How-To: Passenger CV Axle Replacement

[pr0d1gy9]

Hello everyone,

As promised I tackled the CV axle this weekend and below is how I did it. This is for a 2012 Abarth so the parts may vary between model years but the disassembly should be the same. The job took me about 12 hours with all the picture taking and learning a few things along the way. Plan for a full day of work but hopefully this will help anyone else tackling the job take significantly less time, less headaches, and save some money.

First of all: I am not responsible for any personal injury or damage to your vehicle but I would love to answer any questions you may have so feel free to PM me!

STEP 1: Purchased Parts & Special Items

Front Passenger CV Axle Shaft: RL105679AA has superceded 68105679AA but will get the same part with either part number: https://moparonlineparts.com/mop-parts/#parts
Inner Boot Clamp: 68139370AA: https://moparonlineparts.com/mop-parts/#parts
Axle Nut: 06509729AA: https://moparonlineparts.com/mop-parts/#parts
Axle Nut Socket: Purchased at Orielly's
Hi-Temp Wheel Bearing Grease: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0417&ppt=C0139

DO NOT use CV grease on the inner tripod joint. the joint is more delicate and requires a thinner lubrication during operation

Ear Type Boot Clamp Tool: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Torque wrench: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

STEP 2: TOOLS (listed in the order I used them)

2 jacks: scissor jack for car and floor jack for lifting wheel hub assembly
jack stand/ wheel chokes
something to release the locking points on the axle nut
36mm THIN WALLED socket (deep socket if you can find it): must be thin walled because the original one I have is to thick to fit into the wheel hub
breaker bar or long handled socket wrench: axle nut
13mm socket: brake caliper bolts
flat head screw driver wrapped in electrical tape: brake caliper
19mm socket: brake caliper bolts
12mm wrench or deep socket: wobble bolts
mallet and block of wood: break rotor free
10mm socket: rotor plate guard
15mm wrench/socket: socket to detach sway bar end link from strut
15mm socket and 17mm deep socket: remove strut from wheel hub assembly
wire cutters: cut off old boot clamp
Philips screw driver: remove small wheel well plastic panel next to engine
LOT of paper towels: clean up the tripod joint housing and surrounding area
10mm socket: remove or lower the plastic under carriage protector like you would during an oil change
EAR TYPE boot clamp tool & VERY dull wire cutters: clamping the boot clamp

STEP 3: Start and Finish

1 - Verify the parts ordered are the correct parts before starting! The axle has the old part number and the box the axle came in had the new part number. Either one should get you the correct part. I also ordered 2 boot clamps because they were pretty cheap.












2 - Unlock the axle nut with the tool of your choosing with a hammer. I used a pokey thingy that I honestly have no idea what it is actually for but my father had it in his tool box.









3 - Loosen the axle nut while the car still on the ground. My breaker bar is an 8 ft long piece of old swing set. I don't even have to try . Brother on the right and myself on the left









4 - Take the wheel off and do any jack standing/ wheel chokes that you deem necessary




5 - Undo the 13mm caliper bolts and then pry off the caliper with the flat head wrapped in electrical tape.



















6 - Set the caliper on something towards the front of the car on a bucket



7 - Use the 19mm socket to take off the caliper bracket. These are tough so a mallet may be needed to break them lose.







8 - Remove the wobble bolts with a 12mm wrench and knock the rotor loose to remove it. Use a piece of wood to save the rotor.





9 - Remove the rotor guard with the 10mm socket





10 - Use the floor jack to lift the wheel hub so you can unbolt the top portion of the sway bar end link from the strut using a 15mm socket. FORGOT PICTURE, sorry

11 - Lower the jack back down, remove the axle nut using the 36mm socket and unbolt the wheel hub from the strut using the 15mm and 17mm sockets.



12 - Maneuver the wheel hub towards the rear of the car and down so you can pull the axle out. You will probably need to tap it at first to get it loose and then it should easily slide in and out of the wheel hub.



13 - Cut or twist the inner boot clamp off and pull the axle out of the car. I couldn't really get a picture while I was doing this but you can cut right at the crimp joint and twist in an upward motion.

[pr0d1gy9]

14 - Clean the joint housing and surrounding area because mixing greases is a no no. I did my best to clean everything else after I had the new axle in so I wouldn't contaminate the inside of the tripod joint housing.





15 - Remove the small wheel well panel and get it stuck up towards the top of the engine bay. This will prepare you for the limited space needed by the boot clamp tool and allow you to clean any mess that occurred during the original leaking boot.









16 - Pack the new tripod joint with grease (I used roughly 100 grams or 1/5 of the container) and PARTIALLY fill the boot as a full boot will likely leak due to expansion of the grease during higher temperatures. Try to get the grease farther in the boot than I did. Be sure to wipe off any grease on the edge of the boot before putting the new axle in. Once the axle is back in find a way to rest it level so that you can slide the boot over the housing and CLEAN any excess grease that may have squeeze out.







17 - Lower or remove the splash shield under the car to allow room for the boot clamp tool in between the oil pan and frame



18 - Get the boot clamp to clip together around the boot making sure the crimp portion is facing like in the picture and that the boot is seated properly around the housing. This is the ONLY WAY the crimp tool will have access to the clamp.



19 - This is the hardest part. The boot clamp tool that I linked BARELY fit in between the oil pan and frame of the car and there is very little leverage under the car to get a good grip. I squeezed as hard as I could to get it clamped but had to use a VERY dull pair of wire cutters to finish clamping the boot together.







20 - Re-install everything by working backwards through these steps. BEFORE you re-install the caliper components put the new axle nut on and tighten until it starts spinning the axle. After everything is back together put the car on the ground and tighten the axle nut to 225 ft-lbs. Once that is done jack the car up again and take off the wheel so you can hammer in the locking mechanism on the axle nut. I didn't do a very good job on mine because My screw driver kept cutting away the material instead of bending it.



You are all done!

[NGEN]

Great write-up! This should be a sticky

[ewflyer]

Question for you, pr0d1gy9,

I also have a 2012 Abarth and this week, while doing a couple of mods to the car (it's out of warranty so I feel free), I noticed that the right front inner CV boot is slinging out grease. Is this what started you down the road to this full axle replacement? I've owned a few front wheel drive cars in my life so I'm not new to CV joint problems, my 2012 isn't making any of the popping/cracking noises when the wheels are turned but I'm wondering how long it will be now that the boot is slinging out grease. Did your 2012 get to the point where it was making those popping/cracking noises when you turned and accelerated?

I can't complain about my 2012, it's got 27,000 miles and it has been absolutely trouble-free so far. I've never had to take it back to the dealership for anything. But I guess the luck has to run out sometime.

I'm quite a bit older than you and your brother (loved the pic of you guys doing the work in your garage) and I'm at a point in my life where I've got more money than time so I guess I'll eventually bring the car to a dealership for this repair and I'm also feeling less and less inspired to take on this type of maintenance challenge.

[Tweak]

Great write-up! This should be a sticky

Easily done!