Are you using the clip that came with the new axle or are you using the old clip? With the clip on the axle, are you able to compress the clip? The clip has to be able to compress a little in order for it to snap into the groove on the diff shaft.

:iagree:

This is the hardest part, everything else is easy on this approach.

Sorry, was out of town for a while....anyway, are there any tips to getting the ring to collapse?

Grease and a little force. ;)

On the outer joint (CV) you can also pinch the clip a little as it enters the CV socket and it pops on in. I don't think you can do this on the inner joint.

Make sure the open ends of the clip is located down in the groove. They should not be sticking up.

Two things, a little grease as mentioned on the clip and the axle grove. Another trick that has worked is a small screw driver to center it on the shaft as you compress it. It will just "snap" in with a push of the hub/rotor.

I worked with another member on a third member's 4.6is for 2 hrs to get it to snap in with no luck. A quick turn of the axle, and centering the clip it snapped in in 2 secs. I slapped myself for two days on not having thought of it in the first 60 minutes.:doh::smackass:

The key is to re-use the old C-clips from the axles you pull out. Do not use the new ones that come with the new axles. I had a Volkswagen tech help with the job and he said that the compression of the C-clip is what causes the majority of the resistance sliding the new axles in. In his experience new clips are more springy and cause significantly more resistance.

So put old C-clips on then use the axle itself as its own slidehammer to bang them in.

Thanks for the above responses (don't know how to multi-quote on me phone), you guys have given me a few new options that I hadn't tried. I plan on tackling this tonight (and probably into tomorrow....



Thanks

Using the advice from the forum I removed all of the hub components, pulled out the half/shaft, put the clip down, slid back in and "slide hammered" it in. Originally, I was using a rubber mallet to hit the end of the shaft, however after I starting moving the shaft like the girl in the "shake weight" infomercial, I realized I wasn't using enough force. Only took about 3 "shake weight pumps" and it was in.

Reassembly went smoothly.....BUT THEN.....

I lower the jack (work was being done in front passenger side) and I hear the rear passenger side squeak the entire time I was lowering the jack....even after the car was level it was still squeaking....

I take for a test drive, the thing was squeaking terribly, every bump I hit....also accompanied by "thuds" all coming from the rear passenger tire. I am only about 1/2 block down the alley from my house.....I, thinking the worst, that I messed up something with the axle, so I slowly reverse down the alley, back into the garage.

Pushing/lifting on the bumper, moving the rear sway bar (not sure if that is the technical name) as well as pushing and pulling on the wheel when lifted, all recreated the squeak.

I took off the wheel and lubricanted all the rubber joints/bushings I could find. Visually inspected them and they were all in, what appears to be, very good shape.

It is terribly loud, too loud to drive anywhere....

Possible Clues: I had brought the car to shop about a week ago to have the resonator removed and X-pipe installed, so it was on a lift for about 2hrs. When I drove it home I am sure I would have noticed the squeak, as I was closely listening to the cars "new sounds." The shop is only about 1/2 mile from my house. I got home and started working on the cv joint repair, so the front passenger side was jacked up....then was gone for about a week, I returned home and finished the CV job about 10days later. (Meaning the car passenger front side was jacked up for 10days).

I have only owned this car a short while, but prior to me doing the cv joint, it was extremely quiet.

It's a 2001 with 150k on it.

Do ball joints just "blow out" instantly and go from fine, to the loudest ghetto car ever??

I would loosen all the bushings fasteners and retighten them with the weight of the car on the suspension.