Driveaxle Replacement...

Has anyone replaced both driveaxles before??? I read the manual on how to do it and it seems pretty straight forward. A friend I work with has an 89 civic hb and he's starting to sound like a wind up toy..I checked both cv boots and they are both cracked, which could have caused this to happen in the first place.

So if anyone has done this before about how long does it take for each side? How difficult is it to do? Any special tools needed? Any thing I should know ahead of time...tips, hints, advice....

I'm thinking about doing it for him this weekend b/c he needs to get his car aligned badly, and I figured it would be wise to change the driveaxles before he gets it aligned b/c you have to remove some of the suspension parts up front.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks guys!

-Jimmy

Time and difficulty depends on how good they're stuck in there. Its pretty strait forward, take old ones out put new ones in. Sometimes it takes an hour, sometimes you add new naughty words to the dictionary.

I think the tool your looking for is called a "pickle fork"

I think the tool your looking for is called a "pickle fork"
What the heck is this??? Is it needed in the process of replacing both driveaxles?

Thanks!

http://www.thepartsbin.com/cartools/images/otc-7266.jpg
Ahhh...thanks for the pic. Now I shouldn't need this unless I'm taking apart the CV Joints correct? I just wanna make sure I get all the necessary tools needed ahead of time.

Thanks again!

Ahhh...thanks for the pic. Now I shouldn't need this unless I'm taking apart the CV Joints correct? I just wanna make sure I get all the necessary tools needed ahead of time.

Thanks again!

No, that's for separating ball joints. You will need to separate the upper ball joint at least. It's not necessary, but may help you in removing the ball joint if you are a little lacking in the "muscle" category. Don't be afraid to smash the upper arm on the hub with a hammer.
First, remove the wheel. You'll then want to remove the axle nut. You can do this many ways, but It's a 32mm or 1 1/4 socket. Place a screwdriver in the rotor so that it hits the caliper. This will allow you to remove the nut w/out the unit spinning. You can also do this with the wheel still on, but I prefer to do it with it off. Next, you'll want to remove the upper castle nut (17mm) from the upper ball joint and slip that ball joint from the hub. Then, you'll want to remove the lower bolt that connects the hub to the front trailing arm.
Next, you'll bang the axle out with a screwdriver or the likes. It should soon be able to slip out from the rear w/ little persuasion. Then, you remove it from the transmission or halfshaft w/ a prybar or large flat head.

No, that's for separating ball joints. You will need to separate the upper ball joint at least. It's not necessary, but may help you in removing the ball joint if you are a little lacking in the "muscle" category. Don't be afraid to smash the upper arm on the hub with a hammer.
First, remove the wheel. You'll then want to remove the axle nut. You can do this many ways, but It's a 32mm or 1 1/4 socket. Place a screwdriver in the rotor so that it hits the caliper. This will allow you to remove the nut w/out the unit spinning. You can also do this with the wheel still on, but I prefer to do it with it off. Next, you'll want to remove the upper castle nut (17mm) from the upper ball joint and slip that ball joint from the hub. Then, you'll want to remove the lower bolt that connects the hub to the front trailing arm.
Next, you'll bang the axle out with a screwdriver or the likes. It should soon be able to slip out from the rear w/ little persuasion. Then, you remove it from the transmission or halfshaft w/ a prybar or large flat head.


Sweet thanks for the help bambam...you didn't publish my repair manual did ya???:grinyes:

thanks again for all the help! I may be posting frantically this saturday morning if I run into any problems along the way!:banghead:

its really depending on how stuck the ball joint is. when i took the crx ones out i was hittin on one forever and finally just used a sledge but with the hatch i had them out in about 15 mins with a regular hammer. the castle nut can be a pain grease it up and use a torque ratchet. also when youre pryin smack the bolt of the ball joint itself to loosen it off the hub

to use the pickle fork you put it in between the rubber of the ball joint and the hub and just whack it with the hammer so it spreads the arm and hub apart. you can rent the pickle fork at autozone so dont bother buying one

I wouldn't use the Pickle Fork unless its being a big pain in the ass. Just about everytime you will end up ripping the boot on the ball joint and half the time you don't need to use the Pickle fork either. One trick on the lower ball joint if it doesn't want to pop out just by hitting the spindle alone, get a big pry bar and pry the spindle up while you hit it at the lower ball joint and it will usually pop right up.

