Axle Shaft Bolts

[BasillioG]

New owner of an 05 Black stripe delete car. Been on the forum since 2010 following conversations and finally pulled the trigger. Had to sell the cars in my collection to make it happen but feels right every time I get behind the wheel.

Rich Robach completed my PPI and indicated the axle shaft bolts were original to the car and should be replaced/updated. I can find no evidence in previous ownership service records and Oasis reports that indicate it's ever been done. I've read the threads that indicate this is a "recall" but there's nothing under my VIN on public websites that would indicate Ford would do anything for me. What advice do you have?
1. Contact preferred dealer in Phoenix and see if they will do the work under recall? I know several of you on here are in Phoenix area, which dealer knows what they're doing?
2. Order part/kit from Ford and pay for it to be completed at the dealer?
3. Order an accufab or Ford kit and do it myself? (I have torque wrenches and a lift).

Thanks, Brian

 

[twobjshelbys]

It was a technical service bulletin (TSB) from Ford, not a recall (which is a NHTSA event). It would seem to me that the axle stopping spinning at a random time could be a safety issue but they decided not. Since it was a TSB and not a recall it is not open ended (like the forever air bag thing) so I doubt you will convince a dealer to perform the work for free.

You'd have to check with Ford to see if the parts are still available.

Accufab has been the answer for most so that could also indicate that Ford no longer stocks the kit.

Enjoy the car! It's a hoot to drive.

 

[GT@50]

Get the Accufab kit and do it yourself. Hoist not needed. Don't even need to pull the wheels.

 

[extrap]

Welcome! And nice buy! ... and you are very patient! Since I don't think the half shaft bolts are covered under a recall, and since I thought Rich Robach lived in AZ, I'd ask him if he'll do it, whether he'll come to you or you to him. I don't know what it would cost in June 2023 but in Aug 2021 I was charged $430 for the parts and labor by another very well known GT expert.

I haven't heard of any Ford dealerships yet that I'd trust to do anything to mine, especially now that it's been ~17 years since GTs were new cars, and I'd bet most dealerships have never even seen a GT in person.

 

[Specracer]

Or have Rich do it, I would imagine he would be happy to if you didnt do it your self (I would do it myself)

Welcome to ownership!

 

[PeteK]

Brian, just ask Rich Roback for his advice, especially if you decide to have him install it. How many miles on your car?

 

[BasillioG]

Brian, just ask Rich Roback for his advice, especially if you decide to have him install it. How many miles on your car?

Thanks for the advice everyone. Accufab kit is out of stock so waiting for replacements.

Car has 17k. I've had my fair share of trailer queens, this time around I want to drive it and not watch the odometer.

 

[nota4re]

The OEM kit and the Accufab kit will both get the job done. Not sure we prefer one over the other - but the Accufab kit uses a different (6) outer bolts which makes it easy to see the upgrade has been done but for the pure fanatics, they do represent a difference from original. The OEM kits are still available.

 

[Wallyworld]

Brian -
Not sure where you're located in the Phoenix metro area, but Rich comes out to do maintenance on a number of cars in the Scottsdale area on a fairly regular basis. He did my axle bolts right here in my garage. Even better, I learned more about my car than I would have ever imagined - Rich is a wealth of knowledge and a super nice guy!
Mitch

 

[partssmann]

Brian, welcome to the neighborhood. Many GT owners here in the greater Phoenix area. Will PM you next time some of us meet at local C&Cs. First choice would be to have Rich Robach do the work. If Rich is not available for some reason, have Sanderson Ford's GT Tech Brian Naylor perform work but will be more expensive.

 

[saleenrose]

I just replaced my axle cup bolts, I ordered the Accufab bolts but was told they are on B/O, the Ford kit came right in, I changed them myself, along with the oil pump drive belt and a oil service. This car had never had the oil changed, 18 years and I was able to do the first service. I also ordered a replacement fuel rail as it is leaking and replaced the EGR valve. Sitting is not always the best for these cars.

