ok so i noticed this problem while changing my axle:
the front knuckle/ shock fork doesn't line up and when my axle is in the transmission, it's crooked. i believe this misalignment is causing my axles to fail prematurely. i am getting a knocking/ clicking sound from that area, it could be that the axle is rubbing up against the fork as i'm turning. it only makes noise while i'm turning right slowly/ accelarating (i.e. parking lot, or turning right from a stop).

i have my theories, well really only one: could it be that part #11 is bent?

any ideas welcome, chime in please.

 

is this the first axle you have replaced in the car? Check your motor mounts maybe one is sagging and the engine dropped a bit. clicking when turning could indicate that its just a bad cv joint . best of luck

 

Is this image taken with everythign bolted up, or in the midst of replacing the axle?

If this is how your setup looks completely bolted up. I can tell you that your axle isn't ligned up properly with your hub assembly. There should be 1/4" -1/2" of the axle sticking out past the axle nut when it is tightened. If this is the case your CV joint is probably bindng and that is what is causing the noise.

 

i don't know what wrong with your suspension but i did see the brake line isn't bolted down.

 

the motor mounts are good.

the knuckle was bolted up, but the axle wasn't all the way in, in the picture. with the axle all the way in the transmission and the hub, it still has that angle. i think it is binding i just don't know on what.

yes, in the picture it isn't bolted down.
after the picture was taken it was bolted down.

 

Is it the correct axle length?

 

i'm assuming it is the right axle, i purchased them from autozone, free replacement. and it was the same part # as before.

 

Did you jack the car up by the frame? If the suspension is at full travel (down), you may just need lift the hub to a more normal position relative to the transmission.

 

When I had a shop replace my half shaft (cant remember which side), everytime it was to short. They got on from carquest, advance, and even autozone but they all were to short. Finally O'reilly had one that fit.

 

speaking of relative positions. i just thought about something:
could it be that my suspension is clocked, i replaced that upper control arm not too long ago, and now that i think about it, i think it could be that causing it to be off, i'm going to loosen it up and see if i can get some play in it.

the first one was the same length as the original, and the newest one is the same length as the first replacement.

 

Whats the condition of no. 19 & 15??
Could no. 10 / 12 be cocked back due to the above bushes being worn??
Failing that I would go with what you just mentioned with the top A-Arm being offset / incorrect.

 

When you replaced the axle did you have to "Force" anything togther? Revert back to the installation process and identify if anything gave you an usual hard time getting off or back on.

 

since i did it myself i had a bitch of a time getting the shock fork back on to the lca, when i come back from vacation next week i'm going to see if i can get it back to spec. the more i think of it the more i'm sure that's where the root of my problems is.

 

Sounds like it. When I replaced my axles I nearly bent stuff dealing with that LCA. it's no joke