I’ll be replacing the front hub assembly on a '99 Windstar, it makes bad noise.A few questions. My Haynes book says I need to remove the driveaxle, this step doesn’t look nesessary, true? What size socket is nedded to remove the hub nut, seems to be a 30mm deep well, and does the nut have to be replaced?
You probably don’t need to pull the entire axle from both ends - likely just at the hub end. At the very least you’ll likely need to get it out of there to replace the inner dust seal. I’m sure you can just leave it in the differential - just gently move it aside and then support the outer end with a piece of wire or something.
Places like Autozone have loaner tools where you can “buy” a specialty tool that you need and then return it for a full refund when done. Included in that are axle nut sockets. Get the nut exposed and go to one of these places - I’m sure they’ll let you take a couple out to make sure you get the right size.
The axle nut should be replaced.
The driveaxle is an interference fit into the hub. So it has to be pressed out prior to removing the hub. This is the tool that’s used to perform that task. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002SRF6C/books-001-20
Tester
So, If I buy a nut and have it in hand, I should be able to find the right size socket
I have a decent gear puller, looks just like the picture in the book. That should work. Thanks
It is possible for the new nut to take a different size socket. Don’t ask me how I know - I don’t want to talk about it.