I have to change out my front left drive shaft (axle w/ CV's) in my 94 4wd pickup and cannot tell if I will need to remove the big nut over the wheel bearings. Can anyone tell me if that is necessary? I'm hoping I just have to remove the outer part down to the first gasket. This truck does not have a free wheeling (manual locking) hub; the front end is locked in by the differential.

Thanks

 

www.ncttora.com/fsm

:wabbit2:

 

No, the half-shaft is held in by a cir-clip.

The manual is your friend, but it doesn't mention one thing that (I think) is important. Because of the angles, if you work with the front wheel dangling (like you have stands under the frame), you will NOT be able to remove the half-shaft. But if you raise the wheel (I put another jack under the rotor, and lift until the load just comes off the nearest jack stand), the angles are correct and you can easily remove the half-shaft.

Others have resorted to removing the ball-joints, the shock absorber, and even pounding the studs out of the differential flange. You can do that if you want, but I didn't find any of that necessary.

 

Thanks. I know someone who change one of these and he had to remove a lot of that stuff because his jack stand was not under the A-Frame. So the key is to place the jack such that it does not allow the suspension to hang.