Drivers side Axle: Difficulty rating?

[NebraskaSHO]

Today while I helped Jthod install reinforced motor mounts, I took my intake and rear cam cover off to address an oil leak from the back side of the motor.

Right when we were wrapping it up he noticed some "oil" on the drivers side. Looking a little harder we discovered that it was grease, and lots of it. Looks like my CV boot is throwing grease all over; fender liner, master cylinder, lower control arm, and so on.

How hard is it to R&R the axle with a reman one? Does a SLO one fit?

 

[hock]

Ok, I have done the rightside axle and it was not hard to do. (Had to change a ball joint as well) I did not change the axle, I just got a new boot to replace it with.

If the joint is still good I would just replace the boot, save $70+ dollars and call it a day. You can get them from the Advance Auto Parts web site, $9.88 for the outer and $7.88 for the inner.

I don't know if the SLO Taurus axle will work or not.

 

[hawkeye18]

I very much doubt a SLO axle would work. I would almost guarantee that the angles/lengths will be different. ESPECIALLY on a 3.0, as there is no SLO analogue.

Anyway, it's not too bad. I think you'll need a 32mm socket to get the nut off, and then you'll need to get the LCA and tie rod end off. it is difficult to get them off without damaging the boots for them, but judicious use of a rubber mallet (which you will need for many parts of this procedure) will go a long way. Once you get the LCA off (a big crowbar will help here), just yank on the strut assembly while whacking the end of the CV with a rubber mallet, and it should pop out of the knuckle. Yank on the CV real good to get it out.

Installation is much the same; **** up all splines with some oil - it will make things much easier. Make sure you have a new circlip on the CV, and just shove 'er in. Whack the end with the rubber mallet until it seats. Make sure you don't pull on it or let it drop. Once you feel it seat (believe me, you'll feel it), wrangle the knuckle back onto the CV (oil everything with 5-30 or whatever) and get it on as best you can. Reinsert LCA and Tie rod end, then put ~250lb/ft of torque on the hub nut to finish. Make ABSOLUTE sure you get enough torque on that nut. If you don't, the CV will self-destruct very quickly, and all sorts of bad, weird things will happen down the line.

Hope this helps.

 

[Silvapain]

Driver's side halfshaft is a Gen 3 SHO only part.

 

[SHOMEX]

As far as I know both axles are sho especific. When you replace your cv axle make sure it sits completely inside the trans case or it will self destruct in less than a week (ask me how I know) :cry:

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Is it going to puke transmission fluid out when I pull that axle out?

 

[hawkeye18]

not if everything's right in your tranny. If fluid comes puking out, you got some major problems!

 

[SHOZ123]

I would pop the ball joint and tire rod end out, then tie up the caliper. Take out the strut and remove the axle and knuckle as one. On my car anyway the pop out very easy.

 

[hawkeye18]

oh hey, I just realized this is for a gen3... my bad. I really need to pay attention to the sub-forum!

Hey Bizzy, is there any way you could work the forum up so that it displays our cars, like in probetalk? You know, so it'd display like next to the name or subname or something... I mean, there's all that space there just not doing anything...

 

[NebraskaSHO]

No problem. Car goes into the shop tomorrow for replacement. Don't have time to do it myself, let alone the tools.

Although I could have buzzed down to Crete, Ne and used Joe's tools, but I need the car fixed NOW.