Hello. I searched on this forum but couldn't find a topic about this. I recently put a new clutch in my 96 civic and started it up without tightening the axle nut. I placed in first gear to see if the cluch and tranny works. I heard a light thud and stopped the engine. I looked down where the axles where and the splines came out a bit.

It popped out a bit but luckily my axle is ok. So now I'm trying to push the drive axle back into the transmission and it won't seat all the way in. Did putting the tranmission in 1st gear lock it up or something?

 

pull it out of first gear and put it back into neutral that should solve your problem.

 

actually I'm having the exact same problem in a 97' civic and no matter what I do I cannot get the axle to lock in the tranny, I've gone through three axles now thinkin that was the problem but still nothing, try'd the neutral thing and nothing! I just hope its not the tranny, so If anyone has any advise that might help me get my dd back up in running it would be very much appreciated its been way wayyy to long!

 

get some spline grease and lube it up and try slipping it back in. it takes a lot to get it in sometimes. You will want to make sure that you didn't screw up the bearing visually check to see if there is any damage. Make sure the axle nut is off also so that you have all the free play you can get.

 

Grease i up and inspect the retaining clip. Try replacing it.

 

make sure the retaining clip's open end is facing downward

 

u might have to play with the axles for it to go in.. i usually flip the exle nut and hammer it there while twisting the axle at the same time until you got that positive feel of the axle.

 

I've tryed now for days to just wiggle this thing in there, I made sure the clip was facein down(when I put it in atleast, dont know exactly how long it stays like that due to twisting back and forth) but still no luck now my buddie also told me some thing about the axle nut, turnin it backwards and hittin it with a hammer. but not the exact details do I need to have it all setup castle nut on the ball joint and all then hit it from th outside of the caliper?? or do I push that stuff outta the way and kinda hold it and hit it?? also I read on another forum uh he took a 2x4 and had his brother hold it against the cv joint and hit that with a hammer. so you think this would be safe to do or could it possibly damage it further? really I am doing this by myself minus the information from my handy manual and when I sometimes ask my sister to help hold the break and stuff outta my way but you know how that goes... anyway thanks for the info so far plz send more I really need to get this thing going anything helps really I'm down to try just about anything to get this thing running thanks

 

also I'm thinkin(hoping) its my axle I've heard from many people they can be a pain, but could it possibly be something in the tranny like maybe something stopping it from going in?? I really do hope thats not the case but still ya never know... any info much appreciated and again thanks for everything so far

 

did you make sure you have the correct axle for your car? They can be a bitch but ou shouldn't be struggling this much. I would hit a balanced rotating piece of a car with a hammer but that just me.