GSP AXLE PROBLEM - URGENT

[ARCHINSTL]

No, not a recall of yours - just a problem with mine.
I installed the wheels and had just tightened the nuts "fairly tight" by hand (no cheater bar) - NOwhere near the 137 ft-lbs necessary. I just wanted to get the wheels on the ground to do the "bounce" and tighten a couple of bushings and then torque the axle nuts (the big OE flat washer was under the nuts).

The wheels were really hard to turn (still raised). Then I noticed the GSP outer dustcovers were being squeezed by the knuckle onto the outer "body" of the axle; there is no gap, which would be necessary for the wheel to turn. I backed off on the nuts all the way, and this eased the pressure and the wheel turned easily.

I did not torque the axle nuts, and obviously did not take it for a drive.

These are the correct axles; the numbers match several vendors, as well as listed on our site several times. There were no directions.

Has anyone else with GSP encountered this? I will call GSP today - but am in a quandary - no one else has mentioned this, whether for GSP or any other axles.
HELP!
Thanks,
Tom M


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EDIT - MEA CULPA to splatterdog - it is his photo I purloined and not neonsport's.
This is his photo of his axle - not mine:


EDIT - MEA CULPA to splatterdog - it is his photo I purloined and not neonsport's.
This is his photo of his axle - not mine:

[splatterdog]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, especially since I gave them my full endorsement a while back. I just double checked mine and the clearance is what I would consider perfect. I had zero interference at install even with rust buildup on the knuckle.

It looks like your shield is pushed on as far as it can be. With the shaft out, how does it compare to mine? Also compare the depth of the large round machined shoulder with the old shafts. If they are dropping too deep into the hub that could cause it also.

[Petros]

It appears that for some reason the axle spline shaft is going further into the the hub spline than it should causing the interference. Is there some kind of spacer or washer on the inside of the hub that is missing? I do not recall anything there (I have replaced axles several times). Perhaps the new axles are machined differently at the shoulder. Even if you did not have the dust covers in place you likely would get binding there.

You need to compare the old axle with the new one if possible. Specifically you need to measure the distance from the shoulder to the dust cover location.

[neonsport]

The only issue I had with mine is that on the driver's axle, the hole for the cotter pin was drilled slightly farther out then the stocker. The only thing this caused was a jingling of the locking ring as I drove the car. I solved it by slightly bending the cotter pin to put pressure on the locking ring. Other than that, my axles have been perfect. I'm still amazed at the ability to turn at full lock, even under power, without a single pop from the axles.

I'm at a loss as to your problem. I'd recommend contacting Rock Auto, and see if they'll have the axles picked up and replaced since they're defective. If not, contact GSP directly and tell them what's happening.

[keith]

I'm inclined to think that the inner wheel bearing race is stuck on your old axles.

[ARCHINSTL]

Well - the GSP tech rep promised to call back after viewing the link to this thread, but never did. Maybe Friday?

His initial reaction AM Wednesday was to recommend removal of the flingers, aka dust covers. He said they were not really needed (I figure they are on there for a reason). He also verified that the numbers are the correct axles. He wanted "the engineer" to take a look at this thread, but said the answer would probably be the same. He thought that perhaps the flinger was not installed far enough...?

keith - the axles came off clean and nothing was hanging to them; they seemed to my eyes to be like the one in your photos of the old vs. new (with the OE-installed flinger). *

neonsport - I'll write Rock Auto tonite, outlining the problem.

Petros - there seems to be no spacer missing. Nothing is shown in the FSM, and when I took out the old axles, the rubber dust deflector was still firmly in place over the bearing seal (NSK, I think). Nothing fell out/off the knuckle upon axle removal. *

splatterdog - the axles are still in the car, pending word from GSP. I don't fancy lying in the wet and cold at this moment to pull them again. They don't really look any different than your GSP pix, although I had no cause to make any measurements before installation.

THANKS to all who took the time to reply. I will post a resolution when, well, resolved. This was indeed disappointing, as I got it all in before the weather changed.

One thing - with the new springs/struts, the car now sits approximately 1 1/2" higher at the front control arm measuring point; LOTS of space between the tire and fender lip. The FSM spec at the control arm bolt is 235mm, my old was about 200mm, and the new is about 238mm, or just above the OE . That is an approximate measurement, as it's on a gravel driveway. I think the headlights' aiming will be a lot better now!
The 13"s look kinda wimpy now.
Tom M.
* This is a photo of the ends of the old axles -did I miss something in their removal? If so, how do I remove it/them?

[keith]

I think you are going to have to pull the new axles and compare the shoulders side by side. Just because the numbers match, sometimes parts get miss numbered in manufacturing or a machine goes out of tolerance. There isn't a lot of clearance there so a machine would not have to go very far out of tolerance to cause a problem like this.

Removing the flingers may provide the required clearance, but I agree with you, some engineer at Toyota was convinced they were necessary and was able to convince the bean counters that the cost was justified or they wouldn't have been there to begin with. The after-market manufacturers probably aren't expecting the customer to be thinking about another 21 years, only a few more years. For only a few more years, the flingers are probably not needed. EMPI didn't think they were needed.

[takza]

I'd compare the old flinger with the new one...I had to straighten one once. Most likely the flinger is made wrong?

[ARCHINSTL]

Forgot to include my "remedy:" I bent the lips of the flingers so they did not rub on the steering knuckle. Kinda black-smithy, but they work.
In July of '08 I had occasion to remove the right axle for work and there was no dirt in the bearing, so apparently it worked.
Tom M.