Axle Shaft Assembly: Service and Repair

Axle Shaft
Removal

1. CAUTION: Do not use heat to loosen a seized lug nut. Heat can damage the wheel and the roar wheel bearings.





Loosen the lug nuts.
1 Remove the center cap.
2 With the weight of the vehicle on the wheels, loosen the lug nuts.

2. WARNING: When equipped with rear air springs, the electrical power to the air suspension system must be shut off prior to hoisting, jacking or towing an air suspension vehicle. This can be accomplished by turning off the air suspension switch located in the RH kick panel area. Failure to do so can result in unexpected inflation or deflation of the air springs, which can result in shifting of the vehicle during these operations.

Raise and support the vehicle.





3. Remove the rear wheel and tire assembly.
1 Remove the lug nuts.
2 Remove the wheel and tire assembly.





4. Remove the differential housing cover.
1 Remove the 10 differential housing cover bolts and drain the lubricant from the rear axle housing.
2 Remove the differential housing cover.
5. Remove the rear brake anti-lock sensor.
6. Remove the rear brake caliper and the brake disc.

7. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft has been removed, turning the differential case or an axle shaft can cause the differential pinion gears to fall out of the assembly. This can result in chipped or damaged components.





Remove the differential pinion shaft.
1 Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
2 Remove the differential pinion shaft.

8. CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-ring in the U-washer groove.





Remove the U-washer.
1 Push the axle shaft inboard.
2 Remove the U-washer.





9. Reinstall the differential pinion shaft.
1 Push the axle shaft outboard.
2 Install the differential pinion shaft.
3 Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt finger-tight.

10. CAUTION: Do not damage the wheel bearing oil seal.





Remove the axle shaft.





11. Using a thin-blade cold chisel between the rear brake anti-lock sensor indicator and the axle shaft, strike the chisel evenly around the flange. Force the rear anti-lock sensor indicator off the rear brake anti-lock sensor indicator journal. Discard the rear brake anti-lock sensor indicator.

Installation





1. Place rear brake anti-lock sensor indicator on a bearing plate and insert the axle shaft through the indicator.





2. Press the axle shaft through the rear brake anti-lock sensor indicator until it bottoms out on the axle flange.





3. Lubricate the lip of the wheel bearing oil seal.
- Use Premium Long-Life Grease XG-1-C or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESA-M1C75-B.

4. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft has been removed, turning the differential case or an axle shaft can cause the differential pinion gears to fall out of the assembly. This can result in chipped or damaged components.





Remove the differential pinion shaft.
1 Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
2 Remove the differential pinion shaft.

5. CAUTION: Do not damage the wheel bearing oil seal.





Install the axle shaft.

6. CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-ring in the U-washer groove.





Install the U-washer.
1 Position the U-washer on the button end of the axle shaft.
2 Pull the axle shaft outward to seat the U-washer in the side gear.





7. Install the differential pinion shaft.
1 Align the hole in the differential pinion shaft with the lock bolt hole.
2 Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
8. Install the brake disc and the brake caliper.
9. Install the rear brake anti-lock sensor.
10. Install the differential housing cover and fill the differential housing with the specified lubricant.

11. WARNING: Always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign material that may present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub or rear brake disc that contacts the wheel. Installing wheels without proper metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the lug nut to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control.

Clean the wheel hub and mounting surfaces.
12. Install the wheel and tire assembly.
13. Install the center cap.

14. NOTE: If equipped with air suspension, reactivate the system by turning the air suspension switch on.

Lower the vehicle.