DIY: Replace CV axles

[scottzg]

I wrote this up for another board, but it fits here too. Subie axles are known to fail at about 75k.

1) With the car on the ground, loosen all the hub nuts of the axles you are going to change. These are in the center of the lug star pattern. You will need a breaker bar and an extension to do this, mine was a 4' long pipe.

2) get the car up on jackstands. Only the side you are working on needs to be lifted.

3) Find the axle pin. It will be on the smallest diameter portion of the green part of the axle, near the differential/transmission. It goes all the way through the axle, so there are 2 places to find it. You will want to rotate the wheel so you have easy access to it.

4) Remove the pin. This is the tricky part. You need another pin of some sort of the exact same diameter to hammer on. A pick is no good, it will cause the axle pin (which is a rolled piece of sheetmetal) to spread and get more stuck. I used a drill bit. With the right size tool, this is easy, it is slightly easier if you use the side that has the divot around the pin.

5) remove the axle nut and pull the axle. The whole thing can compress. It is probably a bit easier to take the non-adjusting alignment bolt (the bottom one, iirc) out, so you have more wiggle room.

6) slide the new axle in, taking care to line up the holes so you can put the axle pin back. Reassemble.


I can take pictures of stuff if there is enough interest. I don't really want to though.

[pdawg]

I have a broken boot that needs to be changed. I noticed it last weekend. My car has right at 60k on it. If I get in their to change the boot should I go ahead and change the axle.

Pic would be nice.

[Wiscon_Mark]

pictures you lazy Californian!

[mr_choung]

good description! i failed on mine....hit the axle out of the hub and never came out...torqued the axle for 10 min...same thing...ended up buying new use hub, axle, rotors, and brake pads! now theres a weird sound...clunking like the pads are loose? any help woule be appreciated!
sorry to be jacking this thread and OFF TOPIC OF COURSE!

[rmoore5]

Here is a link for the axle sevice PDF from The End Wrench publication. Complete with pictures.

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/Drive.pdf


Rick

[poor man kuba]

i shall resurrect this thread!!!! if anyone out there is paying attention, is there any way to replace the cv boot without actually taking the whole axle off? i have a sneaking suspicion some cork soaker mechanic slashed my driver side cv boot and the steering one too; the things are not cracked at all, they just look sliced in half like a baloney log (note, the passenger side ones are 100%). so yea, i see that i can get boots for like $20 online, and if i can save $ on labor, then im all over it.

[poor man kuba]

and btw ive read the DIY guides to replacing the cv axles, and that is a job way more complicated than i feel qualified for. im starting to wish i had a second car and an empty garage. tangent: my friend had this kind of setup for his rx7; at one point he had the entire electrical system out; it looked like a central nervous system splayed out on the floor

[Manarius]

You can't just replace boots. It's a waste of time. You might as well just drive on it until the axle starts clicking so you can replace the axle.

[ivwarrior]

Well, you CAN just replace the boots, but I agree it's a waste of time/money. The "split boots" that you can use without removing the axle aren't worth the box they come in, in my opinion. To do the job properly, is a lot more labor time than just replacing the axle. So yeah, while you CAN just replace the boots, it is a waste of time and money.

[bubaru21]

ok i have a problem. i am replacing my axels and i cannot get mine to come out i have them compressed and try to wriggle them out. they come to a point and will not wriggle any further and i was wondering is there a certain trick to this.

[Tazmaniandevil]

i shall resurrect this thread!!!! if anyone out there is paying attention, is there any way to replace the cv boot without actually taking the whole axle off? i have a sneaking suspicion some cork soaker mechanic slashed my driver side cv boot and the steering one too; the things are not cracked at all, they just look sliced in half like a baloney log (note, the passenger side ones are 100%). so yea, i see that i can get boots for like $20 online, and if i can save $ on labor, then im all over it.

You can get a 'stretch' boot which is a doddle to fit. I bought mine from here but I'm sure you guys will be able to source them locally.
Tools required: 32mm socket for driveshaft, 19mm socket and 19mm spanner for strut bolts & track rod end, ball joint splitter & hammer for track rod end; tin snips & stanley knife to cut old boot off; pliers or side cutters to trim cable ties; cone & lubricant.
The entire kit cost me £25.99 (currently about $50) which was for inner boot, outer boot all the grease, clips etc. cone for stretching, lubricant for cone, and of course P&P
The whole job took less than 2 hours.

[Tazmaniandevil]

ok i have a problem. i am replacing my axels and i cannot get mine to come out i have them compressed and try to wriggle them out. they come to a point and will not wriggle any further and i was wondering is there a certain trick to this.

Pop the bottom ball joint out and swing the hub out of the way. You can then pull the axle out one handed while using the other to support the hub.

[shazapple]

The fastest and easiest method for me was removing the two strut bolts. The top one has a few marks on it for camber so I made sure to line those back up.

I tried all the other methods and on a rusty car none of them work. Everything is seized or so rusted you'll have to destroy it to get it off (example: the cotter pins in the castle nuts)

I only replaced the boot. Its a good learning experience but next time Im just going to replace the whole axle and save myself a few hours and a lot of grease work.
If you're only going to replace the boot then the inner cv joint has a clip on the inside that just pops out so everything pulls apart. The outer CV joint doesnt have a clip, you just beat it with a rubber hammer until it pops off the shaft (theres a little clip on the shaft you have to worry about when putting the outer CV joint back on though