[kybryan]

I recently had a dealer supplied A604 transmission installed in my daughter's '93 LeBaron convertible. This evening as I was removing the left front strut to swap in a new unit, I noticed the inner CV boot was ruptured. As I moved the wheel hub away from the lower strut mounting bolts, the driveshaft slid partly out of the differential, followed by most of the transmission fluid. This surprised me as I am new to Chrysler mechanicals; the European cars I am familiar with have flanges on stub shafts (coming out of the differential) that bolt to the driveshafts. According to Haynes, I should have to use a prybar to coax the driveshaft out of the differential. Please reassure me that this is all normal, the driveshaft will indeed just slide right back into the differential without leaking ATF and it was probably loose because it was so recently mated to a new transmission. It just seemed kind of weird that you can loose your atf because driveshaft movement is only limited by the hub being bolted to the strut. No mechanical means of retention other than friction? No spring clip or anything?

I removed the right strut without losing control of the driveshaft/differential interface. Of course, I was a bit more careful...

bryan in Kentucky

 

[RaiRai]

That is normal. The same happened to me last year, eventhough I have manual trans.
The case is something else for the right hand side axle in case it has never been replaced earlier... Done that as well.

 

[kybryan]

Thank you. Next time I'll know to use a bucket.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

The engine should be centered after anytime the driveshafts are removed or move. They'll probably be fine the way they are, but good to measure, anyway.

http://www.allpar.com/fix/engines/centering.html

 

[kybryan]

Thanks for the link - I was aware of the theory but didn't have a good procedure.

 

[AllThumbs]

I'm suddenly relieved to have found this thread. Thank you. Same thing happened to me. I haven't put it back together again, since the struts are at a shop being put together (I couldn't compress the springs enough with the compressor I have), so I'll see. But it was the weirdest thing. I did the passenger side first, and there's no fluid there, so I didn't see the ATF issue coming on the driver's side. There is something in the Haynes manual (I know, I know; I have to get the DSM) on the part on control arm bushing replacement that says be careful not to "separate the inner boot" by moving the steering knuckle out, but there is no such warning in the part on strut installation.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

That's because there is no such risk for strut installation - the axle doesn't come out to replace the struts, nor the ball joints.