Repair And Fix it

Park the 2005 Dodge out of traffic and engage the parking brake. Turn the Dodge off and jack up the front of the vehicle with the car jack. Slide in the jack stands to keep the front of the car or truck elevated. Take off the front wheels with your tire iron and place them to the side.

Locate the front differential that connects the front half axles together. The half axles have U joints on each end so that they can flex independently. The U joints are a physical part of the half axles, so each half axle has to be removed and replaced. Unbolt the half axle from the shaft on the front differential and wrench the single bolt out of the U joint. Then wrench the bolt out of the shaft on the steering knuckle that connects to the other end of the half axle. Repeat this process on the other half axle.

Lift the new half axle into place and thread the bolts through the U joints by hand. First thread in the differential shaft U joint, then the steering knuckle U joint. Once both bolts are in, wrench the nuts down tight. Then repeat the process on the other half axle. Use the car jack to lift the steering knuckle up if it is too heavy for you.

Lower the Dodge off the jack stands. Then inspect the bolts in the U joints to make sure they are still tight. Turn the Dodge on. If you are in a four-wheel drive vehicle, shift into "4H." Listen for any banging or screeching that would indicate a loose half axle. Stop the car immediately and tighten the bolts if that happens.

Open the front drivers side door of the vehicle.

Examine the lower edge of the door and locate the identification label. The identification label contains important information concerning your E-350, such as tire specifications, Vehicle Identification Number and axle type installed.

Write down the character code listed under "AXLE" (located near the bottom of the label).

Navigate to the "Ford Differential Axle Codes" webpage, maintained by Drivetrain.com, scroll through the axle code list and find your vehicles axle code in the left column. The numerical value presented in the right column lists the rear axle ratio for your vehicle.

Park the Expedition on a flat, paved surface, and do not set the parking brake. Place wheel chocks in front of the front wheels. Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels, then raise the rear of the Expedition with a jack, and support it with jack stands. Finish removing the lug nuts and rear wheels.

Remove the rear brake drums. For disc brakes, use a ratchet and socket to remove the lower caliper mounting bolt and loosen the upper bolt. Pivot the caliper up and away from the rotor. Remove the rotor.

Position a drain pan under the differential housing. Remove the bolts that hold on the carrier cover with a ratchet and socket. Catch the gear oil in the drain pan. Remove the old cover gasket, and use a gasket scraper to remove any material from the cover and the differential housing. Wipe both surfaces with a shop rag.

Examine the carrier assembly inside the housing, and youll see the large vertically mounted ring gear. Next to the ring gear, running through the carrier housing, you will see the pinion shaft. Rotate the carrier assembly until youre looking at the end of the shaft. It runs through holes in both sides of the carrier assembly. To the right of the shaft is a small bolt that screws into the carrier assembly and engages the end of the shaft. Place a large screwdriver between the differential housing and one of the bolts that holds the ring gear onto the carrier assembly. This is to prevent the carrier from turning when you remove the small bolt. Remove the bolt with a ratchet and socket.

Rotate the carrier assembly 180 degrees until youre looking at the hole on the other side of the carrier assembly that holds the pinion shaft. Slide the shaft out of the carrier assembly in this direction. Pull the shaft out until the stepped part of the shaft contacts the ring gear.

Push the outer end of the axle in toward the center of the differential housing. Move back under the Expedition; you will be able to see the end of the axle shaft. The axle shaft has a C-clip in a groove on the end of the axle. Use needle-nose pliers to carefully remove the clip. Remove the C-clip for the other axle in the same manner. Do not rotate the differential while the pinion shaft is pulled out. Slide the axles out of the end of the axle tubes.

Attach an axle bearing puller to a slide hammer. Insert the bearing puller through the center of the bearing. Using the slide hammer, extract the bearing and oil seal. Repeat for the other bearing and oil seal. Clean the end of the axle tube with a shop rag. Note that there is a small step inside the axle tube that the axle bearing seats against.

Tap the new bearing into the axle tube with a hammer and a socket the same size as the outside of the bearing. Seat the bearing against the step in the axle tube. Coat the rubber lip of the oil seal with gear oil. Use the same socket to tap the oil seal into the axle tube. Make sure the seal is flush with the end of the tube. Repeat for the other bearing and seal. Slide the axle into the axle tube far enough so you can reinstall the C-clip. After you install the clip, pull out on the axle to seat the clip in the recess in the small spider gear. Repeat for the other axle.

Push the pinion shaft back through the carrier. Put a couple of drops of non-hardening thread sealer on the pinion shaft bolt, and reinstall the bolt. Torque the bolt to 20 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Coat the gasket mounting surface on the differential cover and the gasket mounting surface on the differential housing with gasket sealer. Coat one side of a new differential cover gasket with gasket sealer and press the gasket onto the differential cover. Coat the other side of the gasket with gasket sealer, and position the cover onto the housing. Install the bolts, and tighten them until the cover is just seated against the housing. Moving in a crisscross pattern, torque the bolts 30 foot-pounds.

Remove the filler plug from the differential cover. Add 4 ounces of limited-slip friction modifier to the differential, then fill it with 75W-140 GL-5 synthetic gear oil. The differential is full when the gear oil reaches the bottom of the filler hole. Replace and tighten the filler plug.

Install the brake drum, or install the rotor and rotate the caliper back onto the rotor. Torque the caliper mounting bolts to 30 foot-pounds. Mount the wheels, and install the lug nuts. Raise the Expedition and remove the jack stands. Lower the Expedition to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts. Test drive, and check for leaks.

Lift the vehicle with a car jack to access the wheels. Use an impact wrench to remove the lug nuts from the wheel then pull it off the Camaro.

Use an Allen wrench to remove the brake calipers from the brake discs. Hit the drum brake gently with a hammer until it loosens. Remove both the brake calipers and the drum.

Take the axle out of its casing by removing the four axle nuts with a socket wrench.

Remove the old bearings, taking note of their positions. Insert the new bearings. Use the old bearings to gently tap the new ones into their proper positions.

Reattach the axle to its casing. Securely fasten the bolts in place. Mount the brake calipers and drum brakes firmly back onto the vehicle.

Remount the wheel onto the Camaro and attach the lug nuts. Repeat the process on all four wheels. Once complete, test the vehicle in a quiet area to ensure the new bearings are fitted correctly.

Open the drivers side door and locate the VIN plate mounted on the lower door pillar for 1989 or newer models. Check the firewall, inside the engine compartment, for the VIN plate on vehicles older than 1989. The VIN plate contains important codes used to determine trim options, transmission and axle type.

Write down the four-character axle code listed on the VIN plate. For vehicles made before 1989, the axle code occupies the eighth through eleventh digit positions in the block of codes listed next to "C/TR/A/TM". Check for the four-character axle code positioned directly to "A/TM:" near the bottom of the VIN plate.

Navigate to the "Toyota Differential Identification" website (see Resources). Scroll to the "Toyota Differential Code Decoder" chart and cross-reference your vehicles axle code with the codes provided on the page. The second and third digits found within the axle code will determine the axle ratio for your vehicle.