Hi, I have a bad CV joint on the driver side of my 95 Lude VTEC. How difficult is this? I have done brakes, waterpump, starter, alternator, plugs, moderately difficult stuff so I am not a total beginner. Is this a tough job? I found this on youtube for a similar year accord...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RbVQ1dk6is

Any thing I should know htat is special about doing this on Preludes?
Where are you getting the best parts? I don't think I am going to go OEM this time, the car has 220k miles.

thanks in advance.

 

inner or outer cv?

 

Gosh, not sure, I think I just plan to replace the whole axle. I have yet to look under the car, but I can hear it.

 

i'd say outer, but if you've got a complete shaft it'll be easier to change than just the cv.

outter cv's are quite easy though. you could replace it once off then keep as a spare or sell it on.

 

Just replace the whole thing, its not worth the time put into pulling out only part of it and then trying to replace a boot.

And this depends on your own expertise if its going to be hard or not. On cars, it is a 50/50. What should be easy can turn into a nightmare real quick.

 

So true, I saw another post, as long as the accord set up is similar to the prelude it does not look to rough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jydxp...eature=related

 

its easy get a pry bar, 36mm impact sockets and be careful of the seal on the transmission. Should talk about 20 min any longer and you have issues. (unless you cant impact it off, your in a world of fun and joy)...

 

Takes me no more than 15 mins with air tools. :D

 

This ^^^

 

The first time, a CV swap may take you a few hours. After you've done it a few times, you can get the whole thing done in under an hour easy.

Its pretty easy on a Prelude and its not much different than doing an Accord or any other Honda, for that matter.

There are only 2 parts I've ever encountered trouble with: 1. Getting the ball joint to pop out without damaging the boot. 2.Getting the new axle to pop in(sometimes its a tight fit).

 

Thanks all, this from watching the videos and seeing your posts this seams easy enough, I have air tools. I am going to try to knock this out in the next weekend, it will probably take me 2-3 hours this first time as I am over cautious. 3 additional questions:

1. Do you recommend the trick where you jack up the lower control arm up and stick a socket wrench in the gap and then drop the control arm so that the lower ball joint pops out? Is that a good trick on a Prelude?
2. Do I need to worry about transmission fluid leaking out when I pop out the shaft?
3. Where can I get a good shaft at a good price?

 

1. Get a tie-rod separator from any auto store
2. Yes, tranny fluid will leak out. I always drain it as it is a good time to check for color/viscosity and if there is anything that shouldn't be in there (ie metal shavings and such) for b series transmissions there is a drain plug that takes a 3/8 socket wrench, no socket just the wrench. I'm sure H's are the same
3. Advance/autozone have lifetime replacement axles, I got mine at advance

Takes me about 30 minutes by myself, no air tools and thats taking off the axle along with the halfshaft on a gsr transmission

 

Thanks very much..
2. I will just replace the tranny fluid while I am at it, been a long time

 

When I kept burning through GSP axles, I managed to get pretty good at it.

PS - don't buy GSP axles. Try NAPA Cardone instead

 

All, I know I originally posted this over a month ago, but I have had several things come up and just now was able to test drive the vehicle. Was not terribly difficult to replace, but I did have to do both sides and I did change the oil on the transmission. I road tested it and it is making this very loud rattling sound as I go straight down the road, forward or backward, coasting or under power. It sounds like it is coming from the driver side wheel or from under the car, not as loud on the passenger side but you can definitely hear it. Anyone know what might make this sound? Starts quiet but gets louder as you get the car up to 10-15 mph.

I would say it sounds like a golf ball size rock rolling in a metal can.

 

Check and see if you bent the brake shield and it's contacting the rotor

 

Exactly what it was. The bottom of it must have hit something, or perhaps with that pop trick I bent it in with the jack, oops.

 

First of all, want to thank everyone that helped me with this project, it really was not as hard as I thought it might be. It did take me some time, but I am slow. I thought I would post a few things I ran into if it helps anyone.

If you are a total noob at this, which I was, watch the two videos I posted and take the advice of those on this forum. There are a few tough spots if you have never done this before, the lower ball joint and popping out the old drive shaft are the biggest ones. All in all, like others said, this is pretty easy.

1. I got the lower ball joint out by popping it, but it took 3-4 tries and different "jams" to get it to go. I may have bent my brake shield with my jack, I would not think I would have done that, but I don't know how it got bent. If you finish the job and turn the wheel by hand and hear a scratching sound, look at the bottom of the shield.
2. Another thing about the lower ball joint, one side would not tighten, when I put it all back together the nut tightened to a point and then just spinned the joint. To get past this I jacked the lower arm to put the weight of the vehicle on the joint, then I could tighten it to the correct torque.
3. Popping the driver side shaft was a little tricky at first, you can't use a screw-driver because, at least on my car there is a intermediate shaft that it connects to. (the intermediate shaft is connected to the transmission). The gap between the intermediate shaft and the driver side drive shaft is about 1.5 inches. So I eventually found something to stick in there, I pulled the bar out of my jack stand and it was just wide enough to get in there so that I could hit the side of it with my hand and pop out the shaft.
4. The intermediate shaft has a "C" ring, I am sure it is not called that. You are supposed to replace it. Carefully get a needle nose under it and pull it over the front of the shaft. Push a new one on over the front, don't try to go in from the side where the gap is in the "C"
5. Transmission fluid will leak out on the passenger side as mike (post 13) said. I just changed mine. I would definitely use Honda transmission oil even though is is just 10W-30. Because it is not just 10W-30, they put several additives that keep the viscosity correct, normal 10W-30 will loose that after 6 months or so. I had a back yard mechanic replace a transmission in an old Honda I had and it gave up the ghost 1 year later. I think he just threw quaker state in there
6. Popping the new shafts in is not that bad, it takes a few tries, and made me nervous, but eventually I got it.

Anyway, if this helps anyone great, if I said something wrong, well, I am a noob. Anyhow thanks all for your help with this.