lawsrolf

Driver side axle shaft/output shaft separated from differential front wheel drive. Unable to locate the snap ring that is supposed to hold it in the differential. Some people say there is no snap ring on the shaft and others say the snap ring is inside the differential. This is a 2.41 ratio differential and if I have to I will have to replace the entire differential. Anyone have any experience with something like this. When pushing the output shaft into the differential it should snap into place but it does not, it just slides back and forth by grabbing the flange and pulling it out and in without any resistance.

Greg Rogers

I'm really surprised no one has answered this, I am curious myself. Anyway not sure I ever did a 79 Toronado- (I may have, as I did a bunch working at a Montgomery Ward Auto center back then) but all the axles I ever pulled out of any of the older FWD cars from the early 80's, ( Citations,Escorts, K cars-etc) had a type of cir-clip that fit in a grove in the axle and when seated, the clip fit in a groove in the female socket or whatever it's called. This clip would hold the axle from moving out unless the was a lot of pressure as when someone was prying on it. The factory tool was a slide hammer with a claw that you would grab the inner CV joint and pull out the axle. I just used a huge screwdriver or crowbar type lever to "POP" the axle out. The clip would compress in and the axle and would come out and stay attached in the groove of the axle. Then to put back in you would just "pop" it back in . You could feel it seat. Can you see a grove on the inner CV Joint? If so can you go to a parts store and look at a new inner joint or axle? Well hopefully a Toro guy will answer up who knows for sure....