Plan B.
I decide the funnel wasn't going to work.
So plan B was to take the cv shaft out, put it on the bench & dismantle it & change the boot.
Getting the shaft out required a but of a tug while knocking it with a hammer & screwdriver.
It came out fairly easily. Have an oil tray ready as it will leak some diff oil out.
Well I got it on the bench & spent the next 3 hrs trying to get it apart. I know you take the inside off first, clean up grease a bit, then remove the circlip on the end of the shaft that holds the spider on. the simply pull the spider off the shaft. Well simply for some didn't apply for me. I just could not get the spider off the shaft. Is there a 2nd circlip? not sure but it was late so I called it a night, knowing that we prob would not be going away at midday today.
Got up this am and had another go with the plastic hammer. I can get the spider flush with the end of the shaft but that is it. ummm what to do.
Last night I did a fair bit of web reading & you tube'ing. Seems the spider is supposed to slide off, yea right.
Seem the repco complete shafts are OK but the boots don't last long. & I don't want to be in this position again.
So I rang toyota dealers & found there are 3x shafts in the state, well there where, there is now only 1 (fwiw it's at peter kittle toyota if you need it this weekend).
Nothing like solving mechanical probs with a little bit of plastic (visa kind)
Of course the 2 shafts I got where from different dealers, one in city & one NE of city (I live south!)
anyhow stop in at tyre guys on way home & ask about alignment. Busy day before a long weekend. They can only do it at 2:30. It was now 11:15. So 3 hrs to install 1 cv & remove & replace the other side.....hey I'm not a mechanic! No air wrenches in my shed!.
12:15 left side in & all bolted up, just need to tighten hub nut when helper comes over.
12:50 right side all loose except hub nut, assistant arrives.
1:30 right side out.
1:50 right side in & tightened.
Just enough time to wind up shocks another 10mm before alignment. Now at 86mm & 85mm (as measure on shock body as previously shown)
2:15 left side hub nut tight. Sway bar IS connected!
Quick check of all bolts. Wash hands, change clothes.....
2:31 at tyre dealer. (he is running behind, whew....
3:30 All aligned.
Here are the numbers
Before After
Caster L 3d 58' R 4d 07' L 4d 17' R 3d 51'
Camber L 0d 22' R 0d 35' L -0d 03' R 0d 08'
Toe L -11.3mm R -7.6mm L 0.5mm R 0.5mm
So only Toe was out by much.
I think the caster is good from what I have read. (std is supposed to be 0d 56' - 1d 56')
I still have something rubbing somewhere on near full lock.
Plan is to figure out how to get the old cv shafts apart & rebuild them next week. They only have 540km (yep <1000km) on them, so would make good spares & or might sell to recoup some costs.