Front Axle Assembly
F-150 & BRONCOFig. 1 4WD Front Axle Assembly:
1. Raise front of vehicle and support with safety stands under radius arm brackets.
2. Remove front tires and brake calipers. Position calipers aside, leaving brake lines attached. Do not allow weight of calipers to hang on brake lines.
3. Support axle arm assembly with a suitable jack and remove upper coil spring retainers. Carefully lower jack and remove coil springs, spring cushions and lower spring seats. The axle must be supported when removing springs and not be permitted to hang by brake hose. If length of brake hose is not sufficient to permit spring removal, it will be necessary to remove the disc brake caliper. Do not suspend caliper by brake hose, if removed.
4. Remove shock absorbers.
5. Remove stud and spring seat from radius arm and axle arm, then the lower radius arm to axle arm attaching bolt.
6. Disconnect vent tube from differential housing. Discard hose clamps. Remove vent fitting from differential housing and install a 1/8 inch pipe plug.
7. Remove right axle arm to crossmember pivot bolt.
8. Remove right axle shaft boot and discard boot clamps.
9. Remove right drive axle assembly, and slide axle shaft out of slip shaft.
10. Support differential housing with a suitable jack.
11. Remove left drive axle assembly attaching bolts and the axle assembly, Fig. 1.
12. Reverse procedure to install.
F-SERIES EXCEPT F-150 & F-350 w/DANA 60 MONOBEAM AXLE
1. Raise and support front of vehicle.
2. Remove front tires and brake calipers. Position calipers aside, leaving brake lines attached. Do not allow weight of calipers to hang on brake lines.
3. Support right axle assembly with a suitable jack and remove 2 U-bolts attaching shock absorber mounting plate and leaf spring to axle assembly.
4. Disconnect vent tube, differential housing. Remove vent fitting from differential housing and install a 1/8 inch pipe plug.
5. Remove right axle assembly to crossmember pivot bolt and the axle assembly.
6. Remove right axle shaft boot and discard boot clamps.
7. Slide axle shaft out of slip shaft.
8. Support left axle arm assembly with a suitable jack and remove 2 U-bolts attaching shock absorber mounting plate and leaf spring to axle assembly.
9. Support differential housing with a suitable jack, then remove left axle assembly to crossmember pivot bolt and the axle assembly.
10. Reverse procedure to install.
F-350 w/DANA 60 MONOBEAM AXLE
1. Raise and support vehicle.
2. Remove front wheels and the wheel hubs.
3. Remove brake calipers from rotors and wire out of way. Do not let brake caliper hang by hose.
4. Remove stabilizer bar.
5. Remove cotter pins and castellated nuts securing spindle connecting rod to steering knuckles and separate connecting rods from steering knuckles. Wire steering linkage to spring.
6. Remove two nuts and U-bolts from front axle U-joint flange, disconnect axle from front axle pinion flange and securely wire driveshaft to frame.
7. Disconnect vent tube at axle housing and plug vent fitting.
8. Remove nut and bolt and disconnect tracking bar from righthand spring cap.
9. Carefully lower vehicle until it is approximately three feet from floor, then place safety stands on front leaf springs approximately half way between front axle leaf spring and the rear mounting shackle. Lower vehicle so that springs rest on safety stands.
10. Place suitable jack under differential carrier, then remove U-bolts and nuts securing axle to spring.
11. Carefully lower axle from vehicle.
12. Reverse procedure to install.