Front Axle

Inspection
Boot Damage
Check the boots an the driveshaft for cracks, damage, leaking grease, and loose boot bands. If any damage is found, replace the boot and boot bands.

Loose Splines
Turn the driveshaft by hand, and make sure the splines and joint are not excessively loose. If damage is found, replace the joints if necessary.

Twisting or Cracking





Make sure the driveshaft is not twisted or cracked. Replace it if necessary.

Removal
1. Loosen the wheel nuts slightly.
2. Raise the front of the vehicle, and support it with safety stands in the proper locations.





3. Remove the wheel nuts and front wheels.
4. Drain the differential oil.

NOTE: It is not necessary to drain the differential oil when the left driveshaft is removed.

5. Raise the locking tab on the spindle nut, then remove the nut.





6. Remove the self-locking nut and flange bolts from the damper fork.
7. Remove the damper fork.





8. Remove the cotter pin from the lower arm ball joint castle nut, and remove the nut.
9. Install a 14 mm hex nut on the ball joint. Make sure the hex nut is flush with the ball joint pin end, or the threaded section of the ball joint pin might be damaged by the ball joint remover.
10. Use the ball joint remover to separate the ball joint and lower arm.

CAUTION: Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot.

NOTE: If necessary, apply penetrating type lubricant to loosen the ball joint.





11. Pry out the driveshaft assembly with a prybar, as shown, to force the set ring at the driveshaft end past the groove.





12. Pull the inboard joint, and remove the driveshaft from the differential case as an assembly.

CAUTION:
- Do not pull on the driveshaft; the inboard joint may come apart.
- Use care when prying out the assembly, and draw it straight out to avoid damaging the differential oil seal.





13. Pull the knuckle outward, and remove the driveshaft outboard joint from the front wheel hub using a plastic hammer.

Disassembly
Inboard Joint Side:
1. Carefully clamp the driveshaft in a vise with soft jaws, then remove the set ring from the inboard joint.











2. Remove the boot bands. Take care not to damage the boot.
- If the boot band is a locking tab type, pry up the locking tabs with a screwdriver, and raise the end of the band.
- If the boot band is a welded type, cut the boot band.
- If the boot band is a crimping type, pry up the end of the band with a screwdriver.
- If the boot band is a double loop type, lift up the band bend.





3. Mark each roller and inboard joint to identify the locations of rollers and grooves in the inboard joint. Then remove the inboard joint on the shop towel. Be careful not to drop the rollers when separating them from the inboard joint.





4. Mark the rollers and spider to identify the locations of the rollers on the spider, then remove the rollers.
5. Remove the circlip.
6. Mark the spider and driveshaft to identify the position of the spider on the shaft.
7. Remove the spider using a commercially available bearing remover.





8. Wrap the splines on the driveshaft with vinyl tape to prevent damage to the boot and dynamic damper.
9. Remove the inboard boot and dynamic damper. Take care not to damage the boot and dynamic damper.
10. Remove the vinyl tape.

Outboard Joint Side:





1. Lift up the three tabs with a screwdriver, then remove the boot bands. Take care not to damage the boot.

NOTE:
- If the boot band is a double loop type, lift up the band bend.
- If the boot band is a welded type, cut the boot band.
- If the boot band is the locking tabs type, pry up the tabs with a screwdriver, and lilt up the end of the band.





2. Slide the outboard boot to the inboard joint side. Take care not to damage the boot.
3. Wipe off the grease to expose the driveshaft and the outboard joint inner race.





4. Mark the driveshaft at the same position of the out board joint end with paint.





5. Carefully clamp the driveshaft in a vise.
6. Remove the outboard joint using the special tool and a commercially available 5/8" x 18 slide hammer.
7. Remove the driveshaft from the vise.





8. Remove the stop ring from the driveshaft.





9. Wrap the splines on the driveshaft with vinyl tape to prevent damage to the boot.
10. Remove the outboard boot. Take care not to damage the boot.
11. Remove the vinyl tape.

Reassembly





Note these items during reassembly:
- Clean the disassembled parts with solvent, and dry them thoroughly with compressed air. Do not wash the rubber parts with solvent.
- The '98 Canada model and all '99 - 01 models use a Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer (TPE) outboard joint boot. Use the ear clamp type boot band in the outboard joint boot set.
- Grease: Thoroughly pack the inboard and outboard joints and both joint boots with the joint grease included in the new driveshaft set.

Inboard Joint Side:





1. Wrap the splines with vinyl tape to prevent damage to the inboard boot and dynamic damper.
2. Install the dynamic damper and inboard boot to the driveshaft, then remove the vinyl tape. Take care not to damage the inboard boot and dynamic damper.





3. Install the spider onto the driveshaft by aligning the mark on the spider and the end of the driveshaft.
4. Fit the circlip into the driveshaft groove. Always rotate the circlip in its groove to be sure it is fully seated.





5. Fit the rollers onto the spider.

NOTE:
- Reinstall the rollers in their original positions on the spider by aligning the marks.
- Point the driveshaft upward to prevent the rollers from falling off.





6. Pack the inboard joint with the joint grease included in the new driveshaft set.





7. Fit the inboard joint onto the driveshaft.

NOTE:
- Reinstall the inboard joint onto the driveshaft by aligning the marks on the inboard joint with the marks on the rollers.
- Hold the driveshaft with the inboard joint pointing upward to prevent it from falling off.








