DIY: is250 awd front axle replacement
09-02-15, 01:36 PM
#1
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DIY: is250 awd front axle replacement
Recently, a friend of mine asked me to do a small write up on the steps involved in exchanging out the front axle on an awd 2is. Now on club lexus anybody can read this and perform this. You will need:
1. a jack
2. 4 jackstands
3. various socket sizes 14mm, 17mm, 18mm,
4. a 14mm wrench
5. prybar
6.30mm 12 point axel nut socket (note a 6 point will not work at ALL you need this 30mm 12 point in most cases you can buy one and return it when your done just keep it clean).
7. A friend.
8. ratchets 3/8", 1/2" drive as well as a torque wrench and a long leverage bar.
9. rubber mallet
(something to note this is important! Automotive bolts when reused lose a bit of their tensile strength due to stretching that occurs when tightening. To compensate for this the torque value I have listed for reassembly are slightly higher than the stock specs.)
Okay so step one break loose lug nuts while car is on the ground for the front wheel you are doing an axle change on. Next raise the car and place jack stands on the pinch rail BETWEEN the two small c shaped sections. The reason why this is there is so Lexus knows exactly where the car has an even lift point. Take the wheel off the car and remove the center cap and put it back on but don't torque the lug nuts all the way down but enough to lower the car to the ground so at least 55-60 ft/lb before you lower it to break the axle nut loose. to tighten the lug nuts while the car is raised have your friend hold their foot on the brake. once this is done go ahead and lower the car. With the car on the ground take your 30mm 12 point axle nut socket and attach it to a ratchet with a long bar for leverage. While a friend is on the brakes with a firm motion loosen the axle nut. Loosen the lug nuts and raise the car back up. After raising back off remove the wheel again. with the wheel off now that our axle nut is loose unscrew it all the way and place it to the side.
Step 2, take a 14mm socket and loosen the two caliper bolts holding your brake caliper. Once these are removed slide the caliper off and lightly place in raised above the ground preferably sitting on something so the brake line wont stretch. Once this is finishing take a 18mm socket and loosen the two bolts that keep your brake pads inside of their bracket and put this to the side. (NOTE! it is very easy to lose bolts at this point I recommend grabbing a sharpie and plastic bag to keep your bolts organized.)
Step 3, remove your brake rotor. This mar require you to hammer the inner piece near the studs to get it off. Be careful not to hammer the studs themselves as these are sensitive.
Step 4, Take a 17mm socket and loosen the 4 bolts that hold up the wheel hub. This may require you once again to use a long bar for the sake of leverage as these bolts are torqued on at 53 lb/ft. Once these bolts are removed remove the hub and the brake rotor's dust shield.
Step 5, grab a 14mm wrench and loosen the two bolts holding the black wishbone in place next to your struts/springs. Once these bolts are out put them to the side and the steering knuckle will slide back.
Step 6, at this point we have full access to our axle. What you will do is pull on it and in most cases a small cup will be left in the transfer case while the rest of the axle will come out. To remove this cup in the transfer case take your prybar and firmly wedge it into place and give it a firm KICK to remove the axle shaft completely.
Step 7, at this point we have our old axle out. Take the new axle and have a friend hold the end of it straight while you rotate and align it into the transfer case (NOTE! The splines must line up on the axle you will be able to feel this as you put it back into place) The new axle should slide in and make a locking type of noise when it is in all the way. This may take a bit of playing around with to get it in but should not be too bad.
Step 8, at this point our axle has been replaced and you should celebrate~! To begin reassembly slide the steering knuckle back up and put the 14 mm bolts that hold it into place back in (this step is annoying because of how little space there is your hand will ache after this).
Step 9, take some anti seize and apply it to the hubs 17mm bolts go ahead and line up the brake rotor dust shield with the wheel hub. The dust shield has small holes for where it meets the wheel hub this will be very apparent and visible when you look at it. Once you line them up lightly screw the hub back into place and finish tightening it with a 17mm socket. Grab your torque wrench and place the torque for these hub bolts at 58 ft/lb.
Step 10, Put your brake rotor back on. Apply anti-seize to the 18mm bolts that hold the bracket for the brake pads. After this grab the bracket which holds your brake pads in place and the accompanying 18mm bolts and begin to screw them back in once again tightening and finishing sequence with 58 ft/lb of torque. After this take your brake caliper and put that back on with anti-seize on the 14mm bolts that hold it into place and torque those down to 30 ft/lb of torque.
step 11, take the axle nut for the new axle and put in on to the point where it is past hand tight. Next remove the center piece from the corresponding wheel you have changed your axle on. At this point you will lower the car. Once the car is on the ground torque the axle nut down to 217 ft/lb of torque (NOTE! have a friend in the car with their foot on the brakes as you do this to prevent the car rolling back while you try to torque the 30mm axle nut.)
Step 12, you are finished at this point celebrate because your 2is just got some first aid
1. a jack
2. 4 jackstands
3. various socket sizes 14mm, 17mm, 18mm,
4. a 14mm wrench
5. prybar
6.30mm 12 point axel nut socket (note a 6 point will not work at ALL you need this 30mm 12 point in most cases you can buy one and return it when your done just keep it clean).
7. A friend.
8. ratchets 3/8", 1/2" drive as well as a torque wrench and a long leverage bar.
