How to Replace a 2001 Chevrolet Impala Drive Shaft

Chevrolet launched the Impala as its own model in 1959, after it spent just one year as the highest trim level of the Bel Air. The Impala became one of the vehicles that formed the strong foundation that Chevy still rests upon. Chevy kept the Impala around until 1985, then resurrected the name briefly from 1994 through 1996 to make the Impala SS basically a modified Caprice. In 2000, Chevrolet brought back the Impala as its own model, but it had one huge difference from all other Impalas, it was front-wheel drive. Replacing the 2001 Impalas front axle shafts yourself takes time and a lot of concentration, but can save you a lot of money too.

Instructions

1

Loosen the front lug nuts on the wheel with the bad axle, using a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the vehicle with a floor jack and position jack stands under the vehicles subframe. Lower the Impala onto the jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and pull the front wheel off the hub.

2

Trace the antilock brake wire upward until you meet where it connects to the Impalas Antilock Brake System wiring. Press and hold the unlocking button on the wiring harness and unplug it. Trace the ABS wire back downward and pull it from its routing clips.

3

Remove the nut on the bottom of the stabilizer bar link with a ratchet and socket, while holding the links bolt steady with a combination wrench. Pull the stabilizer bar link from the lower control arm and stabilizer bar. Notice that seven components come off with the link as you pull it off, save these components for reinstallation. Leave the top rubber bushing and metal washer attached to the link bolt.

4

Instruct an assistant to hold the brake pedal as you remove the axle nut with a ratchet and socket.

5

Pull the cotter pin from the outer tie-rod end stud, using needle-nose pliers. Remove the tie-rod end nut with a ratchet and socket. Position a universal steering linkage puller over the tie rod end, so its screw part touches the tie-rod end stud and the claws grip the steering knuckle. Tighten the steering linkage puller with a ratchet and socket until the tie rod end pops from the steering knuckle.

6

Grab the lower ball joint cotter pin with needle-nose pliers and pull the cotter pin from the ball joint stud. Loosen the ball joint nut with a ratchet and socket. Position a ball joint separator on the ball joint, so the separators screw part touches the ball joint stud and the fixed side contacts the steering knuckle. Tighten the ball joint separator with a ratchet and socket until the ball joint pops free of the steering knuckle. Remove the ball joint nut and pull the lower control arm downward to remove the ball joint from the steering knuckle.

7

Position a hub spindle remover on the front hub, so the wheel studs go through the holes on the flanged part of the remover and the screw part touches the end of the axle. Next, hand-tighten the lug nuts onto the wheel studs that have the spindle remover.

8

Tighten the hub spindle remover with a ratchet and socket until the hub and axle separate. Pull the axle downward, so it is clear of the hub.

9

Crawl beneath the vehicle until you reach the axle-to-transmission connection point and position a drain pan under the connection point. Place an axle-shaft remover cup on the inner most part of the axle and slide it toward the outside of the axle until it seats on the flange on the axle. Tighten the threaded end of a slide hammer onto the axle-shaft remover cup. Use the force of the slide hammer to disengage the axle from the transmission. Pull the axle from the transmission and out from under the vehicle.

10

Line up the inner part of the axle with its input on the transmission. Press the axle toward the transmission until the axle seats fully into the transmission. Pull outward on the axle to check that you seated it fully. Slide the outer part of the axle into the Impalas hub and thread a new axle nut onto the axle only one or two turns.

11

Pivot the control arm upward and guide the ball joint stud into the steering knuckle. Tread the castellated nut onto the ball joint stud. Guide the outer tie rod end into its hole in the steering knuckle and hand-thread its castellated nut onto its stud.

12

Instruct your assistant to hold the brake pedal, as you tighten the axle nut to 118 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

13

Tighten the ball joint nut to 50 foot-pounds. Verify that a valley in the castellated nut aligns with the hole through the ball joint stud. If it does not align, tighten the nut slightly to align it. Insert a new cotter pin through the hole in the ball joint stud and bend its legs in opposite directions with needle-nose pliers to lock it in place.

14

Apply 35 foot-pounds of torque to the tie-rod ends castellated nut. Check that a valley in the castellated nut lines up with the hole through the tie-rod end stud. If they do not align, tighten the tie rod end in small increments until they do align. Insert a new cotter pin through the hole in the tie-rod end stud and bend its legs in opposite directions to lock it in place.

15

Guide the stabilizer bar link through the hole in the stabilizer bar and slide the following component onto the sway bar link, in the following order: rubber bushing, metal washer, metal sleeve, metal washer and rubber bushing. Guide the sway bar link through its hole in the control arm. Slide a rubber bushing, then a metal washer onto the bottom of the link, and hand-tighten its nut. Torque the sway bar link nut to 17 foot-pounds while holding the link bolt steady with a combination wrench.

16

Reconnect the ABS sensor harness into the Impalas wiring harness and press the ABS wire back into its routing clips.

17

Reinstall the front wheel on the front hub and hand-tighten its lug nuts. Raise the Impala off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground, then tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 100 foot-pounds.

18

Start the Impala and allow it to reach operating temperature roughly halfway up the temperature gauge. Shift the gear shifter through all of the gears, pausing for about three seconds in each gear.

19

Remove the transmission dipstick and wipe the oil from it with a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the dipstick and remove it again. Check the fluid level on the stick, the correct level in near the middle of the crosshatched section of the dipstick. Insert a funnel and add more Dexron-III transmission fluid until it reaches the correct level, if needed.

20

Take the old transmission fluid to a used automotive fluid recycling center for disposal. Many auto parts stores take old transmission fluid free of charge.

21

Drive the Impala to a nearby automotive repair facility to have a professional alignment performed.