Removal and Installation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Mercury Montego, 2005 Ford Freestyle, and 2005 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
- Remove the rear half shafts. For additional information, refer to REAR DRIVE HALFSHAFTS .
- Remove the muffler and tailpipe assembly. For additional information, refer to EXHAUST SYSTEM .
- Remove and discard the 6 driveshaft bolts.
- To install, tighten to 27 Nm (20 lb-ft).
- Disconnect the rear wheel speed sensor electrical connector.
- Disconnect the rear drive axle electrical connector and remove the harness from the subframe.
- Remove the 4 retainers holding the sway bar to the subframe and disconnect the sway bar links. Position the sway bar forward.
- Remove the rear sway bar. For additional information, refer to REAR SUSPENSION
.
All vehicles
- Remove the rear subframe cross brace.
- To install, tighten to 63 Nm (46 lb-ft).
- Remove the axle front insulator bolt.
- To install, tighten to 90 Nm (66 lb-ft).
- Remove the 2 rear axle insulator bolts, then remove the axle assembly.
- Lower the axle assembly from the rear of the stabilizer bar.
- The RH rear axle insulator bolt is not removed from the vehicle until the axle assembly is removed.
- To install, tighten to 110 Nm (81 lb-ft).
- To install, reverse the removal procedure.
All vehicles
NOTE:
Index-mark the driveshaft before disconnecting from the rear axle.
NOTE:
Install new driveshaft bolts when installing the driveshaft.
Five Hundred/Montego
Freestyle
CAUTION:
Use care when removing or installing the assembly in the vehicle.
NOTE:
Tighten the rear axle insulator bolts, then the axle front insulator bolt.
NOTE:
Some vehicles will have the damper attached to the RH insulator bolt.