BigBoulda

My passenger side CV boot ripped a while back, so I decided to replace that axle. I also decided to replace the driver's side axle while I was at it, even though it didn't really need to be replaced. I got good old autozone crap lifetime axles, and replaced the axles. I was driving home, when about 15 miles down the road, the driver's side axle broke and the engine started to free rev and left me stranded on the side of the road. I had the car towed and I replaced the axle AGAIN. Now, the car is driving again, but it is pulling hard to the left. I didn't change anything that affects the alignment, so I don't know why it is pulling. Is there anyway something broke when that axle did that is causing the car to pull like that? I am afraid to get on it real hard, cause I don't want the axle to snap again, or something else break, or make whatever is broken worse. Does anyone have any ideas?

hybridmiklo

I just changed out my driver side axle today and it also pulls to the left. But when you take out axles you have to unbolt and move the tie bar. Once you move that your alignment changes. That's my educated guess.

BigBoulda

I finally got up the nerve to drive the car hard (it didn't take me long), and the car pulls hard all the way up. And the LSD seems to be functioning properly. So I don't think the differential or transmission is fucked up. Would the car pull hard if the transmission was fucked up?

The only suspension parts I disassembled were the lower ball joint and the shock bolt that connects the shock to the lower control arm, so I could swing the lower control arm down so I could drop the axle out. I may be wrong, but I think the only thing that will change the alignment is by moving the steering tie rod, which I didn't mess with.

So the car seems to drive fine other than the alignment being off, but I don't know what would have caused that. I hope there is nothing wrong with the car, so if anyone has any ideas about what might be causing the pull, let me know.

BigBoulda

Oh by the way, on another note, I have a popping noise coming from my suspension on the driver's side when I come to a stop, or when I roll away from a stop. I checked all the suspension bolts, and nothing was loose. I thought it might be the axles, but I replaced them. I don't think it is a blown shock, because it only does it when I stop and go, not when I am cornering hard (which is when I would think the shock would be under the most stress), also I replaced my blown stock shocks with some KYB's not too terribly long ago (and those would pop when I would corner mostly).

Rbehne2

replace the ball joints

BigBoulda

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rbehne2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">replace the ball joints </TD></TR></TABLE>

Are you saying I should replace the ball joints to stop the popping noise, or are you saying that is what cause my alignment to go out?

runeminaEF9

dunno about the popping, but i know that you cant get that far out alignment just by unbolting the tie rod's ball joint. the tie rod is THREADED on, and thats how you align the wheels.....by threading it on more or unthreading it. the tie rod is fixed and therefore cannot be out of adjustment unless you meant to do it, or it came loose, or there is major play inside the steering boot.

lscoupedx19

everytime u raise the car up and down no matter how high and how much it throws the alignment off. the tie rod has a lock nut on it that unless its purposfully loosened will not come off and thats the only way your toe will get messed up. but the lifting the car messes up the camber and i believe caster. but it still messes with ur alignment.

BigBoulda

I don't think that is right. If your alignment changed everytime you raised or lowered your car, everytime you went over a bump and your suspension raised up and compressed that would change your alignment. The only way for your alignment to change is to adjust the tie rod (which I didn't do. I didn't even undo that ball joint, just the lower control arm ball joint), bend something, or if you have camber kits. I just don't know if maybe when that axle snapped it pulled on either the tie rod or on my upper control arm camber kit. Has anyone ever heard of this?

civichb95lnd

Is your car still pulling to one side even after you changed your axles? I know when i was at the track and running my slicks i snapped my axle going into 2nd gear and it pulled very hard to the driver side and then i left off in 3rd gear b/c it kept pulling towards the wall (driver side axle was side that broke). I replaced the axle and it didn't pull anymore. Also the remanufactured axles from autozone are not very good, one time you'll get a good axle and the next time it'll make clicking noise's. I have gone through 4 autozone axle's so far in 1 year that have snapped or were clicking very loud.

BigBoulda

Yeah, when the axle broke, it made the car pull to the left (the left side broke), and even after I put a new axle in, the car is still pulling to the left. The steering wheel is cocked to the left, so I think the toe got thrown out when that axle snapped. I ran a string around the car, and it looks like the toe is out on that left side. I know that those reman. axles from autozone are crap, but I needed new axles, and I couldn't afford to spend several hundred dollars on new axles, so I had to go with the autocraps.

error

did a clutch on my rsx-s. have the same popping noise now. thought it might be cross member bolts getting loose but they were tight. update when you find out what the popping is....

ekek888

if it pulls really hard replace the axle. the CV joints s not working.

BigBoulda

Well I got my car aligned. The left side was way out of wack. I guess when that axle broke it pulled something loose. As far as the popping, I was missing the nut on the back of my LCA (the nut furthest to the back of the car) and the washer too. I put a nut and washer on and it stopped the popping noise.

tannerLSt

yup i thought it would be the alignment out cause you changed axles

BigBoulda

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tannerLSt &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yup i thought it would be the alignment out cause you changed axles</TD></TR></TABLE>

The alignment didn't go out because I changed the axle. The alignment didn't go out after I changed the axle, the alignment went out when the axle snapped. I have never had my alignment go out from changing an axle, because you don't remove the steering tie rod, and this is the only thing that will change the toe on your car. When I first replaced the axle, it tracked fine until the axle broke.