Axle Replacement

[Funmart6]

I found the inner axle boot on the driver's side has been slinging grease so a replacement is in order. I replaced the wheel bearing assemblies on both front sides some time ago so I am familiar with everything up front and I have replaced axles in other vehicles before.
Anyway, when I replaced the wheel bearing assemblies, on the driver's side when I removed the axle nut, there was a spacer like a thick washer behind the nut but not one on the passenger side. Is this normal? Why would there be a spacer only on one side like that? Anyone come across this before?

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[Funmart6]

Here are some pictures of the axle boot with grease that has been leaking out.
One thing that I see that has to be wrong, is the routing of what looks to be a heater hose of some sort. What is this exactly?
I had a new transmission installed back in 2019 and have put less than 500 miles on the car since the installation. I replaced the wheel bearing/hub assemblies a few years ago also and did not notice the hose at that time, don't know how I missed it. It looks to me like that hose should be on the other side of that mount and behind the fender liner. Can someone confirm this and let me know what this is? Thanks.

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[Funmart6]

What a pain in the butt!!! I watched a video of a guy replacing an axle in a Taurus and it looked pretty straightforward, but here's the kicker, it was a regular Taurus. The struts on the SHO are different, I am wondering if they may be a little longer because man, it was a struggle to get the strut out of the steering knuckle/spindle. Once I got the strut out, I was able to get the axle removed and got the new one in. Now I am fighting with the knuckle and strut again. I will hopefully finish it up tomorrow, I think that separating the ball joint will make things easier.
I also found that the mystery hose was routed correctly but had fallen down so it has been placed back up where it belongs. I don't know what it is exactly though. It comes from the front of the transmission and then disappears behind the transmission somewhere, I haven't been able to trace where it goes yet. Anyway, I removed the front half of the fender liner and put the hose back where is is supposed to go.

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[Texas Marauder]

Separating the ball joint on a Gen 3 can be a real bear. The ball joint boot is easily damaged. You should be able to get it back together without separating the ball joint.

 

[Funmart6]

I have pushed down on the lower control arm as far as it will go using a pipe as a pry bar and still cannot get the strut to get back into the knuckle. I don't recall having such a fight when we replaced the wheel bearing/hub assemblies but I think I had separated the ball joint because I replaced them at the time.

I was thinking that this tool would be easier on the ball joint boot.

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[gamefanatic]

Well my MKz has 2 large ball joints and I can't tell you how many seperators I broke before I moved to an Air Hammer which did the trick. To be fair I've never had so much of a problem on my SHO or Tauri.

 

[Funmart6]

Separating the ball joint on a Gen 3 can be a real bear. The ball joint boot is easily damaged. You should be able to get it back together without separating the ball joint.

If you know a trick or two concerning this then let me know. The control arm can only go down so far as it goes into the subframe and bottoms out before the knuckle is low enough that the strut can go back into the knuckle. This thing is really making me feel my age, (60), for sure and I am tired of wrestling with it.

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[Texas Marauder]

I can tell you that the Ford service manual does not tell you to separate the ball joint. For removal the manual says "Pry down on the lower control arm and roll the strut base out of the knuckle." That suggests it goes back in the same way.

 

[Funmart6]

I can tell you that the Ford service manual does not tell you to separate the ball joint. For removal the manual says "Pry down on the lower control arm and roll the strut base out of the knuckle." That suggests it goes back in the same way.

Is that for a SHO or "normal" Taurus? As mentioned, I can bottom out the control arm and it still does not allow room to slip the strut back into the knuckle but I will wrestle with it some more today and see what happens.

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[Texas Marauder]

Factory manual for Taurus. There is no distinction between Taurus and SHO.

I can say that I've done this before, though it's been 25 years or so ago. The only reason I had to take the ball joint loose was to replace the ball joint.

 

[Funmart6]

Factory manual for Taurus. There is no distinction between Taurus and SHO.

I can say that I've done this before, though it's been 25 years or so ago. The only reason I had to take the ball joint loose was to replace the ball joint.

Are the SARC struts in a SHO longer than the struts in a typical Taurus?

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[gamefanatic]

I always compress the springs on the struts to remove them.

This is the style compressor I used with great success.
https://a.co/d/0269KS4p

They don't come out without being compressed somehow.

 

[Funmart6]

Thanks for the help but I don't want to remove the strut. I am trying to get the strut to go back into the knuckle. It was a fight to get it out and now it is another fight to get it back in. Lol.

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[Texas Marauder]

Are the SARC struts in a SHO longer than the struts in a typical Taurus?

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AFAIK, No.

 

[Funmart6]

AFAIK, No.

Well upon further inspection the boot on the driver's side ball joint has some cracks and voids in the rubber, the joint feels solid but I am replacing it so, off to the parts store for me and get a loaner tool to press the old one out and the new one in. I've replaced ball joints before so, just one more thing to do that all.

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[Funmart6]

Update. The strut is in the knuckle and the axle is in. I installed a new ball joint as well as a new tie rod end, both boots were looking worn so, why not. All nuts and bolts have been torqued to their respective specifications also. I just have the caliper bracket, caliper and pads and a brake line bracket left to install, then finish installing the axle nut and torque it to spec, put the wheel on and go for a test drive. I plan to do all of that in the morning.

I was able to put the mystery hose back in place also and I am including some pics. I don't know what this thing is, but the hose connects to this thing with a band that you cannot remove. The thing is located below the battery tray bracket and near what I believe is the ABS pump.

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[E1]

Hi Marty -
That mystery hose is the SAI - Secondary Air Injection.

 

[Funmart6]

Hi Marty -
That mystery hose is the SAI - Secondary Air Injection.

Okay. What exactly does the SAI do? So, the hose only has air going through it?
Okay I found this information about the SAI. That's good to know. The hose had fallen down and was rubbing on the axle shaft. When we first drove the car the other day I smelled a burning rubber smell. When I relocated the hose back to where it needed to go I found a small area on the hose that showed where it had been rubbing but had not made a hole.
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[E1]

Half the time that pump, or its relay are dead. No effect on operation or performance but it will throw a code for emissions which might matter if you are in an emissions compliant state like California or Illinois, etc.

Only operates for 30 seconds or so after a cold start. One will hear a whirring sound by the front bumper if it is still operational.

All it does is pump air at the cold catalytic converters to make them warm up more quickly.

Not a worry for the safety of the engine.

 

[Funmart6]

Okay thank you for the clarification. As a side note, after driving the car this morning I noticed it was pulling to the right so my son took the car to the local Firestone for a front alignment. The check engine light was not on when he drove the car there but wouldn't ya know it, it was on when he left. I haven't had a chance to pull any codes yet. They sent an invoice along stating all sorts of things like the brake fluid failed a test strip, wiper blades worn, and something about rear "link pins"? If they are referring to sway bar end links, then they are full of it as those are brand spanking new. Go figure.

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