2 Different CV shafts on my 95 Pathfinder

[Emil]

So I will try to give a brief outline here. Just bought a 95 Pathfinder and doing some front-end work. Bushings ball joints and West I was at it I figured I would put manual hubs on this baby. I noticed the Cv shafts are different left and right. One is thicker than the other both are 27 splines. Also one CD shaft has five mounting bolts and the other has six this goes against everything I have learned about this vehicle. Both sides have an auto hub but they are not interchangeable left to right. It's driving me crazy because I haven't seen any parts listing for different shafts left and right or different Hub kits. Somebody throw me a freaking bone here. Thanks

[Slartibartfast]

Yeah, that ain't right. Should be the same axle, hub, and bolt pattern on both sides. Someone's done something impressively weird.

 

'87-'89 (two-door) WD21s have a five-bolt flange and 27 splines. '90-'95 WD21s have the same five-bolt flange and 28 splines. The axles can be interchanged, though of course you have to change the hubs to match. I am not aware of two diameters of 27 spline axles. Count the big one again, I'll bet it's actually the 28-spline.

 

The six bolt flange (arranged in three sets of two) was used on the R50 and W/D22 (second-gen Pathy, first-gen Xterra and Frontier). These are also 28 spline axles, and take the same hubs as '90+ WD21 (though the R50 axle lacks the second snap ring groove needed for the auto hubs), but obviously they won't bolt to the five-bolt flange of the WD21 diff.

 

It sounds like you've got a two-door WD21 axle and hub on one side, and an X/Fronty axle on the other side, with the matching diff flange swapped over as well to make it bolt up. Either that, or you've got one correct axle, and one axle made from a 2-door outer and an X/Fronty/R50 inner, and I don't know if that's even possible.

 

To put it right, you'll need a set of 28-spline hubs, a set of 28-spline five-bolt axles, and either just the five-bolt drive flange for the front diff, or a whole front diff that hasn't been messed with. The diff is a heavy SOB, and I don't think you can get it out without removing the torsion bars, so I would try and swap just the flange if possible. Make sure the donor's engine size (the four-pot trucks got smaller diffs) and gear ratio (HG43 or HG46 on the data plate on the passenger's inner fender, by the hood hinge) matches yours.

 

Or if the axles aren't binding, and the boots are okay, and you don't want to mess with it right now, just get one 27 spline hub and one 28 spline hub and send it.

 

Related, but likely irrelevant--there are two variations of the 28-spline five-bolt CV axles. The four-pot trucks got Rzeppa-style (the kind with the balls) outer joints with tripod inners, and the V6 trucks got Rzeppas at both ends. I assume the V6 style is meant to be stronger. Either style will bolt up. My '93 currently has one of each.

[FirstGenFreak]

My Aussie 86 has 6 bolt flanges, and the '89 I had was the same, I am sure because I swapped shafts between cars about 10 years ago. Interesting. 

[Slartibartfast]

Huh, I'll be damned. Rockauto shows the 27 spline axles with the six-bolt pattern, 28 with the five-bolt. Could've sworn I read they were interchangeable. Guess they're not! Good to know.

 

Ignore the bit about the W/D22 or R50 axle parts, then, OP--sounds like you've just got a 2-door axle on one side, with the flange swapped to match.

[Emil]

Thanks for the replies, going to go back at it tomorrow and recount the splines. Definitely two different diameter axles on this. It's  definitely being messed with. I have a front clip off an older Nissan that I tried to swap shafts. To solve the five bolt pattern and just go with six Bolt on either side but the shaft is too skinny and won't engage the side gears plus the length is different. Totally won't work. So now I'm wondering the skinnier shaft whether it's even engaging the side gears on the other side. Once I'm finished all my suspension work I'm going to focus on this diff to figure out what's going on. The thing is the auto hubs look identical left and right but one will not fit on the other shaft I've measured them with a caliper and they are definitely different. I'll repost when I have it figured out.

[Slartibartfast]

Was the donor four cylinder or six? The four-pot trucks got smaller front diffs, R180 vs R200. I don't know what does/doesn't swap between them, but I wouldn't be surprised if one or both of the shafts were different.

[Emil]

Pretty sure the donor was a d21 4cyl

[FirstGenFreak]

On 9/24/2024 at 4:30 PM, FirstGenFreak said:

My Aussie 86 has 6 bolt flanges, and the '89 I had was the same, I am sure because I swapped shafts between cars about 10 years ago. Interesting. 

Both 4 Cyl 2 door cars...

[Slartibartfast]

That'll be why it's not fitting up, then. You could swap in the whole diff from the D21, if the ratio is right, but that would be a lot of work for a weaker diff. Better to find the V6 diff/axle and do it right.

 

I have a 4.6 ratio V6 front diff sitting in the corner, but I can only imagine what it would cost to ship that chungus over the border.