Removal and Installation

NOTE: The only service which is to be performed on the driveshaft assemblies is the replacement of the driveshaft seal boots or replacement of the entire assembly.

If any failure of internal driveshaft components is diagnosed during a vehicle road test or disassembly of the driveshaft, the driveshaft assembly will need to be replaced.

REMOVAL
1. Raise vehicle on jackstands or centered on a frame contact type hoist. Refer to Vehicle Lifting in Maintenance for the required lifting procedure to be used for this vehicle.
2. Remove the front wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.

Fig. 3:

3. Remove the front caliper assembly from the front steering knuckle assembly (Fig. 3). Refer to Brakes and Traction Control for caliper removal procedure.

Fig. 4:

4. Remove front braking disk (rotor) from hub, by, pulling it straight off wheel mounting studs (Fig. 4).

Fig. 5:

5. Remove the speed sensor cable routing bracket from the strut assembly (Fig. 5).

Fig. 6:

6. Remove the hub and bearing to stub axle retaining nut (Fig. 6).

Fig. 7:

7. Install Puller, Special Tool 6790 on hub and bearing assembly (Fig. 7), using wheel lug nuts to secure it in place.

Fig. 8:

8. Install a wheel lug nut on wheel stud to protect the threads on the stud. Install a flat blade pry tool to keep hub from turning. Using Puller, force the outer stub axle from the hub and bearing assembly (Fig. 8).

Fig. 9:

9. Dislodge inner tripod joint from stub shaft retaining snap ring on transaxle assembly (Fig. 9). Inner tripod joint is dislodged from stub shaft retaining snap ring, by inserting a pry bar between transaxle case and inner tripod joint and prying on tripod joint. Only disengage the inner tripod joint from the retaining snap ring. Do not attempt to remove the inner tripod joint from the transmission stub shaft at this time.

CAUTION: The strut assembly to steering knuckle bolts are serrated where they go through strut assembly and steering knuckle. When removing bolts, turn nuts off bolts. DO NOT TURN BOLTS IN STEERING KNUCKLE. If bolts are turned, damage to steering knuckle will result.

Fig. 10:

10. Remove the strut assembly to steering knuckle attaching bolts (Fig. 10).
11. Remove the top of the steering knuckle from the strut assembly.

Fig. 11:

CAUTION: When removing outer ON joint from hub and bearing assembly, do not allow the flinger disk (Fig. 11) on hub and bearing assembly to become damaged. Damage to the flinger disk will cause dirt and water intrusion into bearing. Premature bearing failure will result.

12. Hold outer C/V joint assembly with one hand. Grasp steering knuckle with other and rotate it out and to the rear of the vehicle, until outer C/V joint clears hub and bearing assembly (Fig. 11).

Fig. 12:

13. Remove driveshaft inner tripod joint from transaxle stub shaft. When removing driveshaft, do not pull on interconnecting shaft to remove inner tripod joint from stub shaft. Removal in this manner will separate the spider assembly from the tripod joint housing. Grasp inner tripod joint (Fig. 12) and interconnecting shaft and pull on both pieces at the same time.

INSTALLATION

Fig. 13:

CAUTION: The inboard tripod joint retaining circlip and O-ring seal (Fig. 13) on the transaxle stub shaft are not re-usable. Whenever the inboard tripod joint is removed from the stub shaft, the retaining circlip and O-ring seal MUST BE REPLACED. The retaining circlip and O-ring seal is included in all service kits requiring removal of the inboard tripod joint from the stub shaft.

1. Replace O-ring seal and tripod joint retaining circlip (Fig. 13) on the transaxle stub shaft.

Fig. 14:

2. Evenly apply a bead of grease, such as Mopar Multi-Purpose Lubricant or an equivalent, around spline of inner tripod joint (Fig. 14) where the O-ring seats against tripod joint. This will spread grease onto stub shaft during tripod joint installation preventing corrosion and help to seal the O-ring.

Fig. 15:

3. Install driveshaft through hole in splash shield. Grasp inner tripod joint in one hand and interconnecting shaft in the other. Align inner tripod joint spline with stub shaft spline on transaxle (Fig. 15). Use a rocking motion with the inner tripod joint, to get it past the circlip on the transaxle stub shaft.
4. Continue pushing tripod joint onto transaxle stub shaft until it stops moving. The O-ring seal on the stub should not be visible when inner tripod joint is fully installed on stub shaft. To check that inner tripod joint retaining circlip is locked into tripod joint, grasp inner tripod joint and pull on it by hand. If circlip is locked into tripod joint, tripod joint will not move on stub shaft.

CAUTION: When installing outer ON joint into the hub and bearing assembly, do not allow the flinger disk on hub and bearing assembly to become damaged. Damage to the flinger disk can cause dirt and water intrusion into bearing and premature bearing failure.

Fig. 16:

5. Hold outer C/V joint assembly with one hand Grasp steering knuckle with other hand and rotate it out and to the rear of the vehicle. Install outer C/V joint into the hub and bearing assembly (Fig. 16).
6. Install the top of the steering knuckle into the strut assembly. Align the steering knuckle to strut assembly mounting holes.

CAUTION: The strut assembly to steering knuckle bolts are serrated where they go through strut assembly and steering knuckle. When installing bolts, turn nuts onto bolts. DO NOT TURN BOLTS IN STEERING KNUCKLE. If bolts are turned, damage to steering knuckle will result.

Fig. 17:

7. Install the strut assembly to steering knuckle attaching bolts. Install nuts on attaching bolts (Fig. 17). Tighten the strut assembly to steering knuckle bolt nuts to 169 Nm (125 ft. lbs.). TURN NUTS ON BOLTS. DO NOT TURN BOLTS.

CAUTION: The hub and bearing assembly to stub shaft retaining nut is a prevailing torque nut and can not be re-used. A NEW retaining nut MUST be used when assembled.

Fig. 18:

8. Install a NEW retaining nut (Fig. 18). Tighten, but do not torque the hub nut at this time.
9. Install speed sensor cable routing bracket on front strut assembly. Install and securely tighten routing bracket screw.

Fig. 19:

10. Install the braking disk on the hub and bearing assembly (Fig. 19).

Fig. 20:

11. Install front brake caliper over braking disc and align with caliper mounting holes on steering knuckle (Fig. 20). Install the caliper to steering knuckle bolts. Tighten bolts to 19 Nm (168 inch lbs.).

Fig. 21:

12. Install wheel and tire assembly on vehicle. Tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in proper sequence (Fig. 21), until all nuts are tightened to half specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 129 Nm (95 ft. lbs.).
13. Lower vehicle to the ground.

CAUTION: When tightening hub and bearing assembly to stub shaft retaining nut, do not exceed the maximum torque of 150 Nm (105 ft. lbs.). If the maximum torque is exceeded this may result in a failure of the driveshaft.

Fig. 22:

14. Apply the vehicle's brakes to keep vehicle from moving. Tighten the NEW stub shaft to hub and bearing assembly retaining nut to 150 Nm (105 ft. lbs.) (Fig. 22).