Swapping EA rear axle.... - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Mike Gayner · 01-01-2004, 02:15

I blew the diff on my EA Falcon S, and managed to get a great deal on a replacement complete rear axle assembly. It's due to arrive in the next couple of days so I've been trying to do some research on whats involved in doing the swap. I couldnt find anything o nthis forum but I looked in my Haynes manual, and it all looks fairly straight forward except one bit :-

All the steps seem to be in a logical order, but after removing the wheels and brake rotor assembly, it instructs me to remove the bearing retainer and axle shafts. Seeing as it's a guide for removal and refitting of the complete rear axle assembly I cant see any logical reason to remove the axle shafts.

Am I missing something really obvious and stupid, or is it okay for me to leave the axles in?

Thanks guys :D

NZ · 01-01-2004, 03:15

Are you replacing the whole diff or the internals?

NZ · 01-01-2004, 03:20

Sounds like your replacing the whole diff. I usually leave everything attatched to the diff. this means bleeding the brakes when you replace the diff. It sounds like the haynes book has instructions to replace axle shafts etc.

Mike Gayner · 01-01-2004, 03:25

Yeah it's the complete rear axle assembly, containing the housing, internals and axles. It's everything except rotors and calipers. Shouldnt need to bleed the brakes because I wont be removing the calipers from the brake lines.

SileNceR · 01-02-2004, 03:38

arent the calipers attached to the diff somehow?

Mike Gayner · 01-02-2004, 05:42

The calipers are bolted onto the hub assembly if I remember correctly, it's not a difficult task to remove them. Even though I've never removed a rear axle assembly I'm fairly confident that I can do this job. Just while we are discussing it though, does anyone who has done this job or a similar one have any recommendations or precautions to make my life a little easier? Thanks for the help guys :)

SileNceR · 01-03-2004, 03:07

hmm one i picked up while watching as mine was dissassembled, if u need to get the axles out, use the brake discs backwards with a couple of wheel nuts screwed on about 1cm, (so there is movement for the discs) and use the discs to wrench out the axles... makes it easy :)

Mike Gayner · 01-03-2004, 05:33

It's ok, axles can stay it, and I have access to a slide hammer. Cheers anyway :D

Rollin · 01-03-2004, 22:59

the best way to do it is to lift the rear of the car off the ground, the front is ok to stay on the deck.

remove the rear wheels.

undo the driveshaft bolts and lay end gently on the ground - 15mm and 17mm i think.

take the breather hose off the diff (passenger side in the same place as the brake lines)

undo the brake line that comes off the body and goes to the diff, at the diff end. plug or compress the rubber hose slightly to stop all your brake fluid dripping out, if the master cylinder goes dry you will have a lot of problems bleeding it properly. 10mm each side, and keep the copper washers.

undo the handbrake cables and get them out of the way. (remove the retaining clip and twist the hook out)

undo the watts link at each end where it attaches to the body. 19mm and 18mm i think, or just a 19mm each side, some are different to others

)

undo the swaybar bolts at the diff (13mm, and either a bolt and a nut each side or just a bolt)

undo the upper and lower control arms where they attach to the diff. 18mm and 19mm, or may be same as above

support the diff with a trolley jack under the center, and undo the shock absorber bolts at the bottom (not the ones inside the car) 19 or 18 and 19mm...

get a mate to hold one end of the diff to help guide it out, and slowly lower the diff at the same time as you pull it backwards out of the car, removing the springs when its possible so they dont fall out and bounce around.

then when its on the ground away from the car you can easily swap the brake callipers and rotors over.

then put it in the same way - line it all up and put the springs in their seats, put in the shock bolts first and let the diff hang from them while you do all the other stuff, make sure the springs are seated properly at top and bottom as you are jacking the diff up into place.

qwikcorty · 01-04-2004, 03:34

theres no real tricky bits, ive done a swap twice now and again this week sometime. the bit that gets me is the sway bar, and forgeting to mount it back befor the trailing arms first. that or the shocker bolts or getting the springs seated.
when i first did it i thought i was gunna have to call someone to fix it for me when i stuff it, but it all went smooth with no swearing at all.