A correction or two... the locknut on the outer tie rod end is a 19mm, not
- And when installing the lower ball joint in the steering knuckle, make sure the cotter pin hole is parallel to the knuckle, not in line with it. You want to be able to replace the cotter pin as easily as possible.
Also, if any of the cv boots are torn or otherwise busted, good chance the joint has gone south. We had a new boot kit for our passenger side, but closer examination and a careful scrutiny of Haynes convinced us to just get a rebuilt driveaxle and go with it. A core charge will probably apply when you buy the part. This is what we did to replace the passenger side driveaxle...
You have to get down and dirty again. First take your oil change pan and drain the transaxle (that's the part the driveaxles fit into) of its oil. Looking at the transaxle from the passenger side, there will be a plug at the lowest point which takes a 3/8socket. You may want to use your 1/2x3/8 adapter to enable use of the larger ratchet. Once the transaxle is drained, replace the plug and remove the oil.
Take a pry bar and put it between the transaxle and the metal end of the driveaxle and pry the driveaxle off. It should come out pretty easily. Slide it all the way out of the way. Get your replacement driveaxle and check to make sure the spring clip is on the end. I found it best to keep the outer end of the driveaxle tied up with wire while I worked on the inner part. Slide the end of the driveaxle into the transaxle as far as you can. If you can shove it in until it seats, well and good. I couldn't. There were no round wooden dowels close by at the time so I used a wooden 1x2 about fifteen inches long and a rubber mallet, placed the 1x2 verrrry carefully on the lip of the metal end of the driveaxle on the boot side and gave it a few light taps with the mallet. It seated as I tapped. You can tell if the driveaxle seats because if it does, you can't pull it back out with your hands. That's it, and it's pretty simple, really.
On reassembly of the steering knuckle, coat the part of the end of the driveaxle that fits into the hub with a light coat of grease. You may find it easier to to fit the end of the driveaxle in the knuckle as you hold the knuckle, then you can lift the knuckle and put the end of the lower ball joint down in the lower control arm. It's almost a downhill run from here on in. Once the knuckle is back in place, replace the lower ball joint nut, fit the upper control arm ball joint and the outer tie rod end into the knuckle. If you've waited until now to remove the outer tie rod end, one way is to replace the nut on the tie rod ball joint, loosen the 19mm locknut, remove the nut from the ball joint and unscrew the tie rod end. Be sure and either mark the location of the locknut when tight or count the number of turns it takes to remove the tie rod end.
More about struts... we put them last in line to be reinstalled. It may go easier in replacing the strut if the bottom is lubed with kitchen sink soap before the strut is placed in the damper fork. We didn't do that on the first strut, and it has been tedious to get it back in place. Also, be careful in mounting the strut to get the brake hose connections in the right place.
And it goes on...
prvtlewis