Half shaft replacement - Wrong part

[mike mcclurg]

The half-shaft that Advance Auto got for me was wrong.
Apparently it is not east getting these for an ’89
100q. I heard from another lister who got
"wrong-shafted" also. Like I told you last time, I did
measure both sides on my car and the right one was 1
inch longer than the left. 21 and 20 inches between
two easily identified points on each shaft. When I
went to pick up the one that AA had, I went in with my
tape measure and the one that they said would fit both
sides measured about 20.5 inches, so they must have
split the difference. I had already made up my mind
that I would not pick it up since I was not confident
that it would fit properly. Boy was I right. Not only
was the length wrong, but instead of a bolt in the
wheel end, it had a nut on a long threaded end. I’m
sure that would not have worked out. So beware.

By the way, the guy at the counter did have a tip for
me. He said there was/is an outfit called Drive Axle
Express or something like that and they will pick up
your old axle, rebuild it and deliver it back to you.
Swore he saw their truck recently but we couldn’t find
them in the Kansas City phone book. Anybody know of
them or a similar service?

I’m more convinced than ever that it is a tire problem
anyway. Going to get them re-balanced and watch them
spin. May have a real bad wear problem or a separated
belt or something.

Thanks for all the help.

Mike

--- mike mcclurg <rrrrraudi at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Well, there is definitely a difference between the
> left and right half shafts. Got under and measured
> them last night and the right is about 1 inch
> longer.
> Really makes me curious about why Advance Auto
> thinks
> one number fits both sides.
> 
> Also, someone suggested that axial free-play may not
> mean that the shaft is bad. Made me curious so I did
> some more investigation. Turns out that the
> free-play
> is only noticeable when the wheel is in the air, not
> when suspension is normally loaded. When I put the
> car
> up on ramps, there is no free-play. Now I am
> starting
> to wonder if it is a tire thing. Actually, this
> vibration started after I rotated the tires. I had
> previously understood that you were not supposed to
> rotate radials from one side to the other, just
> front
> to back. However, lately I’ve been told that modern
> radials no longer have problems in being rotated
> side
> to side, so guess what I did? Yep, swapped fronts
> side
> to side and rears the same way. Who’s right?
> 
> Guess I will swap them back and see if the vibration
> goes away, or is it already too late?
> 
> Still searching for an answer,
> Mike
> 
> 
> > > mike mcclurg wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Patient is an '89 100q. Have been noticing
> > > > increasingly worse vibration from front.
> Already
> > > > replaced tie rod ends. They were bad. Still
> had
> > > > vibration. Now notice that the left half shaft
> > has
> > > > about 1/8 inch of free play lengthwise. Is
> this
> > > bad,
> > > > or rather how bad is this?
> > > > Figure it is best to replace the whole half
> > shaft.
> > > $97
> > > > exchange through Advance Auto.
> > > > Couple questions:
> > > > 1. The guy at the counter shows me the screen
> > and
> > > both
> > > > left and right are the same. Family Album
> shows
> > a
> > > > difference of exactly one in the parts code.
> Are
> > > they
> > > > truly the same, or close enough that one can
> fit
> > > > either side?
> > > > 2. Do I simply have to loosen/remove the big
> > bolt
> > > on
> > > > the end of the axle, then loosen/remove the
> > > > triple-square headed bolts at the other end
> and
> > > then
> > > > the shaft will come out? Bentley is not clear
> at
> > > all.
> > > > Oh yeah, I did read the note that says not to
> > roll
> > > the
> > > > wheel with the axle out.
> > > > 3. What is the size of the triple-square? Best
> > > place
> > > > to find them?
> > > > Thanks in advance,
> > > > Mike
> > > >
> > > >
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> > 
> > 
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> 
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