CV axels Replacement: what works for you?

SweetOhSweetOh Wagonist
in Engine & Drivetrain
Well i was curious what’s your technique to replacing your cv axel with the lest amount of effort and time? :)

Also when replacing them could you mess up your alignment?

Comments

  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Yes you will need an alignment if you change the CV boot as you will need to remove the ball joints.

    You take the axle out of the hub like normal then use the vagina expander thing to expand the CV boot and slide it on over. Kindof like a mechanical condom.

    No i'll let someone who knows what they are talking about explain it.
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    Haydz wrote:
    Yes you will need an alignment if you change the CV boot as you will need to remove the ball joints.

    You take the axle out of the hub like normal then use the vagina expander thing to expand the CV boot and slide it on over. Kindof like a mechanical condom.

    No i'll let someone who knows what they are talking about explain it.

    I'll have to respectfully disagree, sir. Alignment won't be affected.

    loosen the axle nut/remove it
    raise and support the car
    remove wheel
    remove cotter pin and nut from ball joint, then separate joint
    remove bolt/nut from strut fork
    swing knuckle out of the way while pulling axle thru
    use a large screwdriver to pop the axle from the trans, pull it out.

    then put it all back together! I always change the output shaft seals, too, and it's a good time to change the oil.
  • B18C5-EH2B18C5-EH2 Moderator
    I also do not need to do alignments after I do an axle job because of the method in which I do the axle swap. Check this - it was on my B series swap in my 92 Civic, but you need to double check fluid capacity of course since this is a B series write-up:

    EDIT:

    This forum won't allow me to post my actual write up due to images/size/number I guess, so follow this link - it's step by step, picture intensive and has helped literally hundreds of do it yourselfers do an axle swap in no time:

    CLICK ME NOW

    I've replaced literally hundreds of axles, and have done it with no air tools, on the side of the road, or at the dragstrip, etc.

    Have fun!
  • White&NerdyWhite&Nerdy Senior Wagonist
    Agreed, no alignment required. That's only if you remove the tie rods.

    Try as I might I was unable to bust my lower ball joints loose. (Yeah yeah, make your rude comments now and then STFU. :lol: ) So instead I disconnected the smaller upper ball joint on the upper control arm. This is protected by a small cover (10mm wrench to remove the bolts), so it doesn't get as caked with grime as the lower joints. That, plus the smaller size, is probably why it comes loose easier. After disconnecting that, I was able to tip the hub far enough over to pull the end of the axle out. Everything else worked the same for me. (Well, except actually removing one of my axles - the inner CV joint BROKE IN TWO as I tried to remove it. :shock: Guess it was overdue, huh?)
  • fettcolsfettcols Wagonist
    Much easier way...

    disconnect the swaybar link, then remove the bolt from the lower control arm on the engine (inboard) side.

    turn the steering wheel to the opposite side joint you're working on so the tie-rod is pushed out then you can swing the entire suspension out far enough to remove the stub from your hub.

    If you're counting that's two bolts and and the giant nut on the stub to remove... Then of course if you're working on a manual you'll have the filler bolt to remove and add some oil.

    Four all together if you're ready to catch the tranny oil when you pull the axel out, five if you drain the oil first. And on top of all that, you don't have to mess with your balljoints.
  • fettcolsfettcols Wagonist
    just adding to the above method. Undo the big nut first then the other two... it's easier to use your foot to hold the suspension out while you pop the inside end out of the tranny, then pull it out of the hub.
  • evol911evol911 familEE
    If you don't have an Impact Driver, you can always loosen the big nut before you take the wheels off and jack the car up. This is what I usually do so I don't have to have somebody on the brakes when I use my breaker bar.
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    As a matter of precaution i always do an alignment if i touch anything suspension related. Hell i even did an alignment after installing strut braces and all i did was remove the bolts holding the shocks in.
  • SweetOhSweetOh Wagonist
    Haydz wrote:
    As a matter of precaution i always do an alignment if i touch anything suspension related. Hell i even did an alignment after installing strut braces and all i did was remove the bolts holding the shocks in.

    You make it sound like you own a alignment rack :D

    Yeah going to get sim cv's n fix my ride, after i get my tax retures though. :|
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Nah i don't mess with much suspension related stuff very often so it's a good excuse to get it done.
  • lucskywalkerlucskywalker Wagonist
    there is some truth to the alignment stuff, for competition use i would do one, i would do one on a new motor swap, and any time you add parts to stiffen the body or suspension. if its new axles they are stiffer and most likley will move the 15 or more year old bushings outward. i tell you for shure i do alignments as part of a living depending on what job i have at the time. you can put something as little as a strut bar and there is a 2-4* difference in toe. im picky and i dont like even a slight pull. even if it dont pull tire wear is an issue. on the other hand if you have a 13"-14" rim/tire it is more forgiving wear wise, and if you just take out and put back the same old parts then it doest change much. but in the end if you have 15"-17" rim/tires i would make a trip to the rack.

    this goes for lowering as well. if you drop your ride the wheels toe out, if you raise they toe in.
    wishbone style hondas are superior autos and a civic was blessed to have such a treat. dialed in the right way you will smile when you drive. out of wack they can be a little scary. :wink:
  • fettcolsfettcols Wagonist
    When I was typing that out I forgot something, you have to take the lower bolt off the strut too. The way it is above works when you're taking the trans out and leaving the shafts in place. If you're taking the shafts out, the stub doesn't slide through the fork on the strut.
  • B18C5-EH2B18C5-EH2 Moderator
    I actually did an experiment on axle replacement and its affects (or lackthereof) on alignment settings.

    I aligned my 1992 Civic after mounting some new tires. TWO days later my right axle snapped in half, so I replaced it. A porter at the shop at that time was giving me shit about "haha you just did an alignment and now you'll have to realign it because of the axle" and just to prove him wrong I put the car back on the rack post-axle and the specs were eactly as they were (give or take .01-.02 since the laser heads never read the same twice) the few days prior when I did the alignment the first time. He also had to buy me lunch for wasting my time for reracking my car.

    :)

    I agree that for suspension work you want to realign the car, but axles are drivetrain, not suspension. The only thing even remotely suspension related is the fact that you remove the through bolt that holds the lower shock fork to the LCA, and contrary to some people's methods you do NOT have to remove the lower fork from the strut, so there is no potential change in ride height, etc.

    I've worked at this shop for 9 years now, and for 8 of those we've had this alignment rack, and I've done literally hundreds of alignments on just Hondas and Acuras. In the 8 years+ I have never, literally ZERO times, had an axle install cause any adverse affects on the alignment on a vehicle.

    BTW:

    Ask Revmaynard how quickly I can swap a CV axle out, on my back/side in a driveway. I'd say literally 5-7 minutes tops.

    :mrgreen:
  • SweetOhSweetOh Wagonist
    Well i replace the cv axel that was clicking and i got to bring my car in to shop. An all and behold I have a bent lower control arm on the drivers front.

    Well I set it up on the alignment rack and adjusted the toe as best I could. Its better but sooner or latter ill will have to get a new lower arm and realign it.
    Also i notice that the caster and camber is not adjustable? So How does one go about fixing that?
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