Half shaft replacement walk through (A step by step guide)
#1
Half shaft replacement walk through (A step by step guide)
Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic, so do this job at your own risk. If you do not feel comfortable with this, and feel it's outside of your abilities, take your vehicle to a mechanic.
Tools needed:
Step 1:
Be sure to be on solid level ground.
Step 2:
Use your breaker bar (or four way) with a 3/4 socket to loosen your lug nuts (do not remove them fully, just yet).
Step 3:
Place jack under vehicle and raise it up to a comfortable level. Place jack stand underneath.
Step 4:
Continue to loosen and remove lug nuts, and wheel.
Step 5:
Soak all your bolts and nuts with penetrating oil.
Step 6:
Take your ratchet and 12MM socket to remove the caliper bolts from the caliper to the bracket. Once removed zip tie the caliper out of the way.
Step 7:
Take your 18MM socket and remove the caliper bracket, set aside for later.
Step 8:
Take your T50 and remove the torx bolts holding the rotor to the hub assembly. Set rotor aside.
Step 9:
Use 3/4 socket and pop off the outer tie rod from the knuckle assembly. *bonus* Jam nut is also 3/4, if your tie rod is bad, go ahead and replace now.
Step 10:
Use a 3/4 socket to remove sway bar link or a cut off tool, replace if necessary.
Step 11:
Use 3/4 socket to loosen and remove lower ball joint nut (bolt head is 7/8 I believe, I forgot to take a photo of that, sorry).
Step 12:
USE CAUTION HERE Carefully insert your pickle fork between the LCA and the knuckle assembly as to not tear your BJ boot. Pry up until BJ is free from knuckle.
Step 13:
Use 13/16 socket to remove the bolt holding the strut to the knuckle assembly.
Step 14:
Use 30MM socket to remove axel nut.
Step 15:
Use a 4lb hammer to drive half shaft out of the hub. *bonus* use 15mm socket (if I remember correctly) to remove wheel bearing (hub) assembly. Carefully pull ABS wires thought knuckle and set aside for later.
Step 16:
Remove strut from knuckle and set knuckle aside.
Step 17:
Grab half shaft and give it a good pull, you may have to tap on it a bit with your hammer but it will come out with relative ease.
Step 18:
With your half shaft removed, take a good look at your oil seal on the trans, replace if necessary.
BONUS!! If your lower control arm and ball joint were shot like mine, replace them now. I believe the bolts that hold the LCA to the subframe are 15MM. You will need a torch and penetrating oil here. These bolts are stuck in there pretty good. Heat the subframe, not the bolts.
Step 19: Reverse the process. I apologize but I do not have the torque numbers for this procedure, I just go as tight as I feel is needed.
Step 20: If you replaced your sway bar link, and tie rod end, give them just a couple pumps of grease. Be sure not to over do it and blow out the seals on your new parts.
Tools needed:
- Jack
- Jack stand
- Kroil (or similar penetrating oil)
- Anti Sieze
- Breaker Bar
- 1/2" and or 3/8" drive ratchet
- 19MM Socket (or 3/4" socket)
- T50 Torx
- 30MM
- 12MM Socket
- 18MM Socket
- 13/16" Socket
- Pickle Fork (Ball Joint Removal Tool)
- Impact wrench (if necessary)
- Torch
- Cut Off Tool
- 4lb Hammer (or similar)
- Zip Tie
- Grease Gun
Step 1:
Be sure to be on solid level ground.
Step 2:
Use your breaker bar (or four way) with a 3/4 socket to loosen your lug nuts (do not remove them fully, just yet).
Step 3:
Place jack under vehicle and raise it up to a comfortable level. Place jack stand underneath.
Step 4:
Continue to loosen and remove lug nuts, and wheel.
Step 5:
Soak all your bolts and nuts with penetrating oil.
Step 6:
Take your ratchet and 12MM socket to remove the caliper bolts from the caliper to the bracket. Once removed zip tie the caliper out of the way.
Step 7:
Take your 18MM socket and remove the caliper bracket, set aside for later.
Step 8:
Take your T50 and remove the torx bolts holding the rotor to the hub assembly. Set rotor aside.
Step 9:
Use 3/4 socket and pop off the outer tie rod from the knuckle assembly. *bonus* Jam nut is also 3/4, if your tie rod is bad, go ahead and replace now.
Step 10:
Use a 3/4 socket to remove sway bar link or a cut off tool, replace if necessary.
Step 11:
Use 3/4 socket to loosen and remove lower ball joint nut (bolt head is 7/8 I believe, I forgot to take a photo of that, sorry).
Step 12:
USE CAUTION HERE Carefully insert your pickle fork between the LCA and the knuckle assembly as to not tear your BJ boot. Pry up until BJ is free from knuckle.
Step 13:
Use 13/16 socket to remove the bolt holding the strut to the knuckle assembly.
Step 14:
Use 30MM socket to remove axel nut.
Step 15:
Use a 4lb hammer to drive half shaft out of the hub. *bonus* use 15mm socket (if I remember correctly) to remove wheel bearing (hub) assembly. Carefully pull ABS wires thought knuckle and set aside for later.
Step 16:
Remove strut from knuckle and set knuckle aside.
Step 17:
Grab half shaft and give it a good pull, you may have to tap on it a bit with your hammer but it will come out with relative ease.
Step 18:
With your half shaft removed, take a good look at your oil seal on the trans, replace if necessary.
BONUS!! If your lower control arm and ball joint were shot like mine, replace them now. I believe the bolts that hold the LCA to the subframe are 15MM. You will need a torch and penetrating oil here. These bolts are stuck in there pretty good. Heat the subframe, not the bolts.
Step 19: Reverse the process. I apologize but I do not have the torque numbers for this procedure, I just go as tight as I feel is needed.
Step 20: If you replaced your sway bar link, and tie rod end, give them just a couple pumps of grease. Be sure not to over do it and blow out the seals on your new parts.
Last edited by RiflemanD; 09-18-2017 at 01:32 PM.
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