My Leveling Kit Nightmare

[1pt21gw]

Don't feel bad, I being mechanically inclined as well, just not a mechanic and sometimes "IT" happens.

On a Friday afternoon I had to have my Ranger taken to the dealership two weeks after I got it. I changed out the rear axle cover to a Ford Performance cover and the very last bolt went weeee....

So no fluid and not wanting to risk anything a Ford Roadside assist call was made. The only time I have ever called and it was from my own driveway. So it went on a tow truck to the dealer and it sat outside all weekend.

Mon morning the dealer calls, apparent the new bolt wasn't quite long enough, so they used one of the stock bolts and filled the rear axle up, then double checked for leaks.

At least now if something fails, they touched it last.

Hope it works out for ya, and Big Tire & Lift upgrade makes all the looks of the truck!

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[Dgc333]

Thing is if you take the hub nut off to pop out the axle shaft you need a big ass torque wrench to put it back on because it needs torqued to like 185 ft. lb. Mine only goes to 100 and my bud's was 150 so we didn't pop it off. We were close to having the strut out but didn't like the odds of getting it back in with the spacer on top of it.

Just take a breaker bar and based on your weight calculate how far out on the breaker bar you need to stand. For example: you weigh 200 lbs you need to center your weight at one foot from the socket center to get 200 ft-lbs. You need to finish torquing this way with the breaker bar close to level.

 

[D Fresh]

So you removed the axle nut, but you didn't remove the axle from the hub until after you popped the CV?

What's the point of removing the nut if you don't separate the axle from the hub?

 

[ylwjacket]

So you removed the axle nut, but you didn't remove the axle from the hub until after you popped the CV?

What's the point of removing the nut if you don't separate the axle from the hub?

I took the axle nut off, and pushed the axle out of the hub. How I overextended the inner cv is a mystery I'll never solve.

The axle wasn't totally clear of the hub, but all the splines and threads were out.

 

[ylwjacket]

Thing is if you take the hub nut off to pop out the axle shaft you need a big ass torque wrench to put it back on because it needs torqued to like 185 ft. lb. Mine only goes to 100 and my bud's was 150 so we didn't pop it off. We were close to having the strut out but didn't like the odds of getting it back in with the spacer on top of it.

I bought a 250 lb-ft torque wrench at home depot for about $50. My other only go to 50, and I think 150.

You can get a piece of steel pipe at home depot to put over the end of your torque wrench, which gives you a 5 or 6 foot breaker bar. Pretty easy to break them loose or tighten them up with that.

 

[D Fresh]

I took the axle nut off, and pushed the axle out of the hub. How I overextended the inner cv is a mystery I'll never solve.

The axle wasn't totally clear of the hub, but all the splines and threads were out.

Gotcha.

Separating those CVs was my only fear when I did my suspension. Hopefully you get it squared away quickly.

 

[Alpinist]

The axle nut is torque-to-yield, so it needs to be replaced even if you have a torque wrench capable of 221 ft-lbs. Similar with the nut that attaches the UCA to the spindle- it's one time use due to the nylock insert. If you are too cheap to replace, please ensure you're using Loctite. Just adding info here for context.

I had my outer CV bind on the hub even though I removed the nut. Some trucks it just slips out, others it doesn't, so the nut removal method isn't always foolproof- my outer CV joint came apart. Got lucky and was able to get it back together without issue.

I ended up using a ratchet strap on the other side to support the axle, which helped quite a bit- also used it to pull down the UCA when reassembling.

 

[AzScorpion]

The axle nut is torque-to-yield, so it needs to be replaced even if you have a torque wrench capable of 221 ft-lbs. Same with the nut that attaches the UCA to the spindle. If you are too cheap to replace, please ensure you're using Loctite.


Just adding info here for context.

Good point. Some say it's ok to reuse them but I wouldn't take the chance, especially since they're only around $6.00/pair. The part # for them is KB3Z-3B477-A.

If you can't find them locally contact Benny @LevittownFordParts.com .

 

[Friday yet?]

Honestly it was easier to just drop it off and go to a job I know how to do and work to pay for it. lol As I get older I find myself not enjoying working on vehicles like I use to.

This.

 

[Jmarler]

So, I have done every bit of work on my cars for 20 years. I've never met a repair I couldn't do, including engine seals, axle replacements, on and on. This has covered mostly BMWs, but lately a Jeep and a Mercedes.

So - I have cried uncle on this coilover install, and will call a tow truck tomorrow. There is a place down the street that installs lift kits, and I will have it taken there to repair the axle and install the lift.

Hopefully, there's something here that will help someone to avoid this.

