How to change out rear axle shaft
#1
12-22-2010, 10:41 AM
Changed out a rear axle shaft in my 2009 Ram Sport Crew Cab.
dodgetruckparts.com got the shaft to me in about two weeks. They need to learn what available means. They also told me it wouldn't come with studs. So $30 for studs and when it showed up, it had the studs pressed in it and a bag with the extra studs I ordered.
Pretty straight forward.
Get the truck on stands.
Remove the 13mm bolts on the diff cover. 12 of them.
Whack the cover with a rubber hammer to break the rtv seal and let the fluid drain into a pan.
Remove the wheel.
Remove the two 21mm bolts for the caliper mounting bracket and remove the caliper assembly.
Pull off the rotor.
Remove the 8mm bolt/pin for the cross shaft in the carrier.
Remove the cross shaft. It should just push out. This is also why I left one wheel on, so that it was easy to turn the carrier to get to everything.
Push the axle shaft in and the C clip will fall off of the end of the shaft. You may have to use your finger or a pick if yours is gummed up a bit.
Pull the shaft out while taking care not to mess up the axle seals with the c clip groove.
Put in the new shaft. I put a little gear oil on the shaft to help protect the seal.
Put the c clip on and push the shaft out to hold it in.
Put the cross shaft back in.
Put the 8mm bolt/pin back in the carrier to hold the cross shaft.
Clean all the of the old rtv off of the housing and the cover. All of it. And then clean any oil etc off of the mating surfaces. I like to use a wire wheel. I put rags over everything that I don't want a bunch of junk in.
Use the appropriate oil resistant rtv and put a bead on both surfaces and allow them both to tack up.
While this was happening, I put the rotor, caliper assembly, and both 21mm bolts back in.
Put your diff cover back on with the 12 13mm bolts.
I like to let the rtv cure for a while before I make it hold oil.
Fill with fluid and limited slip additive.
Put your wheel back on and get your truck on the ground.
One thing. I should have just pulled the sway bar bolts and gotten it out of my way.
Also, it was about $80 for the right synthetic fluid and additive. Ouch.
Bent Shaft
21mm caliper assembly bolts
Cross Shaft retention pin/bolt
Diff cover motivator
Back on the road.
dodgetruckparts.com got the shaft to me in about two weeks. They need to learn what available means. They also told me it wouldn't come with studs. So $30 for studs and when it showed up, it had the studs pressed in it and a bag with the extra studs I ordered.
Pretty straight forward.
Get the truck on stands.
Remove the 13mm bolts on the diff cover. 12 of them.
Whack the cover with a rubber hammer to break the rtv seal and let the fluid drain into a pan.
Remove the wheel.
Remove the two 21mm bolts for the caliper mounting bracket and remove the caliper assembly.
Pull off the rotor.
Remove the 8mm bolt/pin for the cross shaft in the carrier.
Remove the cross shaft. It should just push out. This is also why I left one wheel on, so that it was easy to turn the carrier to get to everything.
Push the axle shaft in and the C clip will fall off of the end of the shaft. You may have to use your finger or a pick if yours is gummed up a bit.
Pull the shaft out while taking care not to mess up the axle seals with the c clip groove.
Put in the new shaft. I put a little gear oil on the shaft to help protect the seal.
Put the c clip on and push the shaft out to hold it in.
Put the cross shaft back in.
Put the 8mm bolt/pin back in the carrier to hold the cross shaft.
Clean all the of the old rtv off of the housing and the cover. All of it. And then clean any oil etc off of the mating surfaces. I like to use a wire wheel. I put rags over everything that I don't want a bunch of junk in.
Use the appropriate oil resistant rtv and put a bead on both surfaces and allow them both to tack up.
While this was happening, I put the rotor, caliper assembly, and both 21mm bolts back in.
Put your diff cover back on with the 12 13mm bolts.
I like to let the rtv cure for a while before I make it hold oil.
Fill with fluid and limited slip additive.
Put your wheel back on and get your truck on the ground.
One thing. I should have just pulled the sway bar bolts and gotten it out of my way.
Also, it was about $80 for the right synthetic fluid and additive. Ouch.
Bent Shaft
21mm caliper assembly bolts
Cross Shaft retention pin/bolt
Diff cover motivator
Back on the road.
The following users liked this post:
Danger Pickle (03-08-2023)