Nice! Sorry for the false info on the nut. Looks like I did an extra step I didn't have to do. Nice work. Did you just swap out the whole CV assembly? Or just boots?

 

I'm gonna try this tomorrow, wish me luck haha

 

That's alright on the nut. There was still plenty of grease in the bearings and it wasn't dirty either so I probably wouldn't have repacked them anyway... Ya, I did the whole cv assembly. I had been on the fence about which axles to buy and a brand new Cardone velocity select popped up on craigslist for $30 so I jumped on it. The guy sold his 4runner before he got around to replacing the axle and had no use for it. I think that they're okay but for $30 bucks if it gets a couple years I'll be happy!

 

Hockey88fan, If you don't have a way to press out or knock out the studs/bolts on the differential flange I would advise just to go ahead and disconnect the lower ball joint from the beginning. It only takes 5-10 mins and will save you many swear words and time in getting the old axle out and the new one back in.

 

Ya that's a killer deal! Not gonna do mine cause they ain't broke and they are working fine! Boots aren't torn.

 

I couldn't pass that deal up! My driver's side was clicking so I figured I had better do it before it breaks. I think the passenger side will need to be done in the next few months as the boots are looking like they aren't too far away from tearing. Or, I might just do it when I do my bj's in the next few weeks since I'll have everything apart anyway...

 

Thanks for the tip. My drivers side clicks as well but only 4wheel drive. I picked up a new one from autozone with lifetime warranty for $75. I've read on here that if you jack up just under the lower ball joint, thus pushing the lower control arm up as far as it will go, that the cv will just pull out without taking off the ball joint. You think that would of worked for you?

 

I did that and I got the old one out okay but the new one was such a tight fit that I got to the point of afraid of tearing the boots and just figured I would remove the lower ball joint. Made it much much easier! I think when I do the other one I'll do that from the beginning. It's still a little bit of a fight getting the old one out without disconnecting the lower ball joint though

 

Ok, thanks, hope they're not rusted to the point where I can't get the four bolts off. Also, can you bend and manipulate the new cv in any and all directions without fear of disconnecting or damaging the joints behind the rubber boots? Might be a noob question, but....well...I'm a noob to this.

 

As long as you don't extend the axle too far you should be fine. I'm not 100% but I think extending the axle too far can pull the joints inside apart as they are made to extend and retract as the suspension and steering articulate. I don't think you could damage them by moving them side to side though. That would take much more power than we humans posses I think. haha

Oh, PB Blaster and a breaker bar are two of the best friends you could have also!

 

Ok great, thanks for the info!

 

I have the ball joints bolts removed, now where do position the jack to lift up the hub?

 

you should of used a socket between the upper control arm and frame to lock it in the up position before you jacked up the truck and removed the lower b-joint eliminating the need to jack up the hub now. there is no safe place to position a jack to lift the hub. if you dont believe me ask the guy who has only 3 fingers or the other guy that sat in the driveway for an hour waiting for his wife to come home so she could cut the torsion bar with a saws all so he could get his crushed/broken hand unstuck. be careful x1000. you should be able to get the it in just by swinging the hub out and off to one side. i put mine in from the bottom by the diff and shaft with the six studs. as i pass it in my buddy helps to feed it into the hub and i wiggle it up into place and onto the six studs, w/o removing any studs either.

 

Thank you for your concern and the safety tips. I didnt procede because I was unsure, I ended up putting it all back together because of a another hold up I came across. The measured distance between my shock and the long vertical sway bar bolt bushing is under 4", the the cv joint closest to the wheel measures just over 4". So it seems there is no way I'd be able to pull it out, or fit the new between that limited space?

 

I unbolted the sway bar link. You could either do that or unbolt the bottom shock mount.

 

usually i just cut those sway bar bolts off and replace them with a new kit that has the rubbers and all. cheap cost w/o any fuss. almost any kit will fit just check the length.

 

Ok, I can do that. Is the sway bar putting pressure of any sort on that bolt where as when I cut it or go to remove it that the sway bar will swing up or down or out where it will damage something or injure me?

 

Assuming you're parked on a level surface, the sway bar shouldn't be under any stress. It only gets torqued when one wheel is up and the other one is down.

 

Ok thanks, I'll get back at it next weekend. I swear it looks like the lower shock mount is in the way too, the bracket itself that's welded to the lower control arm (I think it's welded).

 

You'll need to crank the steering wheel one way or the other to get the cv past the shock once you have the sway link out of the way. I think you turn the wheel to the right to remove the left cv, and vice versa for the other one.