So, it started innocently enough. Bought an Eibach Stage 2 coilover kit. Easy enough. I thought I'd have a hard time loosening the axle nuts, but I popped out the covers, and did those with all 4 on the ground. They were easier than the lugs. I use the handle from my Hijack lift as a torque bar, so about anything's easy with a 5 foot pipe and my weight leaning on it.

Took the wheel off, and ran into the ball joints that require a hex and open box wrench to remove. Somehow missed that in all the vids and instructions. Had to run to Lowe's, which is an hour round trip, to get an open offset 18mm box wrech. I had a T40 bit already, so that worked. So, took everything off per instructions - all good.

I took the axle nut off, and backed out the axle. Feeling good.

Somehow, in the process of taking out the old coil, I overextended the inner boot. Well, rats. However, I've replaced axles before on a BMW X5, I can surely handle this.

I took off the brake caliper and the rotor to lighten that all up and be able to work with it. I took the axle out of the hub, so that I could better line up and reseat the inner axle cv.

Fat chance. I spent 4 hours yesterday, and skipped church this morning (angry wife) to spend 2 more hours this morning on it. No joy.

I am going out of town tomorrow for work for 3 days, and have lots to do today to get ready, starting with taking the wife out to dinner since i spent all day on this yesterday, and the first few hours today, and got nowhere.

Read lots on here of folks getting that thing aligned, and popping it in. I have no idea how.

So, I have always prided myself on the fact that I can and have fix anything. Well, not anymore. This was a big whiff, that's gonna some time to get over.

In the big scheme of things, this is actually a pretty easy job, and would have been had the cv not popped out. That ruined it.

The moral of this story is do not, under any circumstances, overextend that cv.

Do me a favor and let me know how you like the kit after you get everything fixed? A picture if you can too of the truck? I'm still debating between fox and eibach.

 

[Dgc333]

The axle nut is torque-to-yield, so it needs to be replaced even if you have a torque wrench capable of 221 ft-lbs. Similar with the nut that attaches the UCA to the spindle- it's one time use due to the nylock insert. If you are too cheap to replace, please ensure you're using Loctite. Just adding info here for context.

There is no such thing as a torque to yield nut. It is the bolt that is torque to yield. The reason the axle nut is to be replaced is they are mechanical lock nuts that have been squeezed to distort the thread to generate the locking feature. Once you run a thread through these the threads are reformed and lose the locking ability. Easy enough to use loctite

Nylon locking nuts are generally considered to be reusable many times as long as they haven't seen excessive heat.

Many of the fasteners used by Ford have pre applied dry locktite which like wet loctite has to be replaced when the fasteners is removed. Since it's simpler to replace the fastener at the factory than clean and reapply wet loctite the recommendation to replace the fastener makes its way into repair procedures.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

There is no such thing as a torque to yield nut. It is the bolt that is torque to yield. The reason the axle nut is to be replaced is they are mechanical lock nuts that have been squeezed to distort the thread to generate the locking feature. Once you run a thread through these the threads are reformed and lose the locking ability. Easy enough to use loctite

Nylon locking nuts are generally considered to be reusable many times as long as they haven't seen excessive heat.

Many of the fasteners used by Ford have pre applied dry locktite which like wet loctite has to be replaced when the fasteners is removed. Since it's simpler to replace the fastener at the factory than clean and reapply wet loctite the recommendation to replace the fastener makes its way into repair procedures.

Hi Dave,

Back in the day, My fastener engineer, Steve M stated that torque prevailing nuts were required to be effective for 5 on and offs... does not seem to apply anymore....

Best,
Phil

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

There is no such thing as a torque to yield nut. It is the bolt that is torque to yield. The reason the axle nut is to be replaced is they are mechanical lock nuts that have been squeezed to distort the thread to generate the locking feature. Once you run a thread through these the threads are reformed and lose the locking ability. Easy enough to use loctite

Nylon locking nuts are generally considered to be reusable many times as long as they haven't seen excessive heat.

Many of the fasteners used by Ford have pre applied dry locktite which like wet loctite has to be replaced when the fasteners is removed. Since it's simpler to replace the fastener at the factory than clean and reapply wet loctite the recommendation to replace the fastener makes its way into repair procedures.

Great post Dave - it seems to nicely address some of the assumptions flying around and accounts for all those trash can icons in the Ford manual.

It’s nice to have some wicked smahht engineeas as membahs.

 

[FordFreak]

Reasons 131-672 why I'm glad I didn't do this...

 

[JasonTremor]

I'm very curious how a cv joint could dislocate if the axle nut was removed and the axle was pushed inward from the threaded end of the axle. If it is indeed that fragile and limited on travel, I most definitely would not run a spacer lift which would increase suspension droop.

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