i was wondering if i could install my CV axle myself? there is a write-up for changing the boot but i dont see a write-up for changing the whole axle.
i brought my axle to be rebuilt back in december and the boot brooke and its already clicking so i wanna buy couple from autozone and install them myself...

anyone ever done this before and where can i find the write-up?
thanx guys

 

I have no idea of your capability, so I can't answer yes or no. The Driver's side is fairly simple, but the Passenger's is a different story. A lot more work is involved. Do you have a garage, the right tools, etc.?

 

it is very easy to do. to make it easier I recomend you use air tools. you need a jack, jackstands, 36mm ratchet, pry bar (or strong screwdriver) Jack up car, take wheel off, take off cotter pin on axle nut, take off axle nut 9 use air tool or big *** breaker bar) , take off the 2 bolts holding the bottom of the strut on, remove the brake line from where it clips to the strut, swing the whole brake/rotor assembly out ( being careful of brake line) the axle will pull out from behind it, if driver side use pry bar between trans and axle to pop it out ( if pass. side there is three bolts you need to take out, you'll see 'em), put new one in, hit it on end with dead blow to lock it in, swing brake assembly back over it, connect back to strut, connect brake line to strut, put axle nut and cotter pin back on, torque everything down, put wheel back on. dont forget to clean up all that nasty axle grease too.
This was off the top of my head, if I forgot something someone else please add. But that is basically it.

 

i think it would be handy for you to pick up a haynes manual as a reference

 

Gotta change mine too, doesn't sound too hard, just time consuming. My friend did it on his 97 and said that center axle bolt is a PAIN to get off.

 

Before you take it to the shop to do consider that it will probably be just as expensive to change the boots as get entirely new axles with new boots. I would try doing it myself if I had the time and a nice place to do it.

 

Yes you can, 1.5 hrs job the first time. Patience is the key.

 

^ @ spindle swapping king........we need to have a timed competition cause Im getting pretty good at it myself.

 

Why yes you can!! That is if you are inclined mechanically

 

it is pretty simple, but get a book for reference and torque specs

 

gotta another one this weekend. I'll time myself

 

Having the right tools/amount of torque is the key to most of the work. Motorvate.ca has a decent write up that shows some essential steps.

 

alrigth man ill give that a shot... this past week i walked into autozone at 3:30 pm bought the Driver side axle... went home took a **** went to work on the car... and at 4:04pm i was back at autozone with my car and the old axle for a core xchange... so thats a job done in about 20 minutes plus going to the bathroom and driving back to autozone....

 

i used a breaker bar and a 3 foot lead pipe extension to break the center bolt. what was it size 1.25" socket or something? i forget. the most challenging part of the whole project was finding the piece of lead pipe.. ide be glad to help if you have any questions just pm me.

 

you must be joking...........

 

20 mins on an axle change, not bad at all.

We were talking about a spindle change though.

 

Yup. You dont have to break the ball joint loose to remove the axle. Thats the only part of removing the spindle that is hard.

 

Im doing one tonight. I have to finish up my ball joint, outer tie rod end, and sway bar end link exhanges.

***Edit***

Lets just time removal. The ball joints take some time to press out and back in with no air tools

 

I agree ball joint is a biitch no matter what. Good, luck I'll let you know my time when I do mine, either saturday or friday night.

Spindle Challange begins!!

 

which side are you gonna change? i wanna change my driver side and err one said that thats the easy one. mine is real bad, i turn the wheel just a lil and it clicks...

 

We are talking about spindles not axles. You do not have to completely remove the spindle to remove the axle.

 

driver side axle is the easier of the two axles to change. Passnger side takes longer because of those three bolts, that difficult to reach if you have average size hands

 

i'm lost ........................... whats a spindle?

 

a spindle is the outter tie rod is bolted to, what the hub is attached to, what the ball joint is holding onto.

 

this...


the thing missing part under the strut.

The whole damn thang. . .

 

I gotta spindle change tommorow after work, to get ready for a road trip saturday

Its on . . .

