CV axle replacement?

If you are replacing the driver's side axle shaft.
Save yourself the trouble. Just pay a good axle mechanic to replace it. Around $150 with rebuilt axle shaft assembly including labor. I have a 97 escort (same body style as 99 model) Even when you remove the wheel part, the space in the inner CV joint axle is too tight. You can hardly insert the pryer. I have to buy an axle puller and pass it above the steering column in order to remove the whole axle shaft.

This guide can help walk you throught he steps

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-cv-axle

1. Remove the axle nut or wheel hub retainer
2. Unhook the tie rod. (Which you did)
3. Unhook the stabilizer bar on the side of that axle.
4. Unhook the ball joint .
5. Loosen the 4 nuts above the strut assembly. (Do not remove, just loosen the nuts)
6. Pull sideway outward the wheel hub assembly. Use a RUBBER hammer to loosen/push out the axle shaft (Wheel side) from the wheel hub.

Now that is the easy part (driver's side), the hard part is removing the inner CV joint axle that is inserted to the transmission/transaxle. If you are going to use a pryer, good luck. It is very hard because the space is too tight. If you use a crow bar, you might damage the transmission housing. So, I bought an axle puller to pull out the whole axle shaft (like the item # 290138217130 from Ebay.com. Make sure it is 63 mm open rate). And pass it above the steering column.

I did not save money, I ended up paying $135 in parts and tools plus the hours I spent to remove it.
But if you bring it to an axle mechanic, they have the tools and experience to remove it.

There is a clicking noise normally when you spin the tires but I think the best course of action for us to take is the have you get a recording of the noise so we can hear it and get on the same page.

The reason we need this is because a failed CV joint will click but from what you are describing, I am not convinced this is abnormal.

Here is a guide that covers this in a little more detail. Thanks

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-cv-axle-joint

Hi,

Try this and let us know what happens: Place the transmission in gear and see if you can move the car without the engine turning. If you still hear the clicking and the vehicle feels like it is in neutral, the axle isn't fully inserted into the transmission.

Here are the directions from A to Z for axle replacement. Take a look through it and see if anything was missed, including specifically when it comes to the install of the axle. All of the pictures correlate with the directions.

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1998 Ford Escort L4-122 2.0L SOHC
Removal and Installation
Vehicle Transmission and Drivetrain Drive Axles, Bearings and Joints Axle Shaft Assembly Axle Shaft Service and Repair Procedures Axle Shaft Assembly, Constant Velocity Type Halfshaft Removal and Installation
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

pic 1

REMOVAL
1. Raise and support the vehicle.

Pic 2

2. Remove the front tire and wheel.
1 Remove the lug nuts.
2 Remove the front tire and wheel.

NOTE: LH shown, RH similar.

Pic 3

3. Raise the staked portion of the front axle wheel hub retainer using a small cape chisel.

Pic 4

4. Remove and discard the front axle wheel hub retainer.

Pic 5

5. Remove the cotter pin and the tie rod end nut.

Pic 6

6. Use Tie Rod End Remover to separate the (A) tie rod end from the (B) front wheel knuckle.

Pic 7

7. Remove the stabilizer bar link.
1 Remove the front stabilizer bar end nut.
2 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bolt.
3 Remove the upper front stabilizer bar end retainer.
4 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bushing above the front stabilizer bar.
5 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bushing below the front stabilizer bar.
6 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bushing.
7 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bushing above the front sub-frame.
8 Remove the front stabilizer bar end bushing below the front sub-frame.
9 Remove the lower front stabilizer bar end retainer.

Pic 8

8. Remove the nut and the ball joint pinch bolt.

Pic 9

9. Pry down on the (A) front suspension lower arm separating the (B) front suspension lower arm ball joint from the (C) front wheel knuckle.

Pic 10

10. Pull outward on the (A) front wheel knuckle then pull the (B) front wheel driveshaft and joint from the front wheel knuckle.

Pic 11

11. If removing the LH front wheel driveshaft and joint, remove the crossmember to access the front wheel driveshaft and joint.

Pic 12

12. If removing the RH front wheel driveshaft and joint, remove the RH side shield.
1 Remove the RH side shield bolts.
2 Remove the RH side shield.

Pic 13

13. If removing the RH front wheel driveshaft and joint, remove the RH splash shield.
1 Remove the RH splash shield bolts.
2 Remove the RH splash shield.

Pic 14

14. If removing the LH front wheel driveshaft and joint, insert a pry bar between the front wheel driveshaft and joint and the transaxle case and pry outward, releasing the front wheel driveshaft and joint from the differential side gears.

