Front Drive Shaft Removal

Removal (all front drive shafts except the right shaft on models with 3S-FE engine)

• · Place chocks under the rear wheels, raise the front of the vehicle with a jack and set it on supports. Remove the appropriate wheel.
• · Remove the cotter pin and the hub nut cap.
• · Have an assistant depress the brake pedal to hold the hub while you loosen the nut. Loosen the nut using a socket with a long handle. Alternatively, the nut can be loosened without an assistant, but then a simple tool must be made. Take two pieces of steel strip (one longer, one shorter) and join them with a bolt and nut so they form a fork. Attach the ends of the fork to the hub using the wheel studs and nuts. Use the long end of the strip as a lever to hold the hub while loosening the nut. The nut is tightened to a high torque, so make sure the vehicle does not fall off the supports while loosening it.
• · For better access, remove the lower splash shield, if equipped.
• · Drain the oil from the transaxle.
• · Remove the cotter pin from the tie rod end ball stud and loosen the stud nut until flush with the end of the thread. Using a puller, press out the tapered stud fitting, then fully unscrew the nut and remove the stud from the knuckle arm hole.
• · On models where the vertical stabilizer bar link is attached to the strut, remove the nut and disconnect the link from the strut. · On all models except those with the 3S-GE engine, remove the bolt and two nuts and disconnect the lower ball joint from the lower control arm. · While holding the steering knuckle, drive the splined end of the drive shaft out of the hub bearings toward the transaxle using a soft-faced hammer.
• · Using a pry bar, pull the splined end of the inner joint of the drive shaft out of the transaxle. Use the boss on the side of the joint for prying. · After removing the inner end of the shaft from the transaxle, remove the outer end of the shaft from the steering knuckle and pull the shaft out from under the vehicle.
• · Remove the snap ring from the groove of the splined shaft of the inner joint. This snap ring must be replaced during installation. The hub nut and tie rod end ball stud cotter pins must also be replaced.