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I did the job and now I'll pass along the knowledge on how to replace the half-shafts.
1. Remove Hub caps. Spray 30 mm axle nuts with WD-40 now. Let them be soaking.
2. Remove the plastic bottom engine shields - 10 mm bolts but be gentle they will be rusted in place -- don't panic if a bolt or 2 breaks, the shield will stay in place with less than all, and you can easily drill a couple of replacement holes if you want to.
3. Go to the car wash...wash the wheels, the brakes, the axles, and especially the tranny side flange with the 6 retaining nuts. You'll need to roll the car ahead or backwards to make sure they are all clean. Get those axles clean. Turn the wheels from side to side. Clean is good. DO NOT REMOVE THE BRAKES/ROTOR.
4. Loosen the lug nuts on both sides. (to save time, do what you can to both sides).
5. Remove cotter pins from 30 mm axle retaining bolt. Remove nut cover.
6. With the wheel on the ground go get your helper and have her apply the brakes, loosen the axle nut--30mm socket. Need 1/2 drive and maybe a cheater bar...(remember the WD-40.) This could be a sticking point if it is rusted...but mine came right off.
7. Remove axle nut. Remove washer. Now jack up one side of car to get working room. Take off wheel.
8. Remove 2 nuts and one bolt holdng the lower ball joint to the support...all 13mm. You DO NOT need to remove the tie rod end...in fact, you might not even need to remove the lower ball joint support but its so easy to do and gives you a lot of room to work.
9. Don't remove the shaft from the hub yet even though you can. Get your helper who will be stepping on the brake for you. Using a 12 mm, 6-sided socket with a 3 inch or so extension, or a 6-sided box end, remove the 6 nuts holding the inner flange to the transmission. These nuts are soft, might be greasy, and tight and you don't want to round them off using a worn-out 12 pt .... mine came off easily but I was careful.
Your helper can hold the brake as you remove a nut, then release the brake to rotate the shaft so you can easily get to the next nut, etc. -- works real easy with 2 people. Otherwise you'll need to either leave the wheel on the ground, jam the wheel studs at the hub with a breaker bar, or leave the tranny in gear, --none of which is very efficient. Get a helper.
10, After all 6 nuts are off, slide the outside, splined end, off the hub---the hub will move outward and the shaft on mine just slid off...didn't need to even tap it with a hammer.
If they are frozen, you'll need to tap on the end with a block of wood and hammer or a puller....doubt that you'll have that problem...my car was 20 years old and was in hard winter area...still easy going.
11. Now the shaft will be hanging with the inboard end (the tranny side) still attached. Work a flat headed screw driver between the flange and the tranny flange at several points and pry the half-shaft away from the tranny, off of the studs, and onto the ground. If you "jerk" on the half-shaft hoping to pop it off you will probably pull it apart, no big deal, but you'll still be left with getting the flanges apart. Look at the replacement part and you'll see what's going on. All you are doing is separating two flanged pieces of metal.
12. NOTE---the shaft flange mates up with the tranny flange only one way...there are pilot guides on only 2 of the 3 sets of bolt studs...if you screw up, your flanges won't mate and you won't know why. Just look at the flanges...there are either 2 or 3 holes....they need to match up. The three holes means that there is a pilot guide....
13. Remebering what I just told you, grab your rebuilt axle, put the splined end in first, then the tranny side -- don't forget the match up the guide pins....you can rotate the shaft by simply turning the rotor/hub. If it doesn't mate up it is hung up on the guide pins, lightly tap it into place with a hammer and punch or, if you can get the nuts started just tighten them up in sequence and in stages, like head bolts, don't bind anyting up....if you seem to be having problems, check to make sure you have the alignment pins matched up...this is the only thing you can screw up. And don't snap these bolts off...if you are nervous, use a torgue wrench or some loctite. Have your helper there to put on the brake to hold the axle in place as you tighten. Do not overtighten.... If you use a regular 3/8 in drive ratchet or short/regular box end you'll be OK so long as you aren't a body-builder.
14. Put the big washer on the axle, then the 30 mm bolt (135lbs torque, that's a lot), then nut cover, and the cotter pin. I reused mine. Put the wheel back on, the undercovers, and off you go. 2 hour job if you are good, 3 if you are slow like me. I think I could both sides in less than an hour now that I've done it once.
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