Boot is ripped on right axle. click click click.

time for a new driveshaft. where is a good place to get them? I checked on autozone and they dont list any on their site, but i heard they do sell them?

are there stores that sell rebuilt ones? dealer is going to want $300 for one...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by falconGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Boot is ripped on right axle. click click click.

time for a new driveshaft. where is a good place to get them? I checked on autozone and they dont list any on their site, but i heard they do sell them?

are there stores that sell rebuilt ones? dealer is going to want $300 for one...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Autozone, Kragen, Napa all sell remanufactured axles. If you're on the Autozone website look under Drivetrain&gt; CV Halfshafts. They sell remanufactured and new axles.

The remanufactured ones are made by CCT and have a spotty reputation. However, they do have a lifetime warranty. I was going to buy these, but I decided to buy some new axles from Autozone made by GCK. These axles are ~$100/piece and also have a lifetime warranty. From all that I've read, these are quality axles.

 

Go to Autozone. Axles are pretty decent. Even if they break or a boot rips they'll replace it for free. Just remember to keep your receipt.

 

awesome. i just moved into a house so i am broke. i am usually a 100% oem guy but not this time.

there is an autozone just around the corner too. woot!

what else do i need? i am guessing a seal for the tranny, and probly have to drain/refill the tranny fluid.

and pop the ball joints without destroying them? that should be fun, i am a relative novice at this.

 

You do not need to pop the ball joints to replace axles. Just undo the LCA bolt and the entire hub assembly will move enough to insert the axles. Don't do more work than is neccessary.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ms1motorsports &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You do not need to pop the ball joints to replace axles. Just undo the LCA bolt and the entire hub assembly will move enough to insert the axles. Don't do more work than is neccessary.</TD></TR></TABLE>

thanks man, i havent even cracked open the helms or the haynes yet. just saw the boot was ripped and started researching.

here is what my camera phone revealed:

 

no seals or fluid needed. Pull axle out, put new one in.

 

tranny fluid hasnt been changed for 45k, i think i'll change it while i'm messing around down there.

sounds like refilling is a bitch though.

 

When you pull out the axle, the trans fluid will leak out. So, drain it first.

Refilling is easy! I just take a long rubber tube that fitts loose in the fill hole. That way, I can fill it from the top using a funnel and pouring in the fluid until it dribbles out the hole. (I put a pan under the car to catch the dribble)

Wes

 

Yep - make sure to drain fluid first or else its gonna come out when you pop the axle out.

Removing 1 axle takes about 30 minutes....going slow. You need only remove the shock fork (2 bolts) and knock the LCA off of the ball joint (1 bolt). At this point, using a nice large flathead, PRY the axle out of the tranny - never pull on an axle while remoing it.

I used a impact to get the nut off the ball joint and 10lb mini-sledge to hit the LCA and get the two seperated (I also used the above screwdriver for some leverage between the knuckle and LCA to aid things).

A healthy impact makes quick work of the axle nut too and using a block of wood, I had to give the axle end a couple of love taps to get it outta the hub.

I also did not replace the tranny seals and I've popped my axles out a good 3 times now.

Refill is just as simple - I use one of those 'screw on top of bottle and twist the thing to open/close it' deallys along with a nice 3 ft section of hose to replace the little 1ft section that initially came with it. My tranny, a D, takes slightly less than 2 qts - so with the car sitting level and a pan under the tranny, I just empty in 2 qts, pull the fill hose out and let the extra spill into the pan below. This is assuming you're actually using the correct fill spot as many people here want to fill through the VSS hole or back-up light switch hole, neither of which allow for an automatic level-filling process.

 

Well I'll be damned, fluid never leaked when I changed mine.

Also, before you drain your tranny make sure you can take off or loosen your fill bolt first. I've seen it before, where someone drains the tranny, only to find that their fill bolt is seized in there, or strip the bolt, etc.

 

Do you have an LSD spork? Not that I have experience with an LSD'd tranny, but I thought I read that fluid won't leak if one is installed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ms1motorsports &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Go to Autozone. Axles are pretty decent. Even if they break or a boot rips they'll replace it for free. Just remember to keep your receipt.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i didnt keep my receipt, they have me info on their computer. once i replaced 2 axles [same side,driver] in 2 days they didnt say ****

 

ok i got the axle out.

had a bitch of a time getting the axle hub nut off until i went and got a good 1/2 inch wrench and a good breaker bar (crow bar0). took about 10 seconds with the right tools.

drained the tranny fluid. it looked really good. the magnet on the drain bolt had a shitload of sludge stuck to it. cleaned it up good and replaced it. about 3 quarts came out (this is an automatic, manuals only have 2qts).

rented a ball joint separator from autozone and took me about 20min to figure out how to wedge it in there in a manner that gave me leverage, but when i got it in right, some good leverage popped the ball joint loose.

used a plain old flathead screwdriver to pop out the axle. took minimal force an no fluid leak (since i drained the tranny before)

going to get a reman. axle from autozone for $60 with core exhange, and some ATF. there is also a honda dealer about 5 blocks from my house so i'll probly get a new hub nut from them since its so close.

thanks guys.

edit - do i have to do anything to the ball joint when i reinstall it? i did not damage it, so should i just leave it be and put the arm back on it and torque it down? the helms didnt say anything about having to do anything with it.

 

no, I dont have an LSD ...yet

and no, you don't have to do anything special when you reinstall the balljoint part.

 

phew. done. took my sweet time and everything seems fine. thanks guys.

helms manual was most helpful with the little details.