How To Replace Front Axle 2004-08 Ford F150
Created on: 2014-12-08
If the front axle needs to be replaced, this video has the steps needed to help you replace it yourself
-
step 1 :Removing the Wheel
- Pry off the center cap with a flat blade screwdriver
- Loosen the 21mm lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground
- Raise the vehicle with a floor jack
- Secure the vehicle on jack stands
- Remove the lug nuts
- Pull off the wheel
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step 2 :Loosening the Outer Tie Rod
- Turn the wheel
- Remove the 21mm nut from the outer tie rod
- Leave the 21mm nut on a couple threads
- Hammer the knuckle until the outer tie rod loosens
- Set the outer tie rod off to the side
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step 3 :Loosening the Axle
- Remove the hub nut cap with a pair of pliers
- Remove the 13mm hub nut
- Replace the 13mm nut by a few threads and tap the nut with a hammer to push the axle through
- Remove the nut
- Have an assistant hold the brakes
- Remove the 12mm bolts from the axle with a 12mm 12-point socket
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step 4 :Removing the Axle
- Remove the 21mm nut from the bottom of the upper control arm
- Thread the 21mm nut on
- Loosen the upper control arm with a hammer
- Remove the nut
- Manuever the wheel knuckle to the side without straining the brake lines
- Remove the axle from the wheel knuckle
-
step 5 :Installing the New Axle
- Insert the axle into place
- Insert the upper control arm into the wheel knuckle
- Tighten the 21mm nut
- Tighten the 12mm bolts into the axle
- Torque the 12mm nuts to 60 foot-pounds in a crossing pattern
- Tighten 13mm hub nut
- Torque the hub nut to 20 foot-pounds
- Tap the hub nut cap into place
- Re-clip and realign any lines that may have come undone
-
step 6 :Reinstalling the Outer Tie Rod
- Push the outer tie-rod up through the wheel knuckle
- Replace the 21mm nut
- Torque the 21mm nut to 111 foot-pounds
- Tighten the bolt on the upper control arm
- Torque the upper control arm 21mm nut to 111 foot-pounds
- Tighten the 18mm nut to the sway bar link
- Jack underneath the control arm
- Torque the lower strut bolt to 150 foot-pounds
-
step 7 :Reattaching the Wheel
- Slide the wheel into place
- Start the lug nuts by hand
- Tighten the lug nuts preliminarily
- Lower the vehicle to the ground
- Tighten the lug nuts to 120 foot-pounds in a crossing or star pattern
- Reattach the center cap
Tools needed
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13mm Socket
A Piece of Pipe (for leverage)
Torque Wrench
Hammer
Pry Bar
18mm Wrench
Jack Stands
21mm Socket
21mm wrench
Flat Blade Screwdriver
12mm 12-Point Socket
8mm Socket
Ratchet
Floor Jack
Assistant
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 replace a front axle on this 2005 Ford F-150 with 4-wheel drive. We show you on the driver side, but the passenger side is the same procedure. The items you'll need for this is a new front axle from 1AAuto.com, an 8mm, 13mm, and 21mm socket and ratchet, a piece of pipe for some extra leverage, a 12mm 12-point socket, an 18mm and 21mm wrench, pliers, pry bar, hammer, torque wrench, and jack and jack stands.
Start off by prying off the hub cap. Then loosen up these lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet and a piece of pipe for some extra leverage. Once you get each of them loosened up, you can raise the vehicle and remove them the rest of the way. Now pull the wheel off.
Turn the wheel and then remove this 21mm nut at the top of your outer tie rod. Once you remove it, you want to just put it back on just a couple threads. Now hammer the knuckle until the outer tie rod drops down. Now you can remove that nut, and just set your outer tie rod off to the side.
Using a pair of pliers remove this cap and then loosen up and remove that 13mm nut. Then you just want to put it back on, just a few threads, tap it with a hammer and make sure it goes through. Then remove the nut the rest of the way. On the other end of the axle there's a series of 12mm bolts. You just need to use a 12mm 12-point socket and then a pry bar to hold the wheel and just loosen those up. We'll fast-forward as Mike removes all six of those. When you remove that last one, just push the axle down to the side.
Now spray this 21mm nut up here on the bottom of your upper control arm, and then remove that nut and put it back on just a few threads. With the nut back on a few threads, just hammer the wheel knuckle until the upper control arm loosens up. Now just lift up on the wheel knuckle and then remove that nut. You can just set the wheel knuckle off to the side carefully. You don't want it to strain those brake hoses. Then just tap the axle and pull it out of the wheel knuckle. You want to feed the axle towards the left side, towards the front of the vehicle. Just angle it down and pull it down and out.
On the bottom is the old front axle; above it is the new one from 1A Auto. You can see they're identical and they'll fit exactly the same. Making sure they're tightened. Now you can remove the jack and feed your axle back into place. You want to feed it back in the same way that you pulled it out.
Now you can take your upper control arm and push it back into the wheel knuckle. Once you push it through, just put that 21mm nut on there to hold it in place. Line up the axle and replace those 12mm bolts. We'll fast-forward as Mike does this. Now tighten each of those to 60 foot-pounds in a crossing pattern. You can see we torqued that one. Then you want to turn the wheel until you get the one on the opposite side. Then torque that one. You want to just repeat this process with each of them. Now replace this 13mm nut and torque it to 20 foot-pounds. Then replace that cap and just tap it into place.
If any of the lines on the back came undone, make sure you push them back in and re-clip them. Then push your outer tire rod up to the wheel knuckle and replace the nut. Then torque that to 111 foot-pounds. Now just tighten up this bolt on your upper control arm. If the stud spins, use a 10mm socket and ratchet. Then you want to torque this to 111 foot-pounds. Then tighten up the nut on the bottom of your sway bar link. Jack up underneath the lower control arm to simulate a wheel being in place. Torque the lower strut bolt to 150 foot-pounds.
Now we'll fast-forward as Mike replaces the wheel and replaces the lug nuts and tightens them preliminarily. Then he lowers the vehicle and tightens them the rest of the way. Then torque each of them in a crossing pattern to 120 foot-pounds. Then just replace your hubcap and you're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
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