Answer
Feb 23, 2025 - 01:33 AM
Yeah, it does, and I’ve done this before — totally doable if you’ve got the right tools and some patience. The front CV axles on these 4MATIC models aren’t too bad to swap, but they can be a little stubborn if they’ve been in there a while.
First thing, crack the axle nut loose before you jack up the car. Once the wheel’s off, you’ll need to disconnect the lower control arm or tie rod to get enough clearance to swing the knuckle out. From there, the axle slides out of the hub.
The tricky part is popping it out of the front diff — sometimes it slides right out, other times you’ll need to use a pry bar and give it a little persuasion. Just be careful not to damage the seal when pulling it out.
When installing the new one, make sure the splines are clean and lightly greased, and push it in until you feel it seat properly. Then it’s just putting everything back together and torquing it all to spec, which is covered in this manual here.
In any case, the manual contains the manufacturer's proper guide for front CV axle shaft replacement. Might as well get it if you want to do it right 😉
