the main shaft's ear directly with a 3 lb. sledge. Once I could do that it didn't take much force and the shaft slid this rest of the way home. Then I was sure it worked, so I pulled the shaft back out, reinstalled the knuckle and repeated the process but I used a flat carpenter's pry bar like a crooked nail punch to apply force to the axle shaft ear around the knuckle, if that makes any sense. Basically the pry bar's short end was placed on the axle shaft ear (behind the u-joint and perpendicular to the axle shaft) and the long end of the pry bar fit nicely around the knuckle and and parallel to the axle shaft, where I could hit it with the sledge. It worked!

I think in the end the lesson is that I was probably just being a little too careful.

They should not require any striking devices or prying to go in. It's a simple splined joint after all. Usually once the splines are engaged it just goes in smoothly.

Sounds like it had some burrs on it or maybe the splines were cut every so slightly shallow.