Seals and Gaskets: Service and Repair

1. Raise and support front of vehicle, then remove underbody covers.
2. Remove stabilizer bar to lower control arm attachment.
3. Remove wheel and tire assembly.
4. Remove ball joint to steering knuckle attaching bolt, then pull lower control arm downward to separate ball joint from steering knuckle.
5. Remove transaxle drain plug and allow transaxle to drain.

Fig. 6 Separating halfshaft from transaxle:

6. Using a suitable pry bar, separate halfshaft from differential side gear, Fig. 6. Suspend halfshaft from coil spring using wire. When inserting pry bar use care not to damage oil seal.

Fig. 9 Replacing transaxle oil seal:

7. Using a suitable screwdriver, remove oil seal from case, Fig. 9.
8. Reverse procedure to install. Use tool No. T87C-77000-H or equivalent to install oil seal. When installing halfshaft, use nut circlip. While supporting at constant velocity joint, slid halfshaft into transaxle until circlip engages differential side gear groove. Torque lower ball joint to steering knuckle attaching bolt to 32 to 40 ft. lbs. When installing stabilizer bar link, tighten nut until 7/16 inch of thread extends beyond nut.