8. Adjust the length of the driveshafts to the specifications, then adjust the boots to halfway between full compression and full extension. Make sure the ends of the boots seat in the groove of the driveshaft and joint.





9. Set the double loop band onto the boot with the band end toward the front of the vehicle.
10. Pull up the slack in the band by hand.





11. Make a mark on the band 10 - 14 mm (0.4 - 0.6 inch) from the clip.
12. Thread the free end of the band through the nose section of the commercially available boot band tool KD-3191 or equivalent, and into the slot on the winding mandrel.





13. Place a wrench on the winding mandrel of the boot band tool, and tighten the band until the marked spot on the band meets the edge of the clip.





14. Lift up the boot band tool to bend the free end of the band 90 degrees to the clip. Center-punch the clip, then fold over the remaining tail onto the clip.





15. Unwind the boot band tool, and cut off the excess free end of the band to leave a 5 - 10 mm (0.2 - 0.4 inch) tail protruding from the clip.





16. Bend the band end by tapping it down with a hammer.

NOTE: Make sure the band does not move. Remove any grease remaining on the surrounding surfaces.





17. Install the new set ring.

Outboard Joint Side:








1. Wrap the splines with vinyl tape to prevent damage to the boot.
2. Install the boot band and outboard boot, then remove the vinyl tape. Take care not to damage the boot.





3. Install the stop ring into the driveshaft groove.





4. Insert the driveshaft into the outboard joint until the stop ring is close on the joint.





5. To completely seat the outboard joint, pick up the driveshaft and joint, and drop them from about 10 cm (4 inch) onto a hard surface. Do not use a hammer as excessive force may damage the driveshaft.





6. Check the alignment of the paint mark with the out board joint end.





7. Pack the outboard joint with the joint grease included in the new joint boot set.





8. Fit the boot ends onto the driveshaft and outboard joint.
9. Install the boot bands.
- For'96-98 models, go to step 13.
- For'98 Canada and '99 - 01 models, go to step 10.





10. Set the ear clamp band by threading the tab into the holes of the band.





11. Close the ear portion of the band with a commercially available boot band pincers Kent-Moore J-35910 or equivalent.





12. Check the clearance between the closed ear portion of the band. If the clearance is not within the standard, close the ear portion of the band further.





13. Fit the boot ends onto the driveshaft and the outboard joint.
14. Fit the double loop boot bands onto the boot ends.
15. Pull up the slack in the band by hand.





16. Mark a position on the band 10 - 14 mm (0.4 - 0.6 inch) from the clip.





17. Thread the free end of the band through the nose section of the commercially available boot band tool KD-3191 or equivalent, and into the slot on the winding mandrel.
18. Place a wrench on the winding mandrel of the boot band tool, and tighten the band until the marked spot on the band meets the edge of the clip.





19. Lift up the boot band tool to bend the free end of the band 901 to the clip. Center punch the clip, then fold over the remaining tail onto the clip.





20. Unwind the boot band tool, and cut off the excess free end of the band to leave a 5 - 10 mm (0.2 - 0.4 inch) tail protruding from the clip.





21. Bend the band by tapping it down with a hammer.

NOTE: Make sure the band and the clip do not interfere with anything, and the band does not move. Remove any grease remaining in the surrounding surfaces.

Installation





1. Install the outboard joint into the knuckle.





2. Apply 0.5 - 1.0 grams (0.02 - 0.04 ounces) of grease to the whole splined surface of the intermediate shaft.

NOTE: After applying grease, remove the grease from the splined grooves at intervals of 2 - 3 splines and from the set ring groove so air can bleed from the inboard joint.

3. Install a new set ring onto the driveshaft or intermediate shaft groove.

CAUTION: Always use a now set ring whenever the driveshaft is being installed.





4. Insert the inboard end of the driveshaft into the differential or intermediate shaft until the set ring locks in the groove.

NOTE: Clean the areas where the driveshaft contacts the differential thoroughly with solvent or carburetor cleaner, and dry with compressed air.





5. Install the knuckle onto the lower arm, then tighten the castle nut, and install a new cotter pin.

NOTE: Wipe off the grease before tightening the nut at the ball joint.

CAUTION:
- Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot.
- Torque the castle nut to the lower torque specification, then tighten it only far enough to align the slot with the pin hole. Do not align the nut by loosening it. Install a new cotter pin.





6. Install the damper fork over the driveshaft and onto the lower arm. Install the damper in the damper fork so the aligning tab is aligned with the slot in the damper fork.
7. Loosely install the flange bolts and the new self locking nut.

NOTE: The bolts and nut should be tightened with the vehicle's weight on the damper.





8. Apply engine oil to the seating surface of the new spindle nut.
9. Install a new spindle nut, then tighten the nut.
10. Install the front wheel with the wheel nuts.

NOTE: Before installing the wheel, clean the mating surfaces of the brake disc and the wheel.

11. Tighten the flange bolts and the new self-locking nut with the vehicle's weight on the damper.
12. Refill the differential with recommended oil.
13. Check the front wheel alignment, and adjust it if necessary.