How To Replace Front CV Axle Shaft 2005-08 Ford F150
Created on: 2016-09-28
How to repair, install, fix, change or replace broken, worn, or vibrating CV axles on 05, 06, 07, 08 Ford F150
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step 1 :Removing the Wheel
- Remove the center hub cap with a pair of pliers
- Remove the 13mm axle nut
- Loosen the 19mm lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground
- Raise the vehicle with a floor jack
- Secure the vehicle on jack stands
- Pull off the hub cap
- Remove the lug nuts
- Pull off the wheel
-
step 2 :Removing the Axle
- Have an assistant hold the brake pedal
- Remove the six 12 point, 12mm bolts from the axle flange
- Remove the 30mm nut at the bottom strut bolt
- Pry out from under the strut
- Remove the axle
-
step 3 :Installing the Axle
- Insert the CV axle into place without tearing the boot or dislocating the joints
- Put the strut into place
- Tighten the 30mm bolt to the bottom strut
- Have an assistant hold the brake pedal
- Tighten the six 12-point, 12mm bolts to the axle flange
-
step 4 :Reattaching the Wheel
- Slide the wheel into place
- Start the lug nuts by hand
- Tighten the lug nuts preliminarily
- Reinstall the axle nut preliminarily
- Lower the vehicle to the ground
- Tighten the axle nut
- Reinstall the axle nut cap
- Tighten the lug nuts 150 foot-pounds in a crossing or star pattern
Tools needed
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12mm Socket
13mm Socket
Socket Extensions
Torque Wrench
Rust Penetrant
Jack Stands
19mm Socket
Flat Blade Screwdriver
26mm Wrench
12mm 12-Point Socket
30mm Socket
Ratchet
Floor Jack
Assistant
1/2 Inch Breaker Bar
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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 be working with our 2004 Ford F150. We're going to show you how to remove and replace the front CV axle. We are doing this on the driver's side, but this part and information is going to be the same on the passenger's side.
If you like this video, please click subscribe. We have a ton more information on this truck, as well as many other makes and models. If you need this part for your vehicle, you can follow the link down in the description over to 1AAuto.com.
Here are the items you'll need for this repair: 12mm-30mm sockets, wrenches, socket extension, 12-point 12mm socket, pliers, prybar/breaker bar, torque wrench, flat blade screwdriver, rust penetrant, jack, and jack stands.
Using a pair of pliers, wiggle the cap out of the center of the hub and remove this thirteen millimeter nut at the end of the axle. Break the lug nuts loose with a nineteen millimeter socket and a breaker bar. You only want to crack them loose about one turn. We're going to do this on a lift to make it easier to show you, but this job can be done at home on a jack and jack stand. Once we've loosened the wheel and the axle nut, we'll raise and support our vehicle. Finish removing the lug nuts and remove the wheel and tire from the truck.
We'll remove these six, twelve-point 12 millimeter bolts with a twelve-point socket and ratchet so we can disconnect the axle flange from the differential. You'll need a friend to get inside the vehicle and hold the breaks as you break the bolts loose. We'll rotate it. Remove each one as the get on and off the brakes.
We've soaked all of our hardware in penetrating oil before starting here because these flanges tend to get pretty rusty. This is not somewhere you want to break off a bolt. Have your assistant release the brake pedal. Rotate the axle around a hundred and eighty degrees. Have them reengage the pedal so you can finish removing the hardware. Using a 30 millimeter socket, remove these nuts at the bottom strut bolt. You may have to support the bolt side with a twenty seven millimeter wrench. Remove the nut and bolt.
We've cut the wheel all the way to the left to allow more room. Now, we can pry out from under our strut. Pull it out to the side. Easily remove our axle from the truck. This will take a little bit of work. You're going to have to move it a little. Fight it. You may need a pry bar or a hammer to work it out. Sometimes, they do just come out easily.
Here, we have our old CV axle that we removed from our truck and our new part from 1AAuto.com. As you can see, these parts are nearly identical. We have the same shaft at the end, same threads, and it comes with the new nut. We have the teeth to lock into our hub. Same six bolt flange at the far end. The shafts are a little bit shorter in the center. But, the overall length of the axle is the same. That's what matters here. These boots just come out a little bit farther. These ones here are all torn up and broken. You can see the end cap blew out and let the grease and barrings out of the other end of our CV axle during removal.
CV axles are prone to clicking when taking sharp turns. Most noticeable when the vehicle is in four-wheel drive. But, even when this is turning with the hub and you get it to a steep angle, when you turn the car, it will make a clicking sound. If your CV axle is blown out, making noise, or has snapped and failed completely, preventing your vehicle from going into four wheel drive and moving around underneath the truck, potentially damaging some other components.
This new part from 1AAuto is going to go in, direct fit, just like your original equipment and fix you up right.
Reinstall the CV axle, being careful not to dislocate either of the joints or tear the boot. Put the strut back into place. To reinstall the bottom strut bolt, we're actually just a little bit out of line here. We're going to take a pry bar, put it through this notch in the bottom of the control arm, and push up just a little so our bolt slides in easily. We'll straighten out our wheel. Spin the nut back on by hand. Finish tightening it down with a thirty millimeter socket and ratchet and a twenty seven millimeter wrench to hold the bolt on the other side.
Line up the flange at the rear of the CV axle. Reinstall your twelve-point, twelve millimeter bolts. Get these in as far as you can by hand. Then you'll need your assistant again to work the breaks while you tighten them down with a socket and ratchet.
Reinstall the wheel and tire. Start your six lug nuts by hand. Reinstall that thirteen millimeter nut on to our axle as far as we can. Then put our vehicle back on the ground. Tighten down the axle nut with a thirteen millimeter socket and ratchet. Reinstall the dust cap over the axle nut. Tap it back into place. You can use a rubber mallet or a piece of wood on a hammer. I'm just using the end of the ratchet here because it's handy. Torque the lug nuts to 150 foot pounds. It's very important when torqueing six lug wheels. The cross pattern is different from your standard five lug wheel. You want to make little triangles. We'll skip one lug and, tighten the first three. Then, we'll go across, skip one, skip one again. We'll be tightening the wheels in two small triangles.
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.
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