Help! Driver side axle install

[joel & viola]

Subject: Help! Driver side axle install

How much
> space should there be between the
inner joint housing on the axle and the
> seal/tranny surface?

> Right now there's around a 3/8" gap,
maybe a tad more, about the size of the
> tip of my finger, between the tranny
surface/seal and the housing.

It should be flush against the seal. If not
you trans oil will leak back out and you
won't be able to get the axle through the
front spindle. What I found that works
is to pull, twist and shove. Repeatedly.
Then it will just pop back in. The ring on
the end of the shaft has to fall back into the
groove. Just remember to grab the axle by
the big end next to the trans case and not
out at the end. You can ruin the axle this
way buy pulling it out of socket. Let me
know if this helps any. Joel