Axle Shaft Issue

[kmckee3434]

Hey, I’m looking for some recommendations on what I might be doing wrong. I’m doing a rear disc brake conversion with a kit from Tom’s Off Road. I am at the step where you re-insert the axle shafts. I was able to get the passenger side shaft back in with no issues, but the drivers side shaft is getting stopped from fully inserting about an inch before it should. I’m not sure if it’s getting stuck up on the bearing or in the differential at the gears. When I have it in as far as I can get it, it is locked up and does not spin. I’ve tried tapping it in with a rubber mallet with no luck. I’ve tried taking the shaft out and rotating it to different positions, and it still gets stopped at the same spot. Not really sure where to go from here. Any advice on what I could be missing would be appreciated. https://flic.kr/p/2s5NUSK https://flic.kr/p/2s5H5Vf

 

[DirtDonk]

So this is a factory axle and you’re just adding the disc brake hardware? Nothing else added to the differential?
Is it by any chance a limited slip differential?

Either way, remove the offending side and peek down the axle tube with a bright flashlight. See if you can see the splines and note whether there are two sets of them on that side.
If so, they may have become slightly misaligned so that the axle will not insert the entire way.

 

[kmckee3434]

So this is a factory axle and you’re just adding the disc brake hardware? Nothing else added to the differential?
Is it by any chance a limited slip differential?

Either way, remove the offending side and peek down the axle tube with a bright flashlight. See if you can see the splines and note whether there are two sets of them on that side.
If so, they may have become slightly misaligned so that the axle will not insert the entire way.

Yes that is correct, everything is original, just changing the drums out for discs. I’m not 100% sure if it has a limited slip differential. I did look down the tube and I’m pretty sure there’s only one set of gears, but not 100%. If there are 2, would I need to open the differential up to align the 2 sets of gears back up?

 

[DirtDonk]

No, not that bad. If they are just slightly misaligned, the axle won’t seat all the way. Typical method to remedy this is to slide the axle in almost as far as it will go and then rotate it hard. One Direction than another each time trying to push a little farther. With the axle in place you can’t see this blind so you just have to keep monkey in with it and rotate it, twist it one way and then the other or keep twisting it in the same direction. Just so that you can get to the point where the axle will slide in more.

But for the next obvious question, there isn’t anything out there where the bearing seats that might be blocking you. Is there?
Something like an old bearing Race or seal wedged in there that didn’t get removed?
I know it would usually be obvious, and sealed bearings don’t have separate races. But stranger things have happened!

 

[Oldtimer]

Are rear axles same length, driver and passenger side?

 

[thegreatjustino]

Are rear axles same length, driver and passenger side?

Not from the factory they're not.

This was going to be my suggestion to the OP. Make sure you have the correct axle installed on the correct side. What happens if you remove the installed axle and try to install this one in the other side?