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Autopapyrus · Mitsubishi Colt (5th generation, Z20) 1.5 (4A91) (2007)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/mitsubishi/colt/front-drive-axle-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Mitsubishi Colt (5th generation, Z20) 1.5 (4A91) (2007): Front Drive Axle Replacement

The front-wheel drive on the Colt Z20 transmits torque through two axles, each with an inner CV joint (at the transmission) and an outer CV joint (at the hub). Replace the whole axle if you hear clicking in turns, feel vibration under acceleration, or find torn CV boots with grease loss. The exact sequence and torque specifications for this model were not found in open service sources, so the procedure below follows the general principle for front-wheel-drive Mitsubishi vehicles. Verify all final figures against the manufacturer's service manual.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 1.5-3 hours per axle Steps: 12 Tools: Jack and jack stands, lug wrench, 17 mm and 19 mm sockets and a socket for the hub nut (check the size and torque on the nut itself and in the service manual), a long breaker bar or ratchet with an extension, torque wrench, pry bar or flat bar, ball joint separator, hammer with a copper or plastic drift, drain pan for transmission fluid, new nuts, cotter pins and circlips

Part

  • 🔩 Front drive axle (driveshaft) assembly, left or right, matched to your transmission (manual or CVT, and with or without ABS). The transmission axle seal and the circlip are usually replaced along with the axle
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes AutoFix (online) and 1 more. See manuals →

Step by step

12 steps
  1. Park the car on a level surface, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels. With the car on the ground, loosen the hub nut: remove the cotter pin first, then unscrew the nut. The torque is high, so use a long lever and press the brake pedal to keep the wheel from turning. Loosen the lug nuts.
  2. Raise the front of the car, support it on jack stands, and remove the wheel. If necessary, remove the engine undercover (skid plate).
  3. Drain the transmission fluid: after the axle is pulled out, fluid will run out of the opening. If you don't drain it, place a pan underneath and plug the opening with a rag or a plug.
  4. Disconnect the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle (the bolts that hold the ball joint or the control arm). Use a separator to release the stud, not a hammer on the stud itself. If the tie rod end is in the way, remove its nut and press the stud out with a separator.
  5. Carefully swing the steering knuckle outward. Knock the outer splined end of the axle out of the hub with light taps through a drift, or push it out with a puller. Do not hit the threads of the axle.
  6. Pull the inner CV joint out of the transmission: pry with a pry bar between the CV joint housing and the transmission case, with a sharp pull toward you. The axle is held by a circlip on the splines, so you need a quick but controlled jerk. Do not pull on the intermediate shaft bearing, if there is one on your side: pull only on the CV joint.
  7. Inspect the seal seat in the transmission. This is the best time to replace the seal: press the new one in evenly with a driver until it seats fully, and lubricate its lip.
  8. Before installing the new axle, check the boots and the circlip on the inner CV joint. Install a new circlip if one is not supplied with the axle. Apply a thin layer of grease to the splines.
  9. Insert the inner CV joint into the transmission straight along its axis, then push hard with the palm of your hand or tap lightly with a drift until the circlip clicks into place. Pull the axle toward you to confirm it is locked.
  10. Insert the outer splined end into the hub, reconnect the ball joint, and tighten the fasteners to specification (check the value; it is typically around 50-100 N·m (37-74 lb-ft), but the exact figure depends on the joint). Tighten the hub nut to specification. The torque on front-wheel-drive Mitsubishis is high, around 200 N·m (148 lb-ft) or more; confirm the exact figure in the documentation for your hub. Secure it with a new cotter pin.
  11. Install the undercover and the wheel. Refill the transmission with fluid to the lower edge of the fill hole or to the level given in the service manual (fluid type per the documentation for your transmission). Lower the car and tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to specification (for Mitsubishi passenger cars, about 100 N·m (74 lb-ft) is a typical reference).
  12. Take a test drive: check for vibration, clicking in turns, and fluid leaks at the seal. After 100-200 km, recheck the transmission fluid level and the lug nut torque.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • The hub nut and the ball joint fasteners are safety-critical: under-tightening, or reusing worn nuts and cotter pins, can result in losing a wheel. If you lack experience, have a repair shop do the work. Do not leave the car sitting on its wheels without the hub nut: the wheel bearing is not designed to carry load without the nut tightened, and the axle must not hang from the inner CV joint when the knuckle is lowered (the CV joint's angle of articulation is limited).