Never hit the bolt on the ball joint either, if you do "have" to hit it, only tap it. You get more out of hitting the spindle where the ball joint goes through than you do hitting the bolt and you won't damage the ball joint...unless you miss and hit it anyway. I have never had to remove the upper ball joint, only the lower and the tie rod, but to each their own.

When re-installing everything, on the ball joints and tie-rod, make sure you have pressure on the back side of it to keep it from spinning. This is one reason why I hardly touch the upper joint because its easy to get pressure on the lower joint and the tie-rod and thats all you need loosened anyway to get the axle out of the spindle.
BamBam: Whats a front "trailing arm"? I know about the rear ones, but have yet to see a front one.

Front Suspension parts: Upper Control Arm, Strut, Lower Control arm, Tie rod end, Radius Arm(Strut Rod, whatever you wish to call it).

Not trying to be a smartass to you BamBam, you usually know your shit.

I wouldn't use the Pickle Fork unless its being a big pain in the ass. Just about everytime you will end up ripping the boot on the ball joint and half the time you don't need to use the Pickle fork either. One trick on the lower ball joint if it doesn't want to pop out just by hitting the spindle alone, get a big pry bar and pry the spindle up while you hit it at the lower ball joint and it will usually pop right up.

Never hit the bolt on the ball joint either, if you do "have" to hit it, only tap it. You get more out of hitting the spindle where the ball joint goes through than you do hitting the bolt and you won't damage the ball joint...unless you miss and hit it anyway. I have never had to remove the upper ball joint, only the lower and the tie rod, but to each their own.

When re-installing everything, on the ball joints and tie-rod, make sure you have pressure on the back side of it to keep it from spinning. This is one reason why I hardly touch the upper joint because its easy to get pressure on the lower joint and the tie-rod and thats all you need loosened anyway to get the axle out of the spindle.
BamBam: Whats a front "trailing arm"? I know about the rear ones, but have yet to see a front one.

Front Suspension parts: Upper Control Arm, Strut, Lower Control arm, Tie rod end, Radius Arm(Strut Rod, whatever you wish to call it).

Not trying to be a smartass to you BamBam, you usually know your shit.

ahhhh! It's the lower control arm...damn give me a break guys! I can't even misspell a word around here. But yes, you're right. It's the lower control arm...I just titled it wrong.

HAHAHA! hey you get people for misinforming, I can get you if you do it ;). I know most of the time you know exactly what your talking about, just couldn't pass up the oppurtunity.

HAHAHA! hey you get people for misinforming, I can get you if you do it ;). I know most of the time you know exactly what your talking about, just couldn't pass up the oppurtunity.

Haha. Thanks for keeping me inline.

check out this thread http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859, or atleast this video. https://oncourse.iu.edu/access...I.AVI

this is with out a doubt the best method ever!

check out this thread http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859, or atleast this video. https://oncourse.iu.edu/access...I.AVI

this is with out a doubt the best method ever!

Sweet nice find...that will really help me out!!!

-Jimmy

I agree with Tony. Never use the pickle fork on any joint unless your planning on replacing the joint. If you have a hard time separating the tie rod or ball joint a light-duty two jaw puller does the trick without too much effort. Bam Bam mentioned taking the tires off before you take the cv joint nut off, but that doesn't work on a cv joint that hasn't been removed in awhile. I had to get my brother to step on my brakes with the tires on and the car on the ground to get the nut to crack. I broke two three eights breaker bars before I had to buy a 4ft, half inch breaker which finally cracked it. Breaking that damned cv nut is probably the most time consuming part of the ordeal!

