Driveshaft replacement how to...

[91g20]

I’m sure a lot of you G20 owners out there have the same problem I have. While I can get a Haynes manual for any of my other cars, there is none for my P10. Therefore we have to scour the web and messageboards for info on maintaining and repairing our cars. Yes I too have the overrated Factory Service Manual that came with my G20. It did not help at all in this repair. I also have the Chilton’s manual but it covers Nissan, Infiniti and Nissan trucks in the same book. Basically it’s just a reprinted FSM without most of the technical stuff. It’s not based on a complete teardown and rebuild like the Haynes manuals are.

Just an FYI. I called the dealer and they wanted $397 for each axle and $500 for the installation of both. TOTAL: $1300
I found them at a local parts store for $55 each w/exchange and spent about 4 hrs. putting them in. SAVINGS: $1200
Cool huh?

So here’s how to replace both the driver’s side and passenger’s side axles in a 1991 G20:

Tools needed:
· Lug nut wrench from Infiniti tool bag that came with your car.
· 3/8” ratchet
· ½” breaker bar
· 14mm socket
· 17mm socket
· 19mm socket
· 30mm socket
· tie rod end puller
· screwdriver
· Beer (quality & quantity varies per individual)


1. First, open the beer.

2. While the car is on the ground, loosen all of the lug nuts and the 30mm hub nut. As far is the hub nut is concerned, I broke 2 cheap breaker bars trying to get them off. I finally bought a good one at Home Depot and had my wife sit in the car and hold the brakes before they would finally come loosen up.

3. Jack up both sides of the front end and support with jackstands.

4. Remove the lug nuts, wheels and hub nuts and hub washers.

5. Driver’s side first. Remove the brake caliper by removing 2 bolts on the backside. Pull it away from the rotor and use some wire to keep it out of the way.

6. The manual states that you should remove the brake rotor but I never could get it off. I think it should just slide off after the hub nut and washer is removed but I never could get it to move. Anyway, it’s not really necessary.

7. Have a beer.

8. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut off of the tie rod end.

9. Use a tie rod end puller to separate the joint. Be careful not to split the rubber boot.

10. Remove the kingpin cap and remove the kingpin nut. The kingpin is what holds the shock assembly to the hub.

11. The hub should now come down out of the shock assembly. You may have to tap the kingpin lightly to get it through. It will take some maneuvering, but the hub will come off the end of the axle.

12. Just pull the axle out of the transmission and that’s it.

13. Now the passenger’s side. Repeat steps 4 through 9.

14. Have a beer.

15. Here is where the FSM is useless. It tells you to insert a screwdriver through the hole in the driver’s side (where the axle you just pulled out inserts into the transmission) and tap the passenger’s side axle out. It does not tell you that there is a bracket that is mounted to the back of the transmission. This bracket has bearings in it and fits over the axle at the transmission end of the inner knuckle.

16. Remove the 3 bolts that hold this bracket to the transmission case.

17. Pull the axle out of the transmission just as you did on the driver’s side. You’ll have to finagle it a bit to get the bracket to come out with it.

18. Have a beer.

19. Take the bracket off of the passenger’s side axle (the long one) and put it on the new one. You may have to use a hammer to tap it off. I had to do this, as mine was on there pretty tight. Also make sure that the transmission oil seal retainer is either on the transmission or on the axle. If it’s on the axle, be sure to put it on the end of the new one & line it up on the transmission when you install the new axle.

20. Now that you have both of the old axles out make sure that the new ones are the same length and size. Lay all four out on the ground and compare them.

21. Have a beer.

22. If the parts don’t match, find a way down to the parts store and yell at the moron that sold you the wrong part. Be sure to get the right parts. You can even go ahead and get the core charge back too.

23. Install the passenger’s side axle first. It’s pretty much the reverse of the removal.

24. Put the axle in the transmission, lining up the splines. Push it in until you hear it click and pull on it to be sure that the metal ring has seated itself inside the transmission.

