OK, once the wheel, caliper, and rotor are off, what then? Please tell me the axle does not need to come out!!! Can I do this in my driveway with basic tools?

 

Yes, but it is quite easy, and the gear lube is probably overdue for a change anyway. Pop the cover off first, and then remove the pin out of the carrier, which is only one little bolt. If you spine the carrier you will see the pin, it fits between the two axle shafts. The the c clip will fall out or be removed with pliers or a magnet. To do this push the axle in as far as it goes after the pin is removed. It's really easy, once you look at it, like changing a plug, but it smells worse.

 

Oh yeah, you should replace the bolt that threads into the pin, but if you can't find it clean the pins threads and the bolt and use some thread locking liquid. ddon't forget to find the proper torqe spec and posi additive if needed

 

Removing the axles isn't always necessary. I've swapped the wheel studs for longer ones without removing my axles. Just remove the items you mentioned. Then rotate the hub until the stud you want to remove is lined up with the space where the caliper was and bang it out with a hammer. The new one will slip in when in the same position, then using a 1/2" drive extension and a hammer drive it on from the back side. Be carefull to hit it on opposite sides of the head of the stud as you drive it in so it won't ****. In my case the rear end is a 9-bolt, so removing an axle is easier than the 10-bolts. But I've perfected this method after swapping wheel studs on both my rear ends. Good luck. Lon

 

What he said, it can be done without removing the axles(if you are replacing the studs). The lugs just unscrew and you screw on the new ones.

 

The lugs do not screw out. They are a press fit. You do not need to remove the axle.

You need a big hammer; just knock them out. Then put the new ones in and use a lug nut turned upside down, without the wheel or drum or rotor installed, to pull them in. Put some lube or anti-seize on the threads, you'll need to put alot of torque on the nut to get it to pull all the way through.

 

When you're done, throw that lugnut you used (to pull the new stud thru) in the toolbox in case you have to do this again. With the amount of force you need to put on the lugnut, you might not want to use it on the car again. At least; that's what I did; but I have old lugnuts lying around.

 

Ok...does hitting the lug with a hammer possibly damage the diff., gear, carrier, etc. ?

Thanks for the help.

 

You won't damage anything, at least I've never seen it happen before. Around here they are called studs. The lugs(short for lug nuts) are screw onto the studs--RB83L69.

 

Wouldn't a lug nut be for a ....LUG? LOL

...but as they say, when in Rome...etc. etc.