My passenger CV joint is fubar. My question is how hard is it to replace the axle by yourself? Are any specialty tools req? I have replaced the discs and working on my brakes so Im not a complete novice but definatly no mechanic. I have a quote of $240 CDN to have it done at a shop.
Is that price with including the reman axle? Because that’s $195 USD which is really good price if parts are included. Then again it depends how much you trust the shop.
Anyway, next time search!
I had my pass. side done when my clutch was replaced, and it only cost me the price of the part, so it wasnt that much, but I watched them do it and it didnt look to bad, probably have much more luck if you have air tools, that axle bolt is on at 120 or somthing like that ft/lbs…plus rust lol
Shouldnt be to bad though. Good luck however it goes, I would recomend against a shop, just because I hate them but then again there probably better in Canada…
Any idea how rusted your car is? I had to remove my axles to get my tranny out to do the clutch, and neither lower ball joint would seperate from the LCA. I ended up removign the inner LCA bolt on the right side, and never removed the left side axle or intermediate shaft.
cv axle is a joke! (mind you with having 5 different hondas over the years you get used to working on them)
here’s your step-by-step
1 - remove hubcap (steelies) or centre cap (alloys)
2 - using a small cold chisel, hit out the indent on the 1-3/4" retaining nut
3 - loosen the not, but don’t take completely off
4 - loosen your lugs
5 - raise car, remove wheel. (trust me, loosen what ya can on the ground otherwise you’ll be cursing for a few unless you have air tools)
6 - remove cotter pin and remove nut from lower ball joint
7 - sepate the hub assembly from the lower control arm.
8 - remove 1-3/4" nut and swing hub assebly off to the side
9 - climb under the car, and using a med. pry bar separate the axle from the tranny, being VERY careful not to damage the bellhousing
10 - once out, slide it through the forks (takes a bit of masaging but it’ll fit).
11- to quote the haynes manual “installation in the reverse of removal” only slightly dificult part is getting the new axle all the way in to the tranny, just takes a bit of wiggling and cursing to get it in.
Once you get everything back to gether, viola! no click-click-click when turning 
takes about an hour if you’re relaxing, I’ve seen it done in a lot less with air tools and someone who’s done a LOT more than I.
re-man axle is about 80$ CDN plus core deposit, so save yourself the coin and do it yourself! only thing you might have to buy is that 1-3/4" socket, but they’re like 20$ at canadian tire, and then you’ll always have it so it pays for itself.
HTH
yea i just did it for the 3rd time this fall. only took me like an hour of actual working on the car time. NOTE TO EVERYONE: DO NOT GET REMANUFACTURED AXLES FROM NAPA. JUST PAY THE EXTRA 30 BUCKS AND GET THE NEW ONES. i’ve learned my lesson.
I replaced my left side today in -37c.
It only took me like 30mins and it only cost me $80cdn I’ve done my axles atleast 6 times in the past.
The hardest part is seperating that lower balljoint.
learn to do it the eaasier faster way. jack lwoer control arm up. stick wrench or ratchet in between control arm and hub assembly by the balljoin in the pocket. dorp jack fast, it it does not seperate. step on the rotor. it will pop off with ease. usually pops off as soon as you drop jack down
I did my last cv axle in about 15 min. with a lift and air tools. it is one of those Honda maintenance things you need to do all the time. if you have no place to do the work you might want to take it somewhere cheap.
I’m not sure what exactly you mean. :hmm:
Wouldn’t this way streatch out the cup of the balljoint?
If I had a lift and airtools I’d probably do it in 15min or less.
I’ll try to get the video for it. takes under a mintue to pop ball joint and is safer then using the good ol pickle fork.
i usually just wack the outside of the control arm where the ball joint goes it and it comes loose. take a big hammer or a dead blow and hit it hard a few times.
well only if you dont care about denting up the outside of the control arm then do it this way. i obviously dont care tehehe.
i’m to the point where i can do it in about 15-20min each side now. i’m about to replace my 5th set!!! :wtf:
Hnda’s instructions are great. But just to save you some time so you don’t buy the wrong socket, it’s actually a 1 1/4" nut on the axle, not a 1 3/4" as stated. Just want to save you the headache of buying the wrong one and then having to return it and buy the right one! 
But great summary Hnda
BTW it’s a 32mm if you’re using metric. But personally I find the 1 1/4" to fit better…just my 2 cents
– Kevin
hey mods someone should archive this or put in teg tips would be a nice thing to have in the future for alot of the new peeps
Here is the honda-tech thread with the video, if someone wants to provide hosting I can send it to them if the link doesn’t work.
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859
I think only old GD threads get deleted, not old assistance, so no need to archive.
Nice. I’ll try that next time.
doh! sorry about the sizing issue 
long ass days amkes the brain do weird things… thank god i love driving that teg or my 1-1.5 hr trip each way to work would be BORING
now just gotta get the e-brake fixed so i can go have some real fun in our newly-snowwed in parking lot!!
Hey all, me again.
I just replaced the axle in my bro’s 91 teg, and it’s the first time I’ve used this trick…and let me tell you, holy shit does it work! I’ve never gotton it seperated so quickly before. This will def help me for the rest of all time, lol!
So thanks again to everyone for the info, and that video was great! It def cleared up any questions I had about how exactly to place the darn thing!
My own two cents though, again:
I found it easier to first jack up the assembly and then stick the end of the driver in there…also, I used the 3/8" drive wrench. But regardless, it worked like a charm on the first try!
Good luck to all with this trick, def worth it!
– Kevin
curse of the right axle
I got my share of cursing at the right axle which i finally got in. now im cursing at the lower arm doesnt want to cooperate will not go in…
I can almost always drop the ball joint with a hit or two from a hammer. If I get pissed or it hasn’t been dropped in years I sometimes use a pickle fork, but that is an easy way to tear the boot.
Changing axles is like changing the oil after a couple times. If you are lowered or do much work yourself you will get used to it in a hurry.