Removal

• 1). Lift the front of the vehicle with a jack. Set a jack stand beneath the lower control arm for support. Remove the lug nuts from the wheel with a lug wrench then remove the wheel.
  
  
• 2). Remove the brake caliper mounting bolts with a 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Remove the caliper from the brake assembly and set it on the lower control arm. Do not let the caliper hang freely as it could tear the rubber brake line from the caliper to the body.
  
  
• 3). Unscrew the caliper bracket bolts, the lower ball joint nut and the outer tie rod end nut with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet. Remove the caliper bracket from the brake assembly but leave the ball joint and the tie rod attached to the steering knuckle. Remove the rotor from the brake assembly.
  
  
• 4). Remove the axle nut with a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar and a 32 mm axle socket. Pry off the lower control arm with a large pry bar. Pry the tie rod end upward with the pry bar. Remove the lower ball joint and the tie rod end from the steering knuckle.
  
  
• 5). Turn the axle nut back onto the end of the axle until the outer end is flush with the end of the axle shaft. Tap the end of the axle gently with a large rubber mallet. Do not use a metal hammer or you will destroy the axle end or create a swell, making the half shaft unable to be removed. Tap the end of the axle shaft until you jar it loose from the wheel bearing assembly.
  
  
• 6). Insert the pry bar behind the hub assembly and steering knuckle, from the rear of the backside of the wheel well. Push the handle of the pry bar outward until the steering assembly is turned completely forward towards the front of the vehicle.
  
  
• 7). Insert your hand behind the steering assembly and push the axle inward towards the center of the car. Apply pressure to the pry bar to push the steering knuckle away from the end of the axle until the axle is free of the steering knuckle and wheel bearing assembly.
  
  
• 8). Insert the pry bar between the inner side of the half shaft and the transmission. Push the handle of the pry bar outward to push the half shaft free of the transmission. Use your free hand to hold and catch the axle shaft when it comes free of the transmission.
  
  

Installation

• 1). Insert the transmission end of the new CV shaft into the transmission housing. Slide the CV shaft into the housing with your hands while simultaneously wiggling it to ensure that the splines on the axle line up with the reversed splines of the transmission. When the CV shaft will go no further by hand, straighten the shaft as much as possible and gently tap the outer end of the CV shaft with the rubber mallet. There should be no more than 1/16- to 1/8-inch of room between the CV shaft end and the transmission.
  
  
• 2). Lift the outer end of the CV shaft and align it with the steering knuckle and wheel hub bearing. Use the pry bar to turn the steering knuckle completely forward to allow greater access of the half shaft to the rear of the wheel bearing. Align the CV half shaft and wheel bearing up with your hands and push the axle shaft as far through the wheel bearing as possible. Tighten the axle nut down completely with a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar and a large axle socket. The 2003 Lexus ES300's axle nut socket is a 32 mm nut. Tighten the nut between 110 and 130 foot-pounds of torque with the 1/2-inch drive breaker bar and a 32 mm socket.
  
  
• 3). Reinstall the lower ball joint into the steering knuckle. If the ball joint will not line up perfectly, stick it into the hole and tap the lower control arm with a hammer on the front and the rear of the arm until the lower ball joint pops into place. Tighten the lower ball joint castle nut down to 90 foot-pounds of torque with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket.
  
  
• 4). Remount the outer tie rod end into the steering knuckle by hand. Tighten the outer tie rod end nut between 90 and 100 foot-pound of torque with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket.
  
  
• 5). Reinstall the rotor by hand. Install and tighten the caliper bracket between 80 to 90 foot-pounds of torque with the 3/8-inch drive ratchet and socket. Reinstall the brake pads into the caliper bracket. Reinstall the caliper and tighten the caliper bolts between 70 to 80 foot-pounds of torque. Remount the wheel and tighten the lug nuts between 95 and 100 foot-pounds of torque then lower the vehicle off the jack stands with the jack.