Service Procedure

REPAIR PROCEDURE:

This bulletin involves replacing the right side driveshaft with a revised part.

Figures 1-2:

1. Remove the cotter pin, nut lock and spring washer (Refer to Figure 1) from the end of the right driveshaft.

CAUTION:
DO NOT ROLL THE VEHICLE ON THE GROUND AFTER THE HUB NUT IS LOOSENED. BEARING DAMAGE WILL RESULT.

2. Loosen but do not remove the hub nut while the weight of the vehicle is supported on the right tire/wheel assembly and the brakes are applied.

3. Raise the vehicle on a frame contact type hoist.

4. Remove the right front tire/wheel assembly from the hub.

5. Remove the right front disc brake caliper to steering knuckle attaching bolts (Refer to Figure 2).

Figures 3-4:

6. Remove the disc brake caliper assembly from the steering knuckle. The caliper is removed by first lifting the bottom of the caliper away from the steering knuckle, then removing the top of the caliper out from under the steering knuckle (Refer to Figure 3).

7. Support the caliper assembly using a wire hook. DO NOT ALLOW THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY TO HANG BY THE BRAKE FLEX HOSE.

8. Remove the brake disc from the front hub.

9. Remove the nut attaching the outer tie rod end to the steering knuckle by holding the tie rod end stud with a 11/32 in. socket while loosening the attaching nut (Refer to Figure 4).

Figures 5-6:

10. Use Special Tool MB 990635 to remove the tie rod end stud from the steering knuckle (Refer to Figure 5).

11. Remove the nut and bolt clamping the ball joint stud into the steering knuckle (Refer to Figure 6).

Figures 7-8:

12. Separate the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle by prying down on the lower control arm (Refer to Figure 7). USE CAUTION WHEN SEPARATING THE BALL JOINT FROM THE STEERING KNUCKLE SO THE BALL JOINT SEAL IS NOT DAMAGED.

13. Pull the steering knuckle out/away from the end of the driveshaft (Refer to Figure 8).

14. Support the outer end of the driveshaft.

Figures 9-10:

15. Remove the driveshaft from the transaxle side gear by placing a brass drift/punch against the inner tripod joint and hitting it sharply to dislodge the snap ring (Refer to Figure 9).

16. Remove the driveshaft assembly by holding the inner tripod joint and interconnecting and pulling the driveshaft assembly straight out of the side gear and transaxle oil seal (Refer to Figure 10). WHEN REMOVING THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY, DO NOT ALLOW THE SPLINES OR THE SNAP RING DRAG ACROSS THE SEALING LIP OF THE TRANSAXLE OIL SEAL.

CAUTION:
WHEN INSTALLED, THE DRIVESHAFT ACTS AS A BOLT AND SECURES THE FRONT HUB/BEARING ASSEMBLY. IF THE VEHICLE IS TO BE SUPPORTED OR MOVED ON ITS WHEELS, INSTALL A BOLT AND NUT THROUGH THE HUB/BEARING ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT LOOSING OF THE ASSEMBLY.

17. Lightly lubricate the transaxle oil seal sealing surface of the revised driveshaft assembly (P/N 4670280 Without ABS, P/N 4670282 With ABS) with clean transmission fluid.

18. Hold the revised driveshaft assembly at the tripod joint and the interconnecting shaft, align the tripod joint splines with the transaxle side gear splines and insert the tripod joint as far as possible by hand. WHEN INSTALLING THE DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY, DO NOT ALLOW THE SPLINES OR THE SNAP RING DRAG ACROSS THE SEALING LIP OF THE TRANSAXLE OIL SEAL.

19. Grasp the driveshaft interconnecting shaft and firmly push the tripod joint into the transaxle side gear until fully seated. Test for snap ring engagement by trying to remove the tripod joint from the transaxle side gear by hand. If the snap ring is fully engaged with the side gear, the tripod will not be removable by hand.

Figures 11-12:

20. Clean any debris and moisture out of the area of the steering knuckle the driveshaft C/V joint will be installed (Refer to Figure 11).

21. Clean any debris and moisture from the driveshaft C/V joint before assembling it into the steering knuckle (Refer to Figure 12).

Figures 13-14:

22. Align the splines of the driveshaft C/V joint and the hub, then slide the shaft into the hub. Install the steering knuckle onto the ball joint stud (Refer to Figure 13).

23. Install the ball joint stud clamping bolt and nut then torque them to 70 ft. lbs. (95 Nm) (Refer to Figure 5).

24. Install the tie rod end into the steering knuckle. Hold the stud of the tie rod end with a 11/32 in, socket and tighten the tie rod end to steering knuckle attaching nut. Use a crowfoot to torque the nut to 45 ft. lbs. (61 Nm) (Refer to Figure 14).

25. Install the brake disc on the hub and bearing assembly.

26. Install the disc brake caliper assembly on the steering knuckle by sliding the top of the caliper under the top abutment on the caliper and the bottom of the caliper against the bottom abutment of the steering knuckle.

27. Install the caliper assembly to the steering knuckle attaching bolts and torque to 23 ft. lbs. (31 Nm).

28. Clean the threads of the driveshaft stub axle. Install and tighten the hub nut and washer on the driveshaft stub axle.

29. With the brakes applied to keep the driveshaft from turning, torque the hub nut to 135 ft. lbs. (183 Nm).

30. Install the tire/wheel assembly. Torque the lug nuts to 100 ft. lbs. (135 Nm).

Figure 15:

31. Install the spring washer, hub nut lock and new cotter pin (Refer to Figure 15).

32. Lower the vehicle.

33. With the vehicle positioned on a level surface, set the parking brake, start the engine and allow to idle in Park for a minimum of 1 minute.

34. Wipe all dirt from the transaxle dipstick area.

35. Check the fluid level on the transaxle dipstick. Proper fluid level is indicated when the fluid level is near the add mark and the fluid temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius) or when the fluid level is in the hot region of the dipstick when the transaxle is at operating temperature.

POLICY: Reimbursable within the provisions of the warranty.

TIME ALLOWANCE:
Labor Operation No: 02-13-05-94 0.5 Hrs.

FAILURE CODE: P8 - New Part