Halfshaft Install Question...

[MJ32V]

Right rear halfshaft is bad, plan on replacing w/HD aftermarket as soon as they are available. Friend at local Ford dealer is going to make copy of HS R/R from service manual. For those that have done this job themselves, do you have any advice? I've done search, but haven't found much regarding the actual install. According to Joe Lynch, he can replace HS on '99 Cobra trackside in 22 minutes w/flashlight! Don't know if the '03 would be as straight forward or not. Thanks...

MJ

 

[Shadowgray03]

Im interested in input on this is well.

 

[CWCobra]

Takes me 22 minutes to find my flashlight!

CW

 

[FlashSVT]

Good post . . . I was thinking about this last night. I just bought a backup halfshaft for when the time comes . . .

TTT

 

[slythetove]

Originally posted by FlashSVT
Good post . . . I was thinking about this last night. I just bought a backup halfshaft for when the time comes . . .

TTT

How much was it and from where?

Thanks.

 

[SVT4ME]

My question is should we replace halfshaft with better after market one before OEM goes bad ie breaks?

 

[03Steve]

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2563

PM me if you guys have any questions!

 

[Rick@Amazon]

The only problem with just replacing the shaft is the CV and cage is the next to go. Also the stub end will go real quick too. This is why it's best to do the whole setup with a stronger unit. When I first started doing just the haftshafts Joe Lynch and I e-mail back and forth a few times and he opened my eyes on the week points of the irs. The bad part is the next weakest point could just be the stub end. If that's the case you can loose a wheel and it could be at anytime when it goes. I do sell just the shafts from the driveshaft shop but for a couple hundred more you can do the entire unit and have a piece of mind.

Rick

 

[Uncle Meat]

Originally posted by 03Steve
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2563

PM me if you guys have any questions!

The thread your link points to doesn't explain jack squat!? OK, so it's messy... any other words of wisdom?

U.M.

 

[03Steve]

Not for you! :-D What do you want to know about the swap, UM?

 

[MJ32V]

03Steve, just sent you a PM.

MJ

 

[SuperSonic]

I took the rear end out to check it, clean it out and put some Redline fluid in it. I've been working on straight axle Mustangs for some time now so the IRS was new to me. Removing the half shafts is not bad at all. I used the Ford repair manual and it was pretty clear on the procedure. The only tips I can think of are to have the proper tool to remove the half shaft from the pumpkin (you have to pry them out slightly because of a spring clip on the axle) and it's easy to damage the abs gear and axle seals in that process, and to mark the upper bolt/cam on the top a-arm attachment point because that is how the camber is set on the rear wheels, then when you put it back together, you can place it at the same point upon assembly. It's really not the difficult to do, and now that I know what to do, I could replace one in about 45 min. to an hour taking my time.

 

[MJ32V]

SuperSonic-
Great. That's the sort of info I was looking for. Is the diff. seal protector really needed on install? How much diff lube did you lose without using diff plugs? Thanks...

MJ

 

[SuperSonic]

MJ,
You can get away without using the diff. seal protector, you just have to be carefull how you pull the halfshafts out, I did not use one and I did not damage anything, and no diff lube will come out if the car is level and the proper amount of lube is in the pumpkin, the only time the lube came out is when I was taking the pumpkin out and tilted it a little, in other words I did not use the diff. plugs and had no problems.

 

[Steve Snake Driver]

If you own a Cobra with IRS, bookmark this site:

Joe Lynch's Cobra Information

The procedure Joe lists should work equally well for an 03. The only real change was in the half-shaft splines and size of the shaft. How it goes together hasn't changed.

The only things to keep in mind is that you need a really large socket (think its 36 mm - but it is readily available at most auto parts stores as a front wheel drive axle bolt socket). You also need a length of pipe for your breaker bar as these bolts are TORQUED on there.

 

[Silver 03 Cobra]

How can you loose a wheel if the stub end goes? The wheel is mounted to the control arms. The stub end of the HS is pressed into the wheel. You could drive the car with one SS out.