 

[jammer]

My car had TSB 06-23-8 done at Bowen Scarff Ford in January 2007. Oasis shows no record of other half shaft work. The six outer bolts look OEM silver allen bolts. Can't tell for sure if the bolts were replaced or are still the original. Bought my car from the original owner who was a member of this forum. It has just under 25k miles now. I feel like doing the bolts any way just to be sure. Ordered the Accufab kit but it is back ordered with no ETA. Does the Ford kit come with detailed instruction to allow me to do the installation? If they do, or if the instructions are available I will order the Ford kit and do the installation myself.

 

[fjpikul]

Instructions are here on the Forum someplace. Probably best to consult with Rich Brooks or Kendall at Cool tech. As I remember the bolts are torgue to yield.

 

[jammer]

I went over several threads on the halfshaft bolts issue and read every post in the 12 page thread. Was specifically looking for Attachment III "Technical Information" that Ford included in their Customer Satisfaction Program 07-B-49 document but for some reason is missing from the version currently available to download. Reading Ford's instructions for how to torque the same bolts under TSB 06-23-8 which was issued to address different issue but included removal and replacement of the same bolts it sounded like they were very particular about the sequence, stages and torque specs of these bolts

 

[fjpikul]

And hence my recommendation to consult with either of the experts .in this field. Remember this stuff is almost 20 years old and long fixed for most of us.

 

[nota4re]

Yes, Jammer, you are correct. TSB 06-23-8 describes the correct process for installing the six outer bolts for the transaxle flange. Both the 2005 and 2006 shop manual are INCORRECT. We just repaired a GT where these 6 outer bolts "failed" on the driver's side halfshaft at about 40MPH. There was a LOT of additional damage from the halfshaft flopping around until the car came to a stop. The car had Ford-supplied axle bolt upgrade kit installed and I strongly suspect that the dealership that installed the kit followed the torque process described in the service manual. (Why wouldn't you?) Well, it is entirely wrong and will result in under-torquing these outer bolts and over time, they will walk themselves out.

Follow the procedure in TSB 06-23-8 if you want to do it correctly.

 

[twobjshelbys]

What is the correct spec?

 

[nota4re]

 

[jammer]

...TSB 06-23-8 describes the correct process for installing the six outer bolts for the transaxle flange... The car had Ford-supplied axle bolt upgrade kit installed and I strongly suspect that the dealership that installed the kit followed the torque process described in the service manual. (Why wouldn't you?) Well, it is entirely wrong and will result in under-torquing these outer bolts and over time, they will walk themselves out.

Follow the procedure in TSB 06-23-8 if you want to do it correctly.

Thanks Kendall, I too suspect the TSB 06-23-8 procedure was probably not followed consistently by many dealers given the multiple steps that a tech would need to follow to implement it. On my car the service record shows those bolts were simply torqued to 295 lb-ft which is not indicated anywhere in the technical part of TSB 06-23-8. I've seen references to the 295 lb-ft torque value in some of the comments here but not clear what is the source of that value. TSB 06-23-8 calls for final torque of the two inner bolts to be 22 lb-ft in two stages, and the final torque of the 6 outer bolts to be 21 lb-ft + 1/4 turn with a note to use thread lock before installing the bolts. Most comments I saw on the various threads here call for TTY of those bolts. Is 21 lb-ft + 1/4 turn the same as TTY?

 

[nota4re]

I'm pretty sure that none of the bolts were torqued to 295 lb-ft. as that would far exceed their capacity. If memory serves, they are M10 bolts - so no way for them to take that much torque without breaking.

And, yes, the calculated TTY for these fasteners is the prescribed 21 lb-ft + 90 degrees. The +90 degrees is preferred over a torque value because it allows you to ignore friction. As an example, if the torque value was simply specified at, say, 55 lb-ft.... imagine a well-lubricated bolt versus a "dry" bolt. Presumably, the well lubricated bolt would turn farther than a dry bolt and so the actual stretch of the bolt would be different. Admittedly, in most applications when you refer to a service manual they simply provide you with a torque value. However, when the engineers really want you to be precise, they provide the torque like what was done with the TSB. The initial 21 lb-ft just gets everything snug and then the additional 90-degree turn on a thread with a specific pitch will provide the calculated amount of stretch for that given fastener. Just a better, more precise way of securing a fastener to its maximum capacity.