CV Joint/Axle Replacement on Honda
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From: The Doctor on 12 Mar 2010 17:02 I'm getting the ubiquitous clunk in my front end of my '97 Accord and will new new axle(s). I've watched my mechanic do this a few times before on my '95 Acura and 20 minutes and 40.00 later he was done...well, he's not on this side of the dirt anymore and I want to see if I can tackle this myself...anyone have any tips/warnings/input on this job? Thanks in advance! Doc
From: genius on 12 Mar 2010 18:03 On Mar 12, 3:02 pm, The Doctor <nwben...(a)erols.com> wrote: > I'm getting the ubiquitous clunk in my front end of my '97 Accord and > will new new axle(s). I've watched my mechanic do this a few times > before on my '95 Acura and 20 minutes and 40.00 later he was > done...well, he's not on this side of the dirt anymore and I want to > see if I can tackle this myself...anyone have any tips/warnings/input > on this job? Thanks in advance! > Doc $40? I assume for that cost he just used one of the universal boots, relubed the CV joint and that was it? I can't imagine he replaced the joint or the axle for that cost. I have done this on a '96 accord and it was a fairly simple DIY job. I planned on keeping the car so I bought replacement drive axles from Napa. I only remember needing a large socket (32mm?? Don't quote me on the size) to get the spindle nut off and a large crowbar (don't pry on the trans case. I put the crowbar in between the axle and the trans case, then hit it with a hammer) to pop the axle from the transmission. IIRC, it only took about 4 hours to do both sides and cost ~$180. hth
From: The Doctor on 12 Mar 2010 19:47 Sorry, I should've clarified....I bought the axles, 59.99 ea. at Advance Auto (+ 30.00 core ea.) and he installed them for 40.00 per side. But remember, he had a lift and I don't, so I'll be doing this out in my driveway on stands. I doubt I'll have them done in under 1 hour per side...I agree with Genius, It'll most likely take a better part of the day... So it sounds pretty straightforward. I'll be giving it a try this coming weekend. By the way, is there any danger in driving the car when its making that noise up front? Thanks again~ Doc
From: Tegger on 12 Mar 2010 19:47 The Doctor <nwbender(a)erols.com> wrote in news:ab94cd76-59be-4a46-a74e- 792aaa22dd4e(a)g11g2000yqe.googlegroups.com: > I'm getting the ubiquitous clunk in my front end of my '97 Accord and > will new new axle(s). I've watched my mechanic do this a few times > before on my '95 Acura and 20 minutes and 40.00 later he was > done...well, he's not on this side of the dirt anymore and I want to > see if I can tackle this myself...anyone have any tips/warnings/input > on this job? Thanks in advance! 1) Your guy might have taken only 20 minutes, but I can guarantee you--in spades--that you will NOT take that few minutes to do the same job. Your guy had the benefit of much experience, which counts for an enormous amount with this sort of thing. For you, it may take the better part of a day. 2) If you do not have the right tools, you WILL make an expensive and frustrating mess of the job. 3) Depending on what side you're replacing, you may need to drain the transaxle. Forget this step, and prepare for a BIG mess on your driveway. 4) If you don't have an air compressor, rent a DeWalt electric impact wrench from an industrial supply house. Otherwise you'll find the axle nut to be just about impossible to remove. 5) Get a good torque wrench. Your NEW axle nut (do not re-use the old one) needs to be tightened to "something like" 180 ft/lbs. I THINK the knuckle balljoint is 40 ft/lbs and the tie-rod-end is 32 ft/lbs, but you need to check that. 6) Get a proper balljoint separator. NOT a "pickle fork". Otherwise you'll find the balljoints to be just about impossible to separate. And you MUST put the balljoint nut back upside-down on the stud before using the tool, otherwise you'll collapse the stud and wreck it. 7) The set-ring on the inner joint splines can be well-and-truly difficult to pop free from the diff/center bearing. If you're lucky, the set-ring will let go just by pushing on the pry-bar with your hand. If you're unlucky, it will take a sharp blow with your foot on the pry-bar to pop the set-ring free. 8) If you've never done this before, there's a good possibility you'll pull the inner joint apart while trying to get it all back together again. If that happens, you'll need to take the inner joint apart in order to feed the tripod past the boot, which may mean new bands, depending on the type used on your new shaft. 9) Aftermarket shafts will come compressed for shipping. You need to remove the outer or inner band for the inner joint boot and let some air in so the shaft is at the correct finished length. Failure to do this will result in the inner joint boot puckering for lack of air once installed. It will then break within a few thousand miles. 10) Get a band-tightening tool, such as a KD-Tools 3191. You will need it. You can use the cheapo Harbor Freight ones, but you'll find them a lot harder to work with. Still up to this? -- Tegger
From: Tegger on 12 Mar 2010 19:56
The Doctor <nwbender(a)erols.com> wrote in news:c561137d-09fb-41aa-a893- b42788136234(a)g10g2000yqh.googlegroups.com: > Sorry, I should've clarified....I bought the axles, 59.99 ea. at > Advance Auto (+ 30.00 core ea.) and he installed them for 40.00 per > side. But remember, he had a lift and I don't, so I'll be doing this > out in my driveway on stands. I doubt I'll have them done in under 1 > hour per side...I agree with Genius, It'll most likely take a better > part of the day... > So it sounds pretty straightforward. I'll be giving it a try this > coming weekend. Better read my other post first... > By the way, is there any danger in driving the car > when its making that noise up front? You mean the crunk-crunk-crunk when going around tight turns? Nope. No danger at all. It's really loud and annoying, but it'll go forever like that. -- Tegger |