Axle shafts

Should slide back in. On a heavy shaft I've had to put a pair of vise grips on the bolt flange to help lift the splined end up.

We would assume that it's the original axles or at least the axles that were in it at the time it was disassembled. I guess I would check the spline count or any damage to the splines. Maybe one of the axles was replaced and is now not the correct one? Check the end closely for even one ding in a tooth.

They are the original ones and there is no damage on them in any way.

I want to be clear, I have zero clue what I'm doing here... It's parked in the driveway where it was towed to, still in park, wheels blocked.

So, if I was supposed to do something that any idiot should know, I likely didn't do it lol

NewbRVer.....First, you need to take a break from it for a few minutes so it doesn't make you crazy. You need to get both rear wheels off of the ground. Have someone turn the other side while you try to insert the one that doesn't want to go. Use vicegrips as suggested or something to give you some leverage to tilt the gear end up as you try to insert it.

lol, too late on the crazy part... (I already reached the 'kick it' stage... didn't help lol)

As for the getting it off the ground. Apparently, I don't have a jack for it either... there were some jack stands to put under it after lifting it, just nothing to lift it with first.

I should add... its to the point that the back of the gears are touching the plate, it's just that last mesh that I can't hit.

I point this out because with it still about 6 inches out, you have to get the end (inside) up a bit to get it to go further and that was no problem.

It's just getting the teeth to slide into their spots that isn't happening.

You do not need to jack it up you just need to move the axle shaft back-and-forth as you hold the splined end up. I'd say you lucked out on the first one going in so easily and this one is making up for it.

NewbRVer wrote:
Hello, I just bought an 83 Pace Arrow. It was towed here and the axle shafts were pulled out of it.

I went to put them back in. The first one went in without any issue, a bit of wiggling back and forth to get it to slide in.

The second one, refuses to... I've spent an hour turning it a tooth at a time trying to get it to slide in but it just won't.

Am I missing something? Should I put it in neutral and try to shift it a bit to get it to line up? Something else?

Please help lol

Looks as though you're getting plenty of help with ideas here, so now, I'm assuming that the axles were pulled, so it could be towed and it's also a Chevy. Now, I never could understand why someone would take that option over disconnecting the drive-shaft and maybe someone can offer some insight into that, before someone else finds themselves in the same situation.

Ivylog wrote:
You do not need to jack it up you just need to move the axle shaft back-and-forth as you hold the splined end up. I'd say you lucked out on the first one going in so easily and this one is making up for it.

So, there is no 'one spot' that it has to be in? In other words, turning it tooth by tooth isn't going to happen on one spot that works except just by pure luck which could happen by just wiggling it without tying to turn it?

What would be really helpful is a link to something that actually has diagrams or pictures of this... blindly sticking things into holes and hoping for the best seems like such a bad plan overall lol

tropical36 wrote:

Looks as though you're getting plenty of help with ideas here, so now, I'm assuming that the axles were pulled, so it could be towed and it's also a Chevy. Now, I never could understand why someone would take that option over disconnecting the drive-shaft and maybe someone can offer some insight into that, before someone else finds themselves in the same situation.

Well, you touched on an issue that has been bugging me actually. How do I tell what chasis it is built on? The manual I have for it is just for the RV itself and all things related to that just say, 'See Chasis Manual', but don't actually tell me what it is.

Yes, the axles were pulled for towing. The guy I bought it from was quite clear that he thought they had to be pulled to tow it. From searching online though, I've seen both ways suggested.

There seem to be pros and cons on both sides of the argument. I have no clue as to which is 'better' though.