25. Bolt the bracket down onto the transmission case.

26. Push the hub back onto the end of the axle and then push the hub up into the shock assembly.

27. Tighten down the kingpin nut on the king pin bolt and replace the dust cover.

28. Put the tie rod end back together, tighten the castle nut and replace the cotter pin with a new one.

29. Line up the caliper mounting holes and screw the bolts back in.

30. Put the hub nut and washers on and tighten the nut down as far as you can.

31. Have a beer.

32. Repeat steps 20-26 for the driver’s side (excluding the bracket of course).

33. Put both wheels back on & tighten the lug nuts down as far as you can.

34. Lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts down all the way.

35. Torque the hub nut to 174ft/lbs (I think) and install a new cotter pin.

36. Have a beer.

37. Start the car and check for leaks.

38. Drive around and let the transmission heat up and check for leaks again. If it’s going to leak, it will leak around the oil seals where the
axles go into the transmission. If it does leak, the seals are damaged and you need to pull that axle off again and replace it.

39. If there are no leaks, WELL DONE!

40. Have a beer to celebrate.

It took me 4 – 5 hrs to do this but that was with a couple of runs to get tools (tie rod end puller, new breaker bars, etc…) and I had to figure it out as I went along. I bet I could do it again in jus a couple of hours. Hopefully, this how-to will help cut down on the time it takes you to replace the axles if it ever comes to it.

Email Haynes to get us a real repair manual.

[email protected]

Have fun!!…

Joel

[P10DET]

First of all, don't drink while working on anything dangerous, and for sure working under your car is dangerous. Joke or not, it's really not a joking matter. Save the beer until you're through. It tastes better then anyway.

It sounds like the nuts on your halfshafts were aftermarket. The OEM are not castle nuts and they are 36mm.

There is no retaining clip on the passenger halfshaft. Also, you can unbolt the bearing from the bracket before removing the halfshaft, rather than removing the bracket from the engine.

It's not necessary to remove the tie rod ends from the upright. It's also possible to not unbolt the kingping bolt, but rather unbolt the middle link from the upper control arm. Fielder's choice.

There is a good trick for installing the driver's halfshaft. It does have the circlip on the end of the halfshaft. When installing the shaft, it's really easy to get it half way in and stop. This is because the clip drops down and makes inserting the halfshaft the rest of the way in quite difficult. To combat this, place some heavy grease in a small closed container and place the container in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes. When it's cold, slather the clip with the grease and it will stay centered on the end of the shaft. This helps installation greatly.

Otherwise, well done!

Four hours is a good time for a first timer figuring it out as you go. Very good time.

[T4 Primera]

Great info dudes!!!!
What was wrong with your old axles??

[91g20]

Actually I was just joking about the beer. I hope everyone here is smart enough to know that it IS dangerous to be working under your car and drinking. And besides, the bottle keeps slipping out of your greasy fingers.

It sounds like the nuts on your halfshafts were aftermarket. The OEM are not castle nuts and they are 36mm

The nuts are 36mm. But they are castle nuts with a cotter pin. What is the OEM setup?

Also, you can unbolt the bearing from the bracket before removing the halfshaft, rather than removing the bracket from the engine.

How do you unbolt the bearing from the bracket? I had to beat on it (lightly) to get it off of the halfshaft.

It's not necessary to remove the tie rod ends from the upright. It's also possible to not unbolt the kingping bolt, but rather unbolt the middle link from the upper control arm. Fielder's choice.

I'll try thast next time. Hopefull a very long time from now.

T4 Primera, the boots on both of my axles were busted and had been for a while. With extensive experience replacing axles on Subarus (very bad on boots) I've found that it's usually just as easy (and amost as cheap) to replace the whole axle rather than try to repair the boot or put another boot on. Plus you have the whole peace of mind thing.

Thanks...

[ky_infiniti2000]

Missing information

1) DRAIN TRANNY FUILD. We forgot this one this weekend. Poor driveway is not covered in kitty litter.

2) REPLACE OLD SEALS. It is highly recomonded to replace the seals on the trans-axle right now too.

3) REFILL TRANNY. I just ordered some RedLine MT90 to refill my trans-axle. (tip: use 3 feet of 5/8" hose hooked to a funnel and fill the trans-axle from the top of the engine bay.)

[poppy_morenito]

I used the Primera Manual from Haynes. It is almost identical.... I have it and will share info.. if anyone needs it

[papichuloy2k]

91g20:

This thread may be 3 years old but kick a$$. I found it very self explanatory and handy. It took me 4 hours (first timer here) to replace the right side halfshaft on my 97 EX. No problems at all.Thank you for taking the time to post it. Your post made it look as simple as it is.

Joe

[91g20]

Wow!
I'd forgotten about this post. I don't have the car anymore but it's nice to know that I helped someone out there.

Thanks,
Joel