Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Front Drive Halfshafts: Notes
The front drive halfshafts consist of the following:
- Inboard and outboard CV joints connect to a splined shaft. Driveshaft bearing retainer circlips retain the CV joints to the splined shaft.
- A front axle wheel hub nut that secures the splined outboard CV joint to the wheel hub.
- Lubed-for-life CV joints use special CV joint grease requiring no periodic lubrication.
- A boot repair kit, 3A331, which includes the boots, clamps and grease is available.
On the LH side, the inboard CV joint is retained in the differential side gear with a 29.5 mm (1.161 in) retainer circlip. This circlip is oval in shape when viewed at the end. Install a new circlip every time the halfshaft is disconnected. On the RH side, a 33 mm (1.29 in) driveshaft bearing retainer circlip retains the splined inboard CV joint to the intermediate shaft. This circlip is round when viewed at the end. Install a new circlip every time the halfshaft is disconnected from the intermediate shaft.
The halfshafts are splined on the outboard stub shaft to drive the wheel hubs. They are retained in the wheel hubs by special wheel hub nuts which also control the wheel bearing preload. The LH halfshaft is splined on the inboard stub shaft and is retained in the differential side gear in the transaxle by a circlip. The RH halfshaft has internal splines which are driven by the intermediate shaft. The intermediate shaft has a circlip on the outboard end and is retained inside the inboard stub shaft. The circlips must be installed new whenever they are removed. The intermediate shaft is retained in the transaxle differential side gear by bolts that go through the intermediate shaft support bearing. The intermediate shaft also goes through the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) on All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles. The outer seal of the PTU must be installed new whenever the intermediate shaft is removed.
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.