Aluminum Driveshaft install...

[2000 4.6]

Ok, so I have had my Ford Motorsport aluminum driveshaft for a few months now but it has been so cold here I haven't wanted to install it. So this weekend, I put it up on jack stands and got under the car to see how bad it was going to be. It looks really easy to do, the only problem is I could not budge the four 12-point bolts attaching the stock driveshaft. Apparently they have thread locker on them from the factory. Plus, since they are 12-point, you can only fit a crescent wrench on there. Any suggestions? Would a 12-point socket attachment combined with an impact wrench get them off?

 

[COramprat]

Would a 12-point socket attachment combined with an impact wrench get them off?

That's what I used...Rotated the first bolt down. Have someone hold the wheel. Loosen. Rotate to the next and so on.

 

[TripleBlk]

They are torqued on there with 75 ft/lbs ! I use a 1/2" drive wrench with 12 point socket. Position bolt so that you can pull towards yourself. If you only have 3/8" drive, try slipping a cheater pipe (old pipe. old bottle jack handle, etc) over the wrench for leverage. You do have the e-brake on, and it is in gear, right ?

 

[2000 4.6]

Yep, e-brake on and in 1st gear.

 

[NasaGT]

Yeah, a 12 pt socket will work. I think I used a cresent wrench with a cheater bar though. Get a thin metal pipe like a clothes hanger bar from a closet and flatten one side a little bit so the wrench will slide inside it - perfect cheater bar for small wrenches. Good luck!

 

[MT1083]

I just put my 12 point wrench on it and then slowly pushed it with my foot until it broke loose. Worked fine.

 

[2000 4.6]

Ok, maybe I will first try a cheater bar to get some leverage on it. If that doesn't work, I will hit it with the impact wrench.

Man, those bolts are really on there. Plus the fact that I don't have a lot of room to work under my car doesn't help. I am sure it would be a lot easier to get some muscle on it if the car was on a lift or something.

Thanks for the help guys. I will keep you posted.