No CV axle?

[relgro]

I've been watching a bunch of youtube videos(shout out to TRQ) as I just did a bunch of work on my explorers this weekend. One thing I did was install some fairly new front hub/bearing assemblies that I took from my broken down 2002 explorer and transferred them to my running 2002 explorer..yes I have two of the exact same explorer.

So in all the videos I noticed an axle coming thru the hub/bearing assembly..but neither of my explorers have any front axle/cv axle? The hub just has an open hole with the splines exposed and no axle on both explorers, both 2wd.

My daily driving explorer I've only had for 3 months, so it came this way. My broken down explorer I've had for over 13 years and have gone thru several hub/bearing replacements(a shop always did the service)..the most recent replacement was done by a shop just a couple months before it broke down for good(that's why I decided to transfer them onto my running explorer since they're essentially still new).

So what's my issue here? What are the risks in driving the explorer without any front cv axles? Why wouldn't the shop that did the work previously tell me I was missing crucial parts? Or are they not that crucial? As I said, I drove that vehicle for over 13 years, but I don't know exactly when the cv axles were taken out and not replaced, or if they were already gone from the moment I bought it in 2009.

I don't see any way for the tire to fall off or the hub to come out since its bolted straight to the knuckle. But with no axle or nut going thru the hub, am I risking the bearings just straight up falling out of the hub assembly? Just seems crazy to me that these axles were missing and no one said anything if it's any real danger..also crazy the explorer I just bought a few months ago came the exact same way.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[Mbrooks420]

There’s no cv axles on a 2wd……. Why would there be? Missing the transfer case, front driveshaft, and differential as well, I’d bet.

 

[Bazz270]

The only purpose of the 4wd explorers axle nut is to hold the outer cv shaft flange rock solid together with the bearing assy.

If you dont have the cv axles,you dont need the nut.the wheel bearing assy torque is factory preloaded specs and the axle nut does nothing to hold the bearing or something.

 

[relgro]

Ok cool, thanks for the help. Obviously I don't know **** about cars and I just started doing some of the basic stuff myself. I guess every single video I clicked on youtube just happened to feature work being done on a 4wd explorer because in every one there was an axle and nut going thru the front. Hence where I all of a sudden thought I had a problem.

 

[boominXplorer]

3rd gens(02+) have internal snap ring where axle nut torque is not required to hold the bearing together like the 2nd gens