Hi guys,
I hope someone can help me. I'm something of a newbie here.
I purchased a set of struts for the front of my '94 Ultra. They're the complete set-up with springs and all. I got the old unit out in no time at all. But I couldn't get the knuckle to come back to line up with the new strut. I finally took the strut out entirely and still can't get the knuckle to tip back to an upright position. Could I have possibly pulled the axle out of the spline? Or could the CV joint be stuck in some awkward position? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Andy

The cv joint on the end of the shaft that slips into the knuckle/hub assembly has ball bearings and there is no way for it to simply pull apart and get stuck in an awkward position. On the other hand.....

The cv joint on the end of the shaft that clicks into the transmission has 3 'doughnut' shaped bearings that are mounted on a post. (3 posts, one doughnut bearing per post). If you tipped the knuckle away from the car, for what ever reason, there is a good chance that one of those doughnuts fell off its post and is preventing the cv shaft from sliding back into the cv bearing case.

The only way you will be able to figure this out is to pry the c/v out of the transmission.........remove the big ring clamp from the rubber cv boot and pull the cv bearing case off the cv shaft.........make sure each the three doughnuts are on a post and then slip the cv case back onto those three doughnuts. Replace the big clamp with a new one.

When you remove the cv from the transmission.......there will be some fluid that drips out, so be prepared.


Here is a pic with two of the doughnut bearings missing from thier mounting posts







Here is a pic of the cv case which is the side that clicks into the transmission.....and the three doughnuts and the cv boot....notice the clean ring around the big end of the cv boot, that is where the boot clamp has been removed:

Here'* a video link......shows how to pry the shaft out of the transmission.






https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...98476267,d.cGU

Take the nut off the CV shaft if you did not drive it out of the splines in the hub some.
Sounds like you have in a bind from over extending it .
it should free up then.
I would not go so far as to pull the shaft.
I have experience binding shafts in repairs.
The knuckle end of the CV shaft has only so much angle
it can handle with out binding.
Ask any 4wheel drive shop that lift trucks it is a common proplem

Thanks guys. In the process somewhere I ended up tearing the boot on the inner joint. Indeed, two of the spider blocks had come off. Rather than re-assemble a 134k mile shaft, I got a re-man replacement rather cheaply. I hope I don't have the same trouble on the driver'* side.

Just use a floor jack on other side and lower one side of the sub frame enough to get the strut out

Thanks Regal Guy. I've got it in. I'm curious though. I had to pry the sub-frame down to get it in, rather than support it with a jack. The new and old assemblies appeared to be the same dimension. I had watched a video of a guy doing the same procedure on a Le Sabre of the same vintage and figured my Park Avenue should be the same. The guy on the video had no such problem.
Again, thanks for the advice.
Andy

Take all the bolts out of the sub frame on one side and watch when you let it down that the hoses or wires not in a bind.
I think you can get a easy 5 inches that will clear the strut mounting at the top.
and just pull it out at a angle.
All you need is enough room to clear the top mounting studs.
So before you start to lower is have the nuts off top of the strut