9. rubber mallet
(something to note this is important! Automotive bolts when reused lose a bit of their tensile strength due to stretching that occurs when tightening. To compensate for this the torque value I have listed for reassembly are slightly higher than the stock specs.)
Okay so step one break loose lug nuts while car is on the ground for the front wheel you are doing an axle change on. Next raise the car and place jack stands on the pinch rail BETWEEN the two small c shaped sections. The reason why this is there is so Lexus knows exactly where the car has an even lift point. Take the wheel off the car and remove the center cap and put it back on but don't torque the lug nuts all the way down but enough to lower the car to the ground so at least 55-60 ft/lb before you lower it to break the axle nut loose. to tighten the lug nuts while the car is raised have your friend hold their foot on the brake. once this is done go ahead and lower the car. With the car on the ground take your 30mm 12 point axle nut socket and attach it to a ratchet with a long bar for leverage. While a friend is on the brakes with a firm motion loosen the axle nut. Loosen the lug nuts and raise the car back up. After raising back off remove the wheel again. with the wheel off now that our axle nut is loose unscrew it all the way and place it to the side.
Step 2, take a 14mm socket and loosen the two caliper bolts holding your brake caliper. Once these are removed slide the caliper off and lightly place in raised above the ground preferably sitting on something so the brake line wont stretch. Once this is finishing take a 18mm socket and loosen the two bolts that keep your brake pads inside of their bracket and put this to the side. (NOTE! it is very easy to lose bolts at this point I recommend grabbing a sharpie and plastic bag to keep your bolts organized.)
Step 3, remove your brake rotor. This mar require you to hammer the inner piece near the studs to get it off. Be careful not to hammer the studs themselves as these are sensitive.
Step 4, Take a 17mm socket and loosen the 4 bolts that hold up the wheel hub. This may require you once again to use a long bar for the sake of leverage as these bolts are torqued on at 53 lb/ft. Once these bolts are removed remove the hub and the brake rotor's dust shield.
Step 5, grab a 14mm wrench and loosen the two bolts holding the black wishbone in place next to your struts/springs. Once these bolts are out put them to the side and the steering knuckle will slide back.
Step 6, at this point we have full access to our axle. What you will do is pull on it and in most cases a small cup will be left in the transfer case while the rest of the axle will come out. To remove this cup in the transfer case take your prybar and firmly wedge it into place and give it a firm KICK to remove the axle shaft completely.
Step 7, at this point we have our old axle out. Take the new axle and have a friend hold the end of it straight while you rotate and align it into the transfer case (NOTE! The splines must line up on the axle you will be able to feel this as you put it back into place) The new axle should slide in and make a locking type of noise when it is in all the way. This may take a bit of playing around with to get it in but should not be too bad.
Step 8, at this point our axle has been replaced and you should celebrate~! To begin reassembly slide the steering knuckle back up and put the 14 mm bolts that hold it into place back in (this step is annoying because of how little space there is your hand will ache after this).
Step 9, take some anti seize and apply it to the hubs 17mm bolts go ahead and line up the brake rotor dust shield with the wheel hub. The dust shield has small holes for where it meets the wheel hub this will be very apparent and visible when you look at it. Once you line them up lightly screw the hub back into place and finish tightening it with a 17mm socket. Grab your torque wrench and place the torque for these hub bolts at 58 ft/lb.
Step 10, Put your brake rotor back on. Apply anti-seize to the 18mm bolts that hold the bracket for the brake pads. After this grab the bracket which holds your brake pads in place and the accompanying 18mm bolts and begin to screw them back in once again tightening and finishing sequence with 58 ft/lb of torque. After this take your brake caliper and put that back on with anti-seize on the 14mm bolts that hold it into place and torque those down to 30 ft/lb of torque.
step 11, take the axle nut for the new axle and put in on to the point where it is past hand tight. Next remove the center piece from the corresponding wheel you have changed your axle on. At this point you will lower the car. Once the car is on the ground torque the axle nut down to 217 ft/lb of torque (NOTE! have a friend in the car with their foot on the brakes as you do this to prevent the car rolling back while you try to torque the 30mm axle nut.)
Step 12, you are finished at this point celebrate because your 2is just got some first aid
Last edited by ExplicitT; 09-02-15 at 02:25 PM.
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blitzz (07-20-23)
09-02-15, 09:00 PM
#5
Driver School Candidate
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I ordered mine from ebay for 92.00 as a remanufactured axle from a different company from Lexus OEM they are roughly 795$ give or take. Works and feels great I have not had any complaints yet with it. Although I do think eventually I will get the original lexus equipment again.
07-01-16, 04:43 AM
#6
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This is the best summary and the job took less than two hours. I needed a puller to get the axle off on the wheel side but that took about a minute. I used a pulley puller I had in the garage. Thanks for the post.
06-07-19, 06:58 PM
#7
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Sealed Transmission
To those who have done this change, when you removed the old axle, did any transmission fluid come out? I know the transmission is sealed (I have an 07 IS250 AWD), but all the videos I saw had to replace fluid. No videos for Lexus. Anyone know about this? Both of my front boots have grease everywhere so I need to change them this weekend. Thanks!
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06-26-20, 01:16 PM
#9
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I just completed this fix and I have a check 4wd light, afs light flashing, and check vsc. Any help!? Was so happy to finally get it out and then went back together easy, but a new problem arises. TIA
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