# CV axle carrier bearing cant get all the way into carrier **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 26, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909 "2021-11-26T21:31:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick.nielsen1991_154579)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/1 "2021-11-26T21:31:23Z")
Hello, we have a problem with getting the CV axle back in place in the carrier. The locking dowels are turning away from the cylinder, but we cant seem to get it all the way into the cylinder. It is a Citroen C4 I 1.6 from 2005 Any help or tips are much appreciated. All the best. [IMG\_20211126\_135922315|375x500](https://community.cartalk.com/uploads/short-url/woawTYyWL6fONmYbX7tN8mcc32W.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/2 "2021-11-26T22:37:55Z")
Don’t know anything about Citroens, not a mechanic, and others will chime in, but I always used a long screwdriver and a mallet against the ridges to seat it in the spring clip. I don’t know about dowels but normally it is a circlip or spring that expands as you push the axle in and then contracts to hold the axle once in place, but takes a little effort to get it back in place. ---
**Author:** ![patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick.nielsen1991_154579)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/3 "2021-11-27T00:00:55Z")
Thank you for the reply 🙂 maybe if the two dowels come over the bearing and then tighten them afterwards to push the bearing in place? All the best. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/4 "2021-11-27T00:28:45Z")
I think we have a difference in terminology with dowels and bearings. Have no idea what that means. How did you get it out? Normally you use a slide hammer on the axle as it goes into the transmission to jerk it out. In normal cars it is just a split C ring that holds it in. As you pull on it, the ring expands to release it and putting it back in is just the reverse but takes some effort. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 2:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/5 "2021-11-27T02:29:14Z")
It is probably like the other cars. As mentioned a C ring that has to snap in. Watch a youtube video on how to do it on other cars. I have done both side on wife’s Hyundai Sonata and the videos are online. The first time you do it, snapping it in is a bit tricky. You have to keep it straight and just jam it in. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2021, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/6 "2021-11-27T14:03:53Z")
Did you measure the old axle and new axle? With a caliper? You removed a part. And put back another part. No guarantees they are identical. If they are, then I put the issue on installer. ---
**Author:** ![patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick.nielsen1991_154579)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/7 "2021-12-01T19:51:31Z")
The two axles are identical, and outside the vehicle it goes in just fine? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/8 "2021-12-01T20:07:59Z")
> [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](#): > > outside the vehicle it goes in just fine? Sorry but this makes no sense to me. You are inserting the axle into the transmission, right? How do you do that outside the vehicle? At any rate, that inner CV joint slides a little in and out and should still have the plastic holding clip device on so that you don’t extend it too far. Possibly with the axle in the wheel bearing, it will not extend far enough to be inserted into the C clip? You have to be very careful you do not extend it too far or you will ruin the CV joint and never get it back together. How do I know? They were only a little over $100 or so and in stock. Did you look at the Youtube? I’m at a loss to further understand the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/9 "2021-12-01T20:28:41Z")
Two piece axles usually don’t have a C clip on the transmission end of the axle, the bearing carrier holds the axle in place. Either the splines on the axle don’t match the transmission or the bearing does not fit the carrier. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/7/370696a506e858557875457649500e48dacc0a31.png) ---
**Author:** ![patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick.nielsen1991_154579)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/10 "2021-12-01T20:43:21Z")
Thanks for the answers, i tried to remove the carrier and insert the driveshaft, outside the car and it went fine, when i insert the driveshft into the transmission without the carrier it goes all the way in. strange… ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/11 "2021-12-01T20:48:30Z")
Is the bearing on the new axle in the correct location? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/12 "2021-12-02T00:09:21Z")
If everything is configured and sized correctly, you may still need to use some sort of inertial force to get it to seat correctly. Don’t pound on the end of the axle b/c that may damage the CV joints, or even if not damaging them, may not allow the impact force to the other end where its needed. Instead try to figure out a way to firmly attach something rigid (a old broomstick for example) after the inner CV joint, and knock on it (the broomstick) a little, twist the axle to change the config, repeat, see if that provides enough of a kick to overcome the frictional forces that are presumably preventing it from seating properly. This is sort of a tricky situation b/c if the part simply won’t fit b/c of some mechanical interference problem, using this sort of force could damage parts in the transmission’s differential, as well as damaging the CV axle. Be sure to count the number of splines (those little ridges on the end of the shaft where it seats), making sure the count matches the count for the cv axle removed. If the spline count is different it will never fit. I’ve never had that problem myself, but if I did I might also try jacking up the other front wheel and rotating it a little. Seems like that should cause the part where the problematic axle fits to rotate as well, and might allow the t wo parts to match up. Never tried that, I wonder if anywhere here has? ---
**Author:** ![patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick.nielsen1991_154579)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2021, 7:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/13 "2021-12-08T07:46:52Z")
Thanks for the reply´s the transmission and the engine did not line up correctly. maybe because of a faulty clutch installment. All the best ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2021, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cv-axle-carrier-bearing-cant-get-all-the-way-into-carrier/180909/14 "2021-12-10T23:49:38Z")
> [@patrick.nielsen1991\_154579](#): > > the transmission and the engine did not line up correctly. Something like that could happen I suppose, but hard to figure how that would prevent the CV axle from properly seating into the transmission.