Drive Axles, Bearings and Joints: Service and Repair

Removal
1. Loosen both upper strut mount attaching bolts.
2. Remove wheel cover, then loosen wheel lug nuts and remove cotter pin and drive axle shaft-to-hub nut and washer.
3. Raise and support vehicle.
4. Remove wheel and tire assembly.
5. Remove ball joint retaining clip and stud nut, then separate ball joint from steering knuckle using ball joint separator tool No. J-36226 or equivalent. Disregard ``This Side Towards Wheel'' marking on tool. Tool must be turned to opposite position when used on these vehicles.
6. Remove tie rod nut, then separate tie rod from steering knuckle using tie rod separator tool No. J-24319-01 or equivalent.
7. Separate drive axle shaft from wheel hub using axle shaft to hub separator tool No. J-37105 or equivalent.
8. Position a drain pan under transaxle, then remove drive axle from transaxle using axle shaft to transaxle separator tool No. J-36639 and slide hammer tool No. J-23907 or equivalents.

Installation
1. Install drive axle into transaxle, using care to avoid damaging seal. Pull on outer joint race to ensure it will not come out of transaxle.
2. Install drive axle into knuckle hub bearing.
3. Install steering knuckle onto lower ball joint, then connect tie rod to the knuckle. Torque tie rod nut to 45 lb ft and ball joint stud nut to 50 lb ft, then tie rod nut cotter pin and stud nut retaining clip.
4. Install drive axle shaft-to-wheel hub washer and nut.
5. Install wheel and tire assembly, then lower vehicle.
6. With weight of vehicle on wheels, torque new drive axle-to-hub nut to 74 lb ft, then back off nut and retorque to 15 lb ft Tighten nut an additional 1/4 turn, then install cotter pin. If necessary, loosen nut slightly to align cotter pin holes.
7. Torque upper strut mount attaching nuts to 22 lb ft
8. Check transaxle fluid and replenish as needed.