I have a 1990 Tracker and need some help getting the passenger side CV axle into the front differential. The CV axle has a retainer clip that I can't get to compress and fully seat itself into the front differential.

Any ideas or short cuts? Can I just remove the retainer clip? If I remove it will it cause it a problem?

Thanks in advance

I have a 1990 Tracker and need some help getting the passenger side CV axle into the front differential. The CV axle has a retainer clip that I can't get to compress and fully seat itself into the front differential.

Any ideas or short cuts? Can I just remove the retainer clip? If I remove it will it cause it a problem?

Thanks in advance

Yes it WILL cause a problem if you remove it. The factory put that retainer clip in ther to make sure that the seal between the axle shaft and the differential housing is tight.  No retainer - the differential experiences  a quick death caused by dirt and water getting through an open seal.

You just are not trying hard enough.  Wobble the axle shaft until it mates with the sidegear splines and then slam that puppy in until it seats.  You should be able to connect to the sidegear splines before the retainer "slows you down" so to speak.  I just finished rebuilding the front end (struts, tierods, ball joints...) on my '96 Tracker - which I believe is identical to a '90 Tracker - and was successful in seating the passenger side axle shaft.

The ONLY other reason why you can't seat the axle shaft would be that you have done some parts swapping in the differential and the sidegear splines no longer match the axle shaft's splines.  Alternatively, if the axle shaft is a replacement, it may be the WRONG replacement - ie it is not actually a replacement for a '90 Tracker.

I hope that this helps!
 

Thanks for the info.
It is a new CV axle without any changes to the differential. The CV axle will start to go in and then stops against the retaining clip. I know sizes and splines are correct because I took off the retaining clip and it slid right in. I have the engine out and the diff is completely loose. I was hoping to be able to install the new CV without taking the entire front wheel and hub apart again. I am not sure how I can "slam that puppy" together.
Any thoughts for this type of install?

Thanks again

if i read you right, you really do need to "slap" it in there.
the ring should collapse a bit and it will pop in.
ring may be slightly larger now?
i would expect you will still need to move that knuckle around some to get the other end in.
mabe

You prob weren't holding your tongue right! LOL! Always works for me!

Take a thick grease or assembly lube and put all over the clip centering it as good as you can on the axle (using the grease to hold it in place) then insert the shaft until it bottoms out on the clip. At that point you should be able to tap it in. Hitting it to hard without the clip centered up will bend the clip out of shape and you will need to replace it. Aftermarket/rebuilt axles usually have these pain in the  clips (stock Suzuki has clips that fit better).

HTH,
Zig

I still have the stock CV axle and I am going to swap out the retaining clips and see if that makes a difference. In comparing the 2 clips, the stock one is slightly different. I may not get to it until later this week. I will let you know what the outcome is.

Also, this project is a frame off restoration and a rebuild of 2 trackers combining to make one very nice unit. I have a 1990 for the engine and drive train (70,000 original miles) and a 1994 completely rust free body and frame. 3" suspension lift, 235 tires, customer front and rear bumpers, full skid plates, rocker rails, etc. I should be done with it in about a month and I will post pictures when it is completed.

Thanks for the help, it is appreciated.

Quick update. After struggling with the new CV axle for quite some time without success, I put the stock retaining clip from the original CV Axle onto the new CV Axle and with just a little finesse it slipped right in and locked into position.

Thought I might share this to help eliminate someone else the struggle.

Great tip Zig, thanks for the help.