Drive Axle Replacement
Tools to be used:
Hammer (rubber and sledge) wheel bearing grease or lithium grease ball joint fork 2 metal coat hangers or stiff wire 2 arm puller Sockets (1/2(deep and short), 19mm, 36mm(deep), and 5/8) 3in 3/8 extention 3/8 universal socket 12in 3/8 extension spare 3/8 extention or punch of that size and length Wrenches (18mm, 1/2) Breaker bar torque wrench 19mm 1/2 drive socket pry bar jack jack stands needle nose pliers long 3/8 ratchet for leverage 1. Loosen Lug nuts (19mm) 2. jack car up and place on jack stands 3. verify car is steady on jacks 4. remove wheels 5. using pry bar, wedge between studs and using a breaker bar break the axle nut loose (breaker bar, 36mm (deep), and pry bar) 6. loosen sway bar nut till its barely holding on to bolt (chilton does not mention this, trust me it makes the ball joint easier to remove) 1/2 size nut and bolt 7. remove 2 bolts holding brake caliper and pads to rotor, no need to separate caliper from caliper mount. it will come off as an assembly, hang with metal coat hanger or stiff wire 8. remove rotor 9. disconnect wheel speed sensor 10. remove cotter pin from ball join nut 11. remove ball joint nut (18mm wrench, its a pain) 12. separate ball joint from steering hub (ball joint separator, hammer) 13. remove axle nut rest of way 14. attempt to push axle through hub, try rubber mallet for a love tap 15. if step 14 does not work use 2 arm puller 16. rotate steering hub and remove from ball joint 17. if step 15 did not work hit axle with sledge will removed, you may use a extension or such to remove axle, DO NOT HIT HUB 18. remove axle by prying between axle housing and transmission, you may have to give a love tap with hammer to get it moving. if you can find a sliding hammer with adapter to use on this that will work, mine came out with a strong love tap 19. lubricate inside of hub 20. install axle into transmission 21. install splines into hub 22. install axle nut 23. reconnect ball joint to steering knuckle 24. tighten sway bar bolt/nut 25. tighten ball joint nut 26. insert cotter pin into ball joint nut 27. reconnect wheel sensor 28. using pry bar tighten axle nut and torque to 159 ft/lbs or consult tech manual 29. install tires, tighten lug nuts 30. lower car and tighten lug nuts to 100 ft/lbs or consult tech manual This how in no way makes you a expert on cars or should I be held responsible for any damage you cause to your car while working on it. They are your hands and you are doing the work making you liable. Questions? |
i only made it to step #6 and was shaking my head nope doing it wrong buddy....can be done way easier and with less tools and damage to other parts. at least on a gen 6 and probably gen 7 and 5.
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so your saying there was a easier way, well i damaged no parts and i had all the tools i needed. Unless your talking about taking it to a garage to work on it.
Figured I was going to do this job on my car, and I took my time to take photo's while i was doing it. Guess if its "not correct" in your book its not worth posting the pictures |
so your telling me you didn't tear the grease boot on the ball joint with the seperator? i don't believe you. and you don't need to touch the stabilizer link or the brakes they can stay there. and placing a pry bar between the studs is damaging to the threads of the wheel studs, to remove the axle nut. just put a punch into the slots of the rotor and let it turn till the caliper anchor is is holding it still. i change axles all the time for cv boots leaking grease its less $$ to replace an axle than to change a boot and repack the cv joint with grease.
regardless you can still change a axle that way your not wrong i was just saying it can be done easier i didn't mean to offend you. i'm sorry if i did. |
No I did not tear the ball joint with the fork, I actually only needed a love tap on it(probably could have just hit a pry bar and had it come loose). I did not see how to get the axole pressed out with the 2 arm puller with the brakes still on the car, being as i had to attach it to the hub. Granted i could have used a hub puller but the book recommended a 2 arm puller. and if your man enough to pull the ball joint form the steering knuckle with the swaybar and control arm installed, you must be the Hulk. I could not get the control arm to give me the room i needed, and loosening the swaybar from the control arm gave me the movement i needed (I also tried removing the forward part of the control arm and that did not help).
I would love to know your way of getting the ball joint out because I've done explorers and many other cars. I just order a balljoint also when having to disconnect them. This time I got to return them. |
I'm planning on replacing both half shafts on Tuesday. How long should I expect this to take?
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Breaking the axle nut loose is much easier by placing the donut spare on and lowering the car back on the ground. Especially if it's stuck on there. No slipping prybars to fight with.
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I had the left drive axle break on me one time going about 5 mph over some train tracks, really strange!!
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I cant seem to get my. Axle shafts to go into the tranny. What am i doing wrong
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good guide! Hoping I don't have to do this, but it doesn't look like it's TOO terrible...how long did it take if you don't mind my asking?
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