Miata Mailing List: April 1999, Message #76

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The halfshaft should come right out by prying with a crowbar and a block of
wood.  It is only held in with a C-clip.  I have a new close-up picture of the
single piece halfshaft C-clip end on my drivetrain interchange page.  The only
major difference between the fitment of the and the stub shaft halfshafts are
the groves for the side oil seal are different and may cause long term seal
failure (but that is really unknown and they will probably be OK).  Stop by
Mazmart when in town and talk to Harry too.  -Randy   


>>Help!
Every time I think I have this situation straight, I get a different
story. 

>>(Randy Stocker helped me before. *Thanks Randy*  But I carelessly
deleted his email.)

>>Here's my sad story: 

>>I have a base '96 miata with an open diff. It has the "newer" single
half shafts (Slide straight into the diff housing.)  I wanted an LSD, so
I bought a '95 Torsen I diff. It has the two piece half shafts that bolt
to flanges on stub shafts that stick out of the diff. I got these half
shafts, the stub shafts and the entire carrier assembly. 

>>I've had the parts for a while, and after 2 different day-long attempts
at swapping them, am completely stymied not to mention disgusted.  >:^< 
My desire was to perform this operation in (what I thought would be) the
simplest manner: Swap everything - Diff carriers and half shafts. 

>>No dice. Got the '96 half shafts out of the open diff by disassembling
half the rear suspension. But couldn't get them separated from the wheel
assemblies.  Not even with a press!  >:^( 

>>Now I have another option.  I have access to another diff.  A '96 Torsen
in the same type carrier as is on the car.  I thought "That's great! 
Now I can just swap this new carrier with the open one and be done with
the whole mess!"  :^)

>>Uh, no...  I'm now being told that I can't use the half shafts that are
(permanently!?) attached to my car because "the half shaft ends that
slip into the left and right side of the Torsen II diff are of unequal
lengths".  >:^(