Axle Shaft: Service and Repair

CAUTION: If removing both righthand and lefthand driveshafts, install plugs tool No. T81P-1177B, or equivalent. Failure to do so may result in dislocation of differential side gears, necessitating transaxle disassembly to align the gears again. Should the gears become misaligned, the differential will have to be removed from the transaxle for alignment.

NOTE: Do not begin this procedure unless a new hub retainer nut, lower control arm to steering knuckle attaching bolt and nut and a new inboard CV joint stub shaft snap ring are available. Once removed, these components must not be reused during assembly/installation. Their torque holding ability or retention capability is diminished during removal.

REMOVAL
1. Turn air suspension system switch OFF.
2. Remove hub retainer nut and washer. Discard nut after removal.
3. Raise and support vehicle. Remove tire and wheel assemblies.
4. Remove attaching nut from ball joint to steering knuckle attaching bolt.
5. Using a punch and a hammer, drive bolt out of steering knuckle. Discard bolt and nut.
6. Remove anti-lock brake sensor from steering knuckle. Remove height sensor link at lower arm ball stud attachment.
7. Remove stabilizer bar link at stabilizer bar.
8. Separate ball joint from steering knuckle using a pry bar.

NOTE: Position end of pry bar outside of bushing pocket to avoid bushing damage.

9. Install puller T86P-3514-A1, or equivalent, between CV joint and transaxle case. Turn steering hub and/or wire strut assembly out of the way.
10. Screw extension T86P-3514-A2, or equivalent, into CV joint puller and hand tighten. Screw impact slide hammer D79P-100-A, or equivalent, onto extension.
11. Remove CV joint from transaxle.
12. Support end of shaft by suspending it from a conventional underbody component with a length or wire.

CAUTION: Do not allow shaft to hang unsupported. Damage to the outboard CV joint may result.

13. Separate outboard CV joint from hub using front hub remover tools T81P-1104-A, T83P-1104-BH1, T86P-1104-A1 and T81P-1104-C, or equivalents.

CAUTION: Never use a hammer to separate the outboard CV joint stub shaft from the hub. Damage to the joint threads and internal components may result.

14. Remove driveshaft assembly from vehicle.

INSTALLATION
1. Install a new snap ring onto inboard CV joint stub shaft and/or link shaft.

NOTE: The outboard CV joint stub shaft does not have a snap ring. To properly install the snap ring, start one end in the groove and work the ring over the stub shaft end and into the groove. This will avoid overexpanding the snap ring. The old snap ring must not be reused. A new snap ring must be installed each time the inboard CV joint is installed into the transaxle differential.

2. Carefully align splines of inboard CV joint stub shaft or link shaft with splines in differential. Exerting force, push CV joint into differential until snap ring seats in differential side gear.

CAUTION: Use care to prevent damage to the differential oil seal. A plastic hammer or equivalent may be used to aid in seating the snap ring into the side gear groove.

3. Carefully align splines of outboard CV joint stub shaft with splines in hub and push the shaft into the hub as far as possible.
4. Temporarily attach rotor to hub with washers and two wheel lug nuts. Insert a steel rod into rotor and rotate clockwise to contact the steering knuckle to prevent rotor from turning during CV joint installation.
5. Install hub nut washer and a new hub retainer nut. Manually thread retainer onto CV joint shaft as far as possible. A new hub retainer nut must be installed.
6. Connect control arm to steering knuckle. Install a new nut and bolt.
7. Connect stabilizer bar link to stabilizer bar.
8. Connect ride height sensor link.
9. Install anti-lock sensor link into control arm.
10. Tighten hub retainer nut to 180-200 ft lb.
11. Install tire and wheel assembly, then lower vehicle.
12. Tighten lug nuts to 80-105 ft lb.
13. Fill transaxle to operating level with proper fluid as required.