2001 300M axle slips out??
 

Hello, I am new here. I admit I'm a bit in a bind and decided to join. But will say my 300M has been a great car. It has 234,000+ miles on the clock and for the most part I trust it wherever it can take me.

But, recently it's developed a CV axle issue especially when wet. Car wobbles around and the like.
I decided to get a new axle (driver side) from Detroit Axle. I installed it today and it all went good, the old axle slipped right off the trans shaft and the new one went on as well.

Problem I am having was after I was done, I took the car for a little test drive. All way going well, smooth, and good so I was on the highway, took it up to 55 and it was great. I decided to take a turn on a small road and try it there as it was on the way back to the house...I noticed a noise develop so I stopped to get out and have a check...before i did i decided to move off the road a touch more, put it in gear and the car revved..the axel slipped off and I was able to jack it up, and crawl under there and slip it back on...figuring this was a touchy deal, I drove home carefully..but it happened again as I was moving.

I managed to get it back to the house, and my dad and I took a look at and compared to the original. The shaft length, part sizes, snap rings, everything match perfectly. the inner piece that slipped off slides around as much as the old one, the outer doesn't move accept to swivel like the old one.

I was also curious if the boots are what hold these things together? I cut the old one off and the whole deal slipped off. Yet the old one never came off the transmission like new one has.

I am completely confused as to what the issue could be here. Any idea? Sorry it's so long. Thanks!

is there a snap ring on the trans shaft? an axle that has been on for some time will not just come off easy on first removal. Might need to put a new ring on the trans side.

You are referring to the transmission shaft that the inner joint slips onto correct? I hadn't see a snap ring for that? The old Axle never came off while driving but it slipped out easily when i intended to remove it. I am about to go out and take a look around at things. I'll see if a groove is on it.

I just took a look at trans shaft and do see a groove for a ring. Oddly, I cannot find it in the old cv housing or anywhere. I will check if I can get this from one of the parts stores.

the snap rimg is not on the axle it goes on the transmission side