Autopapyrus · Toyota Corolla (E120)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/toyota/corolla/driveshaft-axle-shaft-replacement/

Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Toyota Corolla (E120): Driveshaft (Axle Shaft) Replacement

Replace the driveshaft as a complete assembly if the CV joints are worn, a CV boot is torn and has lost grease, you hear clicking on turns, or you feel vibration under acceleration. If the problem is only the outer CV joint or boot, repairing that part is enough. The job is done without removing the engine, but the transmission seal is usually replaced along with the driveshaft.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 1.5-3 hours per side Steps: 11 Tools: jack and jack stands, 21 mm lug wrench, 32 mm socket for the hub nut with a long breaker bar or ratchet extension, torque wrench, 12-17 mm sockets, pry bar, ball joint or tie rod end puller, hammer and brass drift, drain pan for transmission fluid, plastic plug or rag for the transmission opening, chisel or punch for unstaking the hub nut.

Part

🔩 complete driveshaft (axle shaft) assembly, left and right as separate items. Axles may differ for automatic and manual transmissions, so choose by transmission type and ABS equipment. You will also need a new hub nut, cotter pins or self-locking nuts (if equipped), the axle seals in the transmission, and transmission fluid for refilling

There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 16 more. See manuals →

Step by step

11 steps

Park the car on a level surface, apply the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels. If the hub nut has a staked collar locking it in place, push it back with a punch.
With the car on the ground, loosen the driveshaft hub nut (32 mm socket) and the lug nuts. It takes a lot of force, so use a long breaker bar, and the wheels must be on the ground and held by the brakes.
Lift the front of the car, set it on jack stands, remove the wheel, and remove the hub nut completely.
Drain the transmission fluid. This keeps it from running out when the driveshaft is pulled. Alternative: do not drain the fluid, and plug the opening with a plug right after pulling the driveshaft, but some fluid will still be lost this way. You will have to check the level and top it off.
Disconnect the lower components from the steering knuckle: the tie rod end (remove the cotter pin, undo the nut, and knock it out or pull it with a puller) and the sway bar end link. If necessary, unbolt the lower ball joint from the control arm. Swing the knuckle aside to free the outer CV joint from the hub. If the CV joint is stuck, drive it out with light hammer blows on a nut threaded on flush with the end, not on the threads themselves. Do not damage or stretch the ABS sensor and its wiring.
Pull the inner CV joint out of the transmission. The driveshaft is usually knocked or pulled out with a pry bar placed between the CV joint housing and the transmission. Move it straight without tilting the shaft, to avoid damaging the seal and the splines. First release the right driveshaft from the intermediate shaft support bracket, if your trim has one.
Replace the driveshaft seal in the transmission. Drive out the old one, lubricate the lip of the new one with transmission fluid, and press it in with a driver of the right diameter, squarely, until it seats fully.
Inspect the splines in the transmission and in the hub. Install the new driveshaft: insert the inner CV joint into the transmission until the retaining ring clicks into place, then pull on the housing to make sure it is locked. Insert the outer CV joint into the hub.
Reassemble the suspension in reverse order. Tighten the nuts with a torque wrench: hub nut about 200-220 N·m (148-162 lb-ft), lug nuts about 100-110 N·m (74-81 lb-ft), and the other control arm, tie rod end, and sway bar end link fasteners to the manufacturer's specifications. Use new cotter pins and lock the hub nut by staking it.
Fill the transmission with the correct type of fluid up to the level of the check hole. The type and amount depend on the transmission type, so check the marking on the plug or the service manual.
Lower the car and give the lug nuts their final tightening on the ground. Take a test drive: there should be no clicking on turns and no vibration under acceleration. Check the transmission for fluid leaks. A wheel alignment is recommended if you disassembled the tie rod end or the control arm.

Common mistakes and warnings

The suspension and steering are safety-critical systems. If you lack experience and the right tools, it is better to go to a repair shop. Never drive with a loose hub nut, and never work under a car supported only by a jack without jack stands. Do not let the driveshaft hang from the inner CV joint with the hub removed: the joint can pull apart. If the boots are intact and there is no play, the driveshaft does not need to be replaced.