How to Change the Axle Assembly on a 2005 Ford Taurus

The 2005 Ford Taurus base model came with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. Because your Taurus is driven by its front wheels, constant velocity shafts are used to transfer rotation from the transmission differential to the front wheel hubs. The constant velocity joints of the axle shaft allow the axle to flex and bend in all directions so that the power transfer is uninterrupted when turning the vehicle or going over bumps. The CV shaft is serviced as an assembly, requiring the replacement of the entire axle shaft if you have experienced a CV joint failure.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Remove the center cap for the wheel to be serviced by pry it with a pry bar. Instruct a helper to enter the vehicle and apply the brakes. Loosen and remove the axle shaft nut with a 36 mm socket and breaker bar. Loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench and instruct the helper to exit the vehicle.

2

Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with a floor jack and place jack stands under the front sub-frame rails. Lower the vehicle until it rests securely on the jack stands. Remove the wheel and tire from the vehicle.

3

Pry the brake hose away from the retaining clip on the strut assembly. Remove the bolt for the wheel speed sensor harness on the steering knuckle. Remove the bolt securing the wheel speed sensor to the steering knuckle with a socket and ratchet and set the wheel speed sensor aside.

4

Remove the lower ball joint nut with a socket and ratchet and discard it. Remove the strut pinch nut with a socket and ratchet while hold the pinch bolt steady with a wrench. Discard the strut pinch nut and remove the strut pinch bolt.

5

Separate the lower ball joint from the lower control arm with a ball joint separator. Lift upward on the steering knuckle about one half inch and connect the steering knuckle to the strut flange with mechanics wire. Place a pry bar between the lower control arm and the steering knuckle and pry the ball joint stud out of the control arm.

6

Install the wheel hub remover over three of the five wheel studs and install the respective lug nuts snug. Rotate the while hub tool push bolt with a socket and ratchet until the axle shaft is free of the wheel hub. Pull outward on the steering knuckle and remove the axle shaft from the wheel hub.

7

Set a drain pan under the transmission. Install the axle attachment for the slide tool over the inboard joint tripod and tighten the nuts. Thread the slide hammer tool into the attachment and slide the hammer towards the outside of the vehicle with considerable force to separate the axle shaft from the transmission.

8

Remove the slide hammer tool and attachment and set them aside. Support the axle shaft by hand and pull it straight out of the transmission. Inspect the axle shaft seal on the transmission case for any wear or damage and replace it as necessary. Remove the axle shaft from under the vehicle. Remove the drain pan and store any used fluid in a safe place until it can be disposed of properly.

Installation

9

Inspect the new axle shaft and ensure a new circlip has been installed on the transmission side of the axle shaft. Coat the axle shaft seal on the transmission case with fresh Mercon-V transmissio fluid. Secure the front joint of the new axle shaft to the suspension with mechanics wire and lift the inboard joint tripod into position by hand.

10

Spline the new axle shaft into the transmission, exercising extreme care not to damage the axle shaft seal. Tap the opposite end of the axle shaft with a rubber mallet to help seat the circlip into the grooves of the differential side gears. Pull on the inboard joint to ensure the axle shaft is seated, the axle shaft will not be able to be pulled out by hand if it is properly installed.

11

Align the axle shaft splines with the wheel hub splines and push the axle shaft into the wheel hub as far as possible by hand. Pry down on the lower control arm and guide the lower ball joint stud into the lower control arm. Install a new lower ball joint lock nut hand tight.

12

Thread the old axle shaft nut onto the new axle shaft and tighten it to fully seat the axle shaft into the wheel hub. Remove the old nut and discard it once the axle shaft is properly seated. Tighten the lower ball joint lock nut to 80 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

13

Support the steering knuckle and strut assembly by hand and remove the mechanics wire. Align the steering knuckle over strut and install the pinch bolt. Install a new lower strut mounting lock nut and tighten it to 85 foot-pounds while holding the bolt steady with a wrench.

14

Slide the rubber brake hose connector onto the mounting bracket on the strut. Install the wheel speed sensor into the steering knuckle and install the mounting bolt. Tighten the wheel speed sensor mounting bolt to 9 foot-pounds. Install the wheel speed sensor harness bracket to the steering knuckle and tighten the bolt to 9 foot-pounds.

15

Install a new axle shaft nut onto the axle and tighten it hand tight. Install the wheel and tire onto the vehicle and install the lug nuts hand tight. Lift the front of the vehicle off the jack stands and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

16

Instruct a helper to sit in the vehicle and apply the brakes. Tighten the new axle nut to 184 foot-pounds with a 36 mm socket and torque wrench. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds in a criss-cross pattern. Instruct the helper to exit the vehicle.

17

Lift the hood and support it with the hood prop rod. Pull the transmission dipstick and clean any fluid off the end of the stick. Start the engine and place the vehicle into every gear from park to low-range and back again, pausing for five seconds at every gear. Set the transmission to park and let the engine run.

18

Slide the dipstick into the dipstick tube and fully seat it. Remove the dipstick and check the fluid level. Install a funnel into the dipstick tube and add fresh Mercon-V transmission fluid in 1/4-quart increments until the fluid level is within operating range, if the fluid level is below the fill line imprinted on the end of the dipstick.

19

Shut the vehicle hood and drive it to a local repair shop to have the front-end alignment checked and adjusted, as necessary.