 

so once i get the spindle off, everything else is basically a walk in the park ...right?
MDeezy, in the second pic, the spindle is off and the axle look free, there's nothing holding it further in....right? so u can just pull it out from there.... i'm i right?

 

I clocked in with 20 minutes on the nose. I think it could have been faster, but the dang ball joint stud kept spinning with the nut

This is how I timed myself.

1) No tools where set out and ready. Everything was still in the tool box (no air tools used).

2) The tire was off the car.

On a side note, I clocked in with a pretty good time on changing the ball joint, outer tie rod end, and sway bar end link. 1.5 hours.

 

It depends on the side. Drivers side, yes, passengers side no.

Also you do not need to remove the spindle from the ball joint to remove the axle.

 

but in MDeezy's pic ( the second one ) he had the axle bare, every thing was off...

 

Right, but he was changing the spindle. Trust me you do not need to remove the spindle from the ball joint. Once you remove the axle from the spindle you can push the spindle down and out of the way.

 

20mins huh . . . . Good Time! I think I can beat that.

I'll time myself the same, the clock starts when I'm ready, I wont take tools out in advance etc. I do have an electric impact wrench that I use for the axle nut besides that the rest is all hand tools. I know my outter tie rod nut will keep spinning so that is where most of my time will get consumed but We'll see. . .

Dubbya is correct you do not need to remove the spindle. For an axle change, you'll just need to remove the strut bolts, and remove the axle nut, the spindle will be able to swing far enough of of the way for you to get the axle out.

In my pic there was nothing there, but the axle is still ssecured in the tranny plus its the passenger side so there are 3 bolts that you cannot see that is holding the axle where it is. After you remove those 3 bolts (10mm I believe) then the axle can be tugged out.

 

I used a pry bar to stop the ball joint stud from spinning. You might be able to rig up a clamp on the tie rod end though.

 

your assistance greatly appreciated and the info shall be used to (hopefully) clock a 13 min swap

 

you're basically telling him how to beat your time.... ....... LOL



lol MDeezy if you dont beat his time you need to yourself..lol

well i am about to wash my car and start on the axle, i'll get back to yall as soon as i'm done, as a matter of fact, i'll keep yall posted as i go along....incase i get stuck lol.... thanx for all the info guys, i REALLY am THANKFULL....

 

Yeah I know, Ima nice guy.

 

well guys i did it, i cant believe that my cv axle was so easy to change and i paid $120 to have the right side rebuilt in december and the boot is already brokena nd it clicks a lil. i was so mad yesterday, it took me less that 35 mins to change this thing, and it was my firs time doing it.
i got confident wen i changed it so fast that i decided i would do a lil extra so i went ahead and flushed out my tranny fluid and my motor oil.

when i was done i went out and my tranny wouldnt shift, i got scared, i stoped at oreilly to get some more tranny fluid and headed to my friends house to put it in, but on my way there the tranny started working fine again. i am about to go do my final check ups right now and wax it. i'll get back at yall to let you know how everything is..

i wanna thanks you guys for your help

 

Glad you got it done and realized how easy it is. many tasks that seem like they would be very difficult, end up being fairly easy after you've tried it.

now you can change you axle should you need to in the future
__________________________________________________ ____________
Okay Dubbya. . . .

Walking into my garage 8:29pm yesterday . . . Didnt take a tool out in advance, nothing.

8:30 started

8:32: lamp and extension cord plugged in with Impact wrench next to the car.

Jacked up the car.
took off axle nut
removed cotten pin etc
removed strut bolts

8:44 started to remove the outter tie rod bolt. . . and thats where the story ends, it kept spinning freely, I tried using a pry bar to help but no go. That nut is stuck on there and even with the impact wrench, I had no luck.

14mins In and I got stuck on the outter tie rod bolt and the story ended there. I'm going to wait till I have my inner tie rod boots, then I'll just take off the control arm and cut thru the outter tie rod and swap the rest of the parts on . . .

Damn . . . I think I might of had you but we wont know for sure.

 

if you flush your tranny and it hasnt been flushed regularly then all the parts that have worn off floating in your fluid and are keeping friction from building up go away and you will have tranny problems

 

Dang. Another time then.