CAUTION: Extreme care must be taken to ensure that the pry bar does not damage the transaxle case, the transaxle oil seal, the front wheel driveshaft and the joint and joint boot.

Pic 15

15. If removing the Coupe M/T RH front wheel driveshaft and joint, remove the bolts from the center support bearing.

Pic 16

16. Lower the Coupe M/T driveshaft assembly and remove the halfshaft from the differential side gears.

Pic 17

17. Separate the Coupe M/T front wheel driveshaft and joint from the center support bearing and the halfshaft.
Inspect the center support bearing and the halfshaft; replace if necessary.

Pic 18

18. Install Transaxle Plugs if both front wheel driveshaft and joints are removed.

INSTALLATION

pic 19

1. If equipped, install a new driveshaft bearing retainer circlip.

Pic 20

2. Remove the transaxle plugs if necessary.

Pic 21

3. Position the front wheel driveshaft and joint so the splines line up with the differential side gear splines. Push the front wheel driveshaft and joint into the differential side gear.

NOTE: When seated properly, the driveshaft bearing retainer circlip can be felt as it snaps into the differential side gear groove.

Pic 22

4. If installing the Coupe RH driveshaft and joint with M/T, position the front wheel driveshaft and joint so that the splines line up with the splines in the halfshaft, and push the front wheel driveshaft and joint and the halfshaft together with the center support bearing.

Pic 23

5. Position the Coupe M/T driveshaft assembly and push into the differential side gears.

Pic 24

6. Position the Coupe M/T center support bearing and install the bolts.

Pic 25

7. If installing the RH front wheel driveshaft and joint, install the RH side shield.
1 Position the RH side shield.
2 Install the RH side shield bolts.

Pic 26

8. If installing the RH front wheel driveshaft and joint, install the RH splash shield.
1 Position the RH splash shield.
2 Install the RH splash shield bolts.

Pic 27

9. Pull outward on the (A) front wheel knuckle and insert the (B) front wheel driveshaft and joint into the front wheel knuckle.

Pic 28

10. Pry down on the (A) front suspension lower arm, then install the (B) front suspension lower arm ball joint into the (C) front wheel knuckle.

Pic 29

11. Position the crossmember and install the bolts.

Pic 30

12. Install the ball joint pinch bolt and nut.

Pic 31

13. Install the stabilizer bar link and tighten the bar end nut to the protruding bar end bolt length specification.

Pic 32

14. Position the tie rod end to the front wheel knuckle and install the tie rod end nut and a new cotter pin.

NOTE: If the slot in the nut is not aligned to the hole, tighten the nut as necessary to align.

Pic 33

15. Install a new front axle wheel hub retainer.

Pic 34

16. Stake the front axle wheel hub retainer (the minimum specification is shown).

CAUTION: If the front axle wheel hub retainer splits or cracks after staking, replace it.

Pic 35

17. Install the front wheel and tire.
1 Install the front tire and wheel.
2 Install the lug nuts.
3 Tighten the lug nuts in sequence.
18. Check and refill the transmission fluid.

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.

AXLE SHAFTS

CAUTION:Do not reuse wheel hub retainer nuts, circlips or snap rings.

Removal
1. Remove wheel assembly. Remove wheel hub retainer nut and discard retainer nut. Remove splash shield. Remove bolt attaching brake hose to strut. Remove pinch bolt and nut retaining lower ball joint to steering knuckle. Separate tie rod end and lower ball joint from steering knuckle. Remove stabilizer bar link. Pull downward and out on steering knuckle, and remove outer CV joint from hub assembly.
NOTE: If both axles are removed, install Shipping Plugs (T88C-7025-AH) to prevent differential side gears from moving. If side gears move, remove transaxle to realign side gears.

2. Put drain pan under transaxle. On A/T models, remove axle shaft assembly. On M/T models, remove 3 bolts retaining center support bearing for right-side axle shaft. Remove axle shaft assembly from differential side gears and then separate axle shaft from center support bearing and halfshaft.

3. On all models, remove left axle. Support transaxle using jack. Remove transaxle-to-crossmember nuts. Remove crossmember rear and front attaching bolts, respectively. Pry outward between inner CV joint and transaxle. DO NOT damage differential oil seal, case or CV boot. Install Shipping Plugs (T88C-7025-AH) to prevent side gears from moving.

Remove axle nut then take a hammer and drive axle from bearing/spindle. Remove top or bottom bolts from spindle to move out of way then follow instructions in pictures.

Great to hear! Thanks for using 2CarPros Katie!