Mazda MX-3 silhouetteMX-3

TRANSAXLE — Removal Note: Drive shaft & Engine mounting member

J2-14prose procedure

Manual transaxle (M/T) removal note continuation.

Continued from J2-13

Drive shaft

  1. 1
    Remove the clinch bolt from the lower arm ball joint.
    Illustration of removing the clinch (pinch) bolt from the lower arm ball joint using a wrench. Shows the driveshaft boot, lower arm and ball joint area.
  2. 2
    Wrap a rag around the ball joint dust seal.
    Illustration of prying the lower arm out of the steering knuckle with a pry bar; a downward arrow indicates the direction the lower arm is pried. A rag is wrapped around the ball joint dust seal.
  3. 3
    Pry the lower arm out of the knuckle.
  4. 4
    Separate the drive shaft from the transaxle by prying with a bar inserted between the outer ring and the transaxle.
    The sharp edges of the drive shaft snap ring can slice or puncture the oil seal. Be careful when removing the drive shaft from the transaxle.
    Illustration of separating the drive shaft from the transaxle by prying with a bar inserted between the outer ring of the joint and the transaxle case.
  5. 5
    Suspend the drive shaft with a rope.
  6. 6
    Install the SSTs into the transaxle to hold the side gears.
    Illustration of installing the SST (49 G030 455) into the transaxle differential to hold the side gears while the drive shaft is removed.

Engine mounting member

  1. 1
    Support the engine by using the SST before removing the engine mounting member.
    Illustration of supporting the engine from above with the SST (49 G017 5A0) engine support bar spanning the engine bay before removing the engine mounting member.
  2. 2
    Remove the engine mounting member.
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