NOTE: Never use a pickle fork separating the ball joint from the LCA. Pickle forks are the most brutal tool you can use on you ball joints.
If using a hammer doesnt work, then put a jack under the knuckle and jack up the whole hub assembly. This will give you the chance to stick a ratchet or something in between the knuckle and the LCA. Then lower the jack and your ball joint will pop open like magic. This is by far the simplest and most tear-free method ive ever used. I HIGHLY recommend it, no more torn ball joints:

http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859

EDIT: sorry i just saw jeef posted this method, my bad.

Also when putting in the axle into the tranny, sometimes it wont go in by hand, so use a rubber mallet and hit the other end of the axle and "push" it through. Good luck.

Yea Viper, 1/2" is the way to go on the axle nuts, but I do agree that if you wheels will let you(have a hole in the middle), go ahead and break it loose before you take the wheel off. If you have to take the wheel off, go ahead and take it off, put the car of a jack stand, and get someone inside holding the brake, its alot easier and less stressful.

For that I've also found that a nice big screwdriver inside the rotor slots works well, I've done it many times and have yet to bend/warp anything but a screwdriver or two. It may not be the correct way, but it works well.

Ive snapped a small pry bar doing that. I don't see a reason to take a chance ruining tools when it takes 5 secs to get someone to press the brake pedal.

Ive snapped a small pry bar doing that. I don't see a reason to take a chance ruining tools when it takes 5 secs to get someone to press the brake pedal.

also the torque thats necessary to crack the nut creates the possibility of actually pushing, or pulling the car right off the jack stands. When I replaced mine the cv joints didn't look very old as all but one boot was in really nice shape. But after trying the old screwdriver in the rotors method and almost pulling the damn car of the jackstand...I realized on the ground with the tires on is the only way..not even the weight of the car, and the transmission in 1st gear, ebrake on would hold the car in place while I was cracking that sucker...had to have my bro on the brakes...why would anyone take the chance? just crack it before you jack it!

also the torque thats necessary to crack the nut creates the possibility of actually pushing, or pulling the car right off the jack stands. When I replaced mine the cv joints didn't look very old as all but one boot was in really nice shape. But after trying the old screwdriver in the rotors method and almost pulling the damn car of the jackstand...I realized on the ground with the tires on is the only way..not even the weight of the car, and the transmission in 1st gear, ebrake on would hold the car in place while I was cracking that sucker...had to have my bro on the brakes...why would anyone take the chance? just crack it before you jack it!

Yea...first I tried it on the jacks, but that didn't work. Then I put the wheel on and dropped it on the ground and tried again...still wouldn't bug. Finally I had the brilliant idea of using my jack to do all the work (considering it can lift2.5 tons and my weak ass only about 300-500 lbs.

also the torque thats necessary to crack the nut creates the possibility of actually pushing, or pulling the car right off the jack stands. When I replaced mine the cv joints didn't look very old as all but one boot was in really nice shape. But after trying the old screwdriver in the rotors method and almost pulling the damn car of the jackstand...I realized on the ground with the tires on is the only way..not even the weight of the car, and the transmission in 1st gear, ebrake on would hold the car in place while I was cracking that sucker...had to have my bro on the brakes...why would anyone take the chance? just crack it before you jack it!


Exactly, with the car on the ground, tires on, someone on the brakes, thats the safest and easiest way of cracking the bolt. Why have it on jack stands and shove something in the rotor? Sounds like an invitation to have something break.

I just said the jack stands because some wheels don't have the center that you can pull off with the wheel on. I don't see a reason to pull the wheel off, pop the center out, put the wheel back on, break the nut loose, and pull the wheel back off. If your worried about it falling off the jack stand, just sit the thing on a spare wheel or something, kind of hard for it to slide off of a wheel.