So theres grease all over my passenger side rotor and the boot in the axle has a big rip in it. Its only 1 boot thats ripped, the outer one.

Do I have to take out the axle spindle from the wheel hub?
Is this something I can do myself?
What tools are required?
I have ramps and no lift, is it doable?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

afaik, you pull the wheel, then the axel (completely, which means cracking the big nut that really sucks b/c it's always real tight) and when the axel is out you cut off the old boot, get a boot replacement kit, disassemble the joint in the axel, put the new boot half-on, pack it with [the right kind of] grease, put the boot fully on, replace axel to car, replace wheel, cross fingers you did it right, then drive it and see if it fixed it.

I could be wrong though, so don't quote me on this.

 

Yeah, Ive been doing my research. That seems about right. I wish I had to tools to pop out the axle. Its cold too :-(

 

basic sockets, long breaker bar or pipe for breaker bar, jack, jackstands, small punch/screwdriver/hammer to un-bend the bend in the axel nut, patience...

pretty straight forward project. luckly it's the passenger side b/c the drivers side has an extra three bolts up under the car for the half-shaft. Those can be a pain.

getting axels out can be irritating, it takes a swift tug to pop free from tranny after the wheel-end is fully disconnected. there are faqs around here...

 

just replace the axle, it's $60 for a new one. Easier in my opinion.

 

Packing grease and tightening a clamp seems to be the easy part, its hard taking out the axle. So if Im going to replace an axle, I might as well just do a little extra work no?

 

There is what's called a quick boot, you just cut your old one off, slip the new boot around and glue it together. No need to remove the axle. I am not fond of the idea, but it's cold out and if you can go until spring at least, I'd do that.

 

it's not that hard to do, just kinda messy. If you're axel is really worn out and showing lots of wear, you could just replace it then after it's out and take in the old one for the core charge.

if I were you i'd replace the boot. Not that hard to do, I have to do both of mine when I can afford to buy rubber boot kit.

i hear about ppl using the wrong kind of grease and it causing problems, so read the directions on the kit and use the right grease.

the hardest part of the job will probably be cracking the axel nut holding it onto the wheel - sometimes it can be rusty and a very stubborn nut to crack. I've seen writeups dedicated to just cracking this one nut.... there are many different ways to do it. Sometimes holding the brake on isn't enough and the hub still turns with the brake being held...

 

Yeah I'd like to replace to boot as well, I also am not fond of the slip in boots. Its too bad I dont have an impact wrench (should those even be used for this kind of job?) or air tools for that matter.

The axle itself if fine. No clicking or anything. I go under my car often, this must of have happened very recently.

Would a Honda dealer have the boot kit?

 

you can buy a boot kit at your local auto parts store. i just bought one and will be doing a replacement soon. this will be my first time doing this. ive done my own little research and its seems pretty simple. theres some videos on youtube to help you out. thats where i looked. search for cv boot.

youll need to cut off the ripped boot and take off the little ring/clamp to take off the joint from the shaft. wipe the grease off, pack new grease in the joint and put new boot on...its common sense.

 

honda dealer or local autoparts (napa, checker, etc) would have a CV boot repair kit.

could always buy an airtool and return it when you're done if you've got a compressor etc...

yup it's simple and straightforward. not too hard. cracking that nut is the hard part depending on where you live. Out here in hawaii with the salty sea air all the axel nuts are rusty and stuck. Using a torch/heat can also make the job of cracking the nut easier.

 

having previous experience with changing boots, buy an axle.

thats my advice.

 

just wondering...easy job? but you just dont feel like doing it? or hard and pain in the a$$?

 

If you know what you're doing, it's a half hour job to replace an axle. Half of it is just having the right tools. An impact wrench to loosen the axle nut, a wrench or socket to go between the knuckle and LCA to pop the lower ball joint, a pitman arm tool to help pop the tie rod (not needed, but make it easier to not screw the threads up).
Unless you hit something or did something to tear the boot, I'd replace both at the same time...just because the other will probably go soon if it's the same age.

A torn boot isn't the end of the world. It could easily wait until spring. It's not going to just sheer off or something if you don't replace it immediately.

 

It's not that hard replacing axles, but replacing the boots is a pain because you need a special tool for the bands and it's really messy.
Plus its like $15 for one boot, usually the outter goes first and you destroy the inner boot getting it off, so you have $30 for both boots and you can just replace the whole axle for $60 and some places have lifetime warranties (like Advance).

 

really? why would you have to destroy the inner boot? you dont even have to take apart the tranny side joint...just the hub side.

i guess ill find out by doing it. it seems pretty simple though.

 

Buy the new axle. Much easier plus, you get a brand new axle.

I usually borrow/rent a tie rod tool from autozone to pop the lower ball joint loose (it's free), and axle nut is pretty easy if you have a 1/2 inch breaker bar and the proper size socket. Might want to rent a torque wrench too to tighten everything properly after.

The axle pops out/loose from the differential with a big screwdriver and a little persuasion between the diff and inner CV joint (just be careful not to ruin the seals with the screwdriver of the splined axle when it slides in/out).

I always gladly pay the extra $40 to replace the whole axle than have a greasy dirty hassle with changing the boot on a possibly worn out axle.

 

Nope, the outter joint doesn't come apart, you have to take the inner boot off, unclip the thing that holds the three bearings, slide the outter boot off, the new outter boot on, put a new inner boot on, reclip the thing...
I've done this before, you HAVE TO take the inner part apart to get to the outter. You can do this, but for the trouble, I just chose to buy a new axle.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll probably end up buying an axle and might do a DIY with pictures.

 

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/faq-axle-replacement-tutorial-pics-382416/

 

just get the axles, the bands that hold on the boots are hard to make work right without the special tool. of course you could always find a place to lend you the tool

 

replacing just boots is only worth it in this situation (if you ask me, this is an opinion)

if you just bought and axle, hit a stick and it busts the boot.

if this is an older axle, i would just replace the axle as the others have stated.

no since putting life back into an older axle.

however, you can reboot that one and keep it as a spare.

never hurts to have spare parts