How to Replace Front 4x4 Drive Shaft 2006 Ford Explorer
Created on: 2015-11-05
This 1A Auto video will show you how to replace the front 4x4 drive shaft in your 2006 Ford Explorer.
-
step 1 :Preparing the Vehicle
- Raise and secure the vehicle on jack and jack stands
- Mark the front pinion yokes for reinstallation
- Mark the rear pinion yokes for reinstallation
-
step 2 :Removing the Drive Shaft
- Insert a pry bar into the yoke to hold the drive shaft
- Remove the 8mm bolts near the flange
- Hit the shaft side of the flange with a pry bar and hammer to loosen the drive shaft
- Insert a pry bar into the yoke to hold the drive shaft
- Remove the T30 Torx screws
- Remove the yoke brackets
- Pry the front yoke out the flange with a pry bar
- Remove the drive shaft
-
step 3 :Installing the Drive Shaft
- Insert the drive shaft into place
- Line up the U-joint into the front differential yoke
- Insert the yoke bracket and a T30 Torx bolt into place
- Insert the second T30 Torx bolt
- With the u-joint seated in place, turn the drive shaft
- Insert the yoke bracket and a T30 Torx bolt into place
- Insert the fourth T30 Torx bolt
- Tighten the Torx bolts evenly
- Torque the Torx bolts to 150 inch pounds
- Twist the other end of the drive shaft into place
- Insert and tighten the 8mm bolts
- Tighten the 8mm bolts to 150 inch pounds
Tools needed
-
Hammer
Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Torque Wrench
T30 Driver
Pry Bar
Jack Stands
8mm Socket
Ratchet
Floor Jack
Marker / Writing Utensil
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to remove and reinstall the front drive shaft. This is a 2006 Ford Explorer. This process is the same for many Ford vehicles, Explorers, as well as Mercury Mountaineer and the like. On this vehicle we use jack and jack stands, 8mm socket and a T30 Torx driver, ratchet and extension, pry bar or large screwdriver, a hammer, and a torque wrench.
The front drive shaft is under the driver's side. Raise and secure the vehicle on jack stands. The rear of the drive shaft connects in with six 8mm bolts on that flange there. Following the drive shaft to the front there are four T30 Torx bolts that hold the front yokes on to the front differential. If you like, you can mark the front yokes so that you can install them into the same location. Then you can do the same thing for the rear yoke. Mark the flange and then mark.
Start at the rear with an 8mm socket on an extension. I use a 3/8ths and 1/4 inch adapter so I can use a 3/8ths handle to give me a little more leverage. Put a pry bar or a large screwdriver into the yoke to hold the drive shaft and then put your ratchet socket and extension on. It takes a little bit of force to get them off first but then they go fairly easily. I'll speed up. The rear bolts don't come all the way out. You can just loosen them up as much you can until they're moving freely in the flange. You'll want to use a large screwdriver or a pry bar and hit the shaft side of the flange to loosen it up and drive it out of the transfer case side. Same thing at the front. Put your screwdriver in to hold the shaft from turning and then the T30 torques driver with the extension ratchet. You can just remove those four bolts as well as the two yoke brackets.
Take a pry bar/large screwdriver and pry the front yoke out of the flange. Then you'll want to push the drive shaft towards the rear of the vehicle and lift it up over the yoke in the front and then go to the front to drop the back down and out. If you should lose one of the caps off of the front U joint, you just want to make sure you collect any of the needle bearings, put them in there, put a little bit of grease back in, and then put it back on and you'll be okay.
Reinstallation is basically is a reverse of the procedure. Put it up and to the top and left of the differential, then slide it back in. You'll have to get the back flange seated a little bit then force the drive shaft back and pull it down into place and line up the U joint into the front differential yoke. Take the T30 Torx bolt and one of the yoke brackets and put it up in place. Start the bolt in and then start the second bolt in. Then you'll spin the flange around. You want to make sure that the U joint is seated correctly in the yoke of the differential. Make sure it's fully seated in there. You can just start it.
When you turn the drive shaft, make sure you're pushing the drive shaft into the differential to keep it seated correctly. Then repeat the same thing for the other side. You'll want to tighten these up evenly and then torque them to 150 inch pounds; 150 inch pounds is just over 12 foot pounds, so they're not actually that tight.
Then the rear is a little bit tricky. You want to get into place and you have to twist it to line up the bolts and then just force the bolt in with your fingers and get it going. Once you get them going, they're actually fairly easy. You want to avoid cross threading them. Get them into place. Again, they should be pretty easy. I basically get each one of them just a little bit firm and then again these will torque. You want to torque these the same thing, 150 inch pounds.
Thanks for tuning in. We hope this video helped you out. Next time you need parts for your car, please visit 1AAuto.com. Also check out our other helpful how-to and diagnosis videos.
How To Replace Front Axle Drive Shaft 2002-07 Jeep Liberty
Watch this video to learn how to replace the front axle drive shaft in your 02-07 Jeep Liberty. 1A Auto mechanics will guide you through the job.
