Hi everybody! Been reading the forums and impressed with the community. Want to introduce myself and have a question.
Recently purchased a JDM 1992 Lite-ace 4wd 5sp turbodiesel van. Drivetrain seems to be identical to the 4wd vans sold domestically, and the same motor came on a '86 camry. The van needed a clutch, an alignment, and the outer CV boot on the left axle was torn. Clutch wasn't too bad although I never did find the proper pilot bearing (not the same as the van sold here!). The axle was a bit of a pain. The CV joint has some play, very little visible wear, but feels rough (but got bettter when cleaned thoroughly). My inclination is to replace the axle, but having a hard time locating one. I have seen OEM axles for $400, but this seems excessive. Can't find aftermarket anything. I am going to but a new boot on it (a $30 autozone 1-piece boot since I don't think it will last long) and put it back in, but would like to replace the axle at some point. So my questions are:
1. Anybody know of a source for an aftermarket axle?
2. I have seen just the outer CV joint for sale, anybody try this? Does it just require a big hammer to separate the CV joint from the axle?
3. Does anybody have the torque specs for reassembling the axle? I have been stealing torque specs from a tacoma manual but it would be good to verify.
Thanks!