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CV Axle questions

I

I4NI

New member
I just replaced my stock struts/springs all the way around. Long story short, I think the 1" lowering may have caused both my 110K miles+ CV boots to puke their guts out. Not sure if it was due to the lowering or me just not taking care of them when I was replacing the struts/springs.

My question: Are the CV axles that hard to replace for a DIYer? I did the struts/springs no problem and have found this write up for the CVs: CV Shaft Replacement (thanks webracin).

Dealer wants $300 to replace both sides (me supplying the parts) and I really don't feel like spending that when I could hopefully get it done myself. Are there any other snags that I might hit that you have run into? Any tips? Better write ups (I'm a visual guy so pics are good).

Let me know as I'm getting ready to buy the Cardones soon: Products

Charlie
 


Shoot if you did the struts you can do the axles for sure. You were almost there anyway.
 
I think it would be easier to remove the balljoint for sure. You MAY be able to have just enough room after you loosen the 2 strut to spindle bolts that you could pull the spindle twards you and then push the axle through.


Just be carefull of the seal. All you do to get the axle out of the transmission is pry on it closest to the transmission on that big ''hunk'' of metal and it will pop right out.
 
TDCRacing said:
I think it would be easier to remove the balljoint for sure. You MAY be able to have just enough room after you loosen the 2 strut to spindle bolts that you could pull the spindle twards you and then push the axle through.


Just be carefull of the seal. All you do to get the axle out of the transmission is pry on it closest to the transmission on that big ''hunk'' of metal and it will pop right out.
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Thanks a lot for the help. Really appreciate it. A few more quick questions: Would it be easier to just remove the strut assembly? Not that much work really if it gives me that much more room to play with. Just preference I guess?

Which seal are you referring to? I can't picture what you're talking about. The seal for the transmission?

If I do decide to mess with the ball joint, how do I reassemble it?*

*learning as I go...
 
No problem. Nope keep the strut in. You will have plenty of room. The seal that i'm refering to is on the differential housing of the transmission (where the axle slides in) that is how the fluid is kept in after the axle is inserted.

Re assemble the ball joint after you put the axle in. You will have to get a wrench down there. Then put the cotter pin back in also. You would be able to do it with the ball joint in. You will just have to pull the spindle twards you then knock the axle through.


If you need help IM me. [email protected] (MSN MESSENGER ALSO YAHOO)
 


Also you would need a ball joint or tie rod seperator to remove the tie rod and if you choose the ball joint
 
Ok, sounds good. Gonna giver hell. Putting in the order and hopefully you won't hear from me :)

Nice to be on a more 'professional' forum for a change.

Charlie
 
And nice to have you here. We are a community so we try to help each other as best we can. Glad you like it so far.


Again if you need anything be sure to ask.
 
TDCRacing said:
Again if you need anything be sure to ask.
Click to expand...

I guess my next question is where to get the Cardone axles. I contacted them by email and they said to get it from a retailer. They didn't respond to my question of which retailers.

Anyone know who sells them? Autozone? Advance? etc?
 
I got mine from Rock Auto. It was like $115 bucks for both sides. But to have a shop replace them is costly as you have shown. You can do it yourself if you really wanted to. You rent the half shaft puller, or you can do what I did and just use a good ole crow bar and some nice pressure to pop those puppies out.

Me personally this what I did when I replaced both of my half shafts over the past two weekends.....

I left the ball joint intact, and just took the knuckle off the strut, and loosened up the sway bar on that side to slide the knuckle out of the way.

DSCF0093.jpg


Here is my write up to get the hub assembly out of your car before you remove the half shaft. Some people also leave the hub, but i find easier when trying to manuaver around getting the half shaft out of the knuckle.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f73/how-to-replace-front-hubs-10985.html

Good luck with the swap :)
 


Great. Thanks. You actually killed two birds with one stone for me. My passenger front hub is going out too. Last time I just got a low mileage hub from Morad and had a shop put it in. Guess I can do it myself now.

Thanks again for all the help.
 
You can get new hubs from ZZP for like $90 bucks or take your chances on eBay with theirs. When I had my driver side one go out, I went ahead and swapped the passanger side out too. I figured that way I was set without having to worry either side for a while.

The pictures I posted are good for the other side too :)

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask :)

Thanks!
 
How the #$@* do you get a crow bar in to get the axle out of the transmission. I can't find any leverage points...:th_angry2: Where exactly is the seal? Is it the lighter colored metal just inside the outer transmission cover?

Got the hub end axle out fine without doing the ball joint. Just can't get the transmission side.
 
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I4NI said:
How the #$@* do you get a crow bar in to get the axle out of the transmission. I can't find any leverage points...:th_angry2: Where exactly is the seal? Is it the lighter colored metal just inside the outer transmission cover?

Got the hub end axle out fine without doing the ball joint. Just can't get the transmission side.
Click to expand...

Well if its the drivers side, its a buggar no doubt! I purchased a set of various length crow bars from O Riellys and I use the one that is about 2 1/2 feet long and I wedge it up under the A Arm and just underneath the control arm from the rack. And I used my foot to put pressure against the crow bar and pulled on the half shaft till it popped. It was not easy I kid you not!

The passanger side is quite easy to get out actually. You can actually hit that one from behind with a rachet extension to pop that one out. I had to do both of mine just last week. So I know them all to well now :( And soon I will be revisiting them again to take off my AGX's and replace the front bellows over the strut piston. And I gotta install my rear AGX's that have been sitting in my garage for almost 9 months now :(

Good times :p
 
GeddyLee said:
Well if its the drivers side, its a buggar no doubt!

And I gotta install my rear AGX's that have been sitting in my garage for almost 9 months now :(

Good times :p
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Bugger? I had other choice words for the driver side :th_laugh-lol3: I ended up putting my tail between my legs and taking it to the shop. I wasn't confident enough that I wasn't going to damage the transmission. I told the guy that was helping me that all we needed is to have one person there that had done it before to say 'you're doing it right, just push on that prybar as hard as you can where you have it'.

But, we didn't have that guy. Ah well. I saved enough money doing my tie rod end and struts/springs that I can spend some on getting these installed and now I am 100% confident that I will be able to replace my hubs when the time comes again!

Thanks Greddy.
 


I4NI said:
Bugger? I had other choice words for the driver side :th_laugh-lol3: I ended up putting my tail between my legs and taking it to the shop. I wasn't confident enough that I wasn't going to damage the transmission. I told the guy that was helping me that all we needed is to have one person there that had done it before to say 'you're doing it right, just push on that prybar as hard as you can where you have it'.

But, we didn't have that guy. Ah well. I saved enough money doing my tie rod end and struts/springs that I can spend some on getting these installed and now I am 100% confident that I will be able to replace my hubs when the time comes again!

Thanks Greddy.
Click to expand...

Well I was trying to be "polite" with buggar, but TRUST ME, I know I had a few more choice words while doing the removal of it that would not be suited for this forum ;) There are tools you can rent from your local auto parts places that also can help in removing the axels. Though I find it a hassel having to plunk down the cash to rent it and the hassel of running back to return it and then having to wait to have CC be reimbursed after the return.

The crow bar method works just fine, its maybe a little unconventional in some people's term, but it gets the job done none the less. I find it amazing that the one little "snap ring" on the axel can make it such a pain in the arse to remove the axel, but I guess it does its job well :rolleyes:

And by the way...........Its GEDDY! :th_tongue2: :cool:

Glad it worked out for ya none the less sir :)
 
Yeah....when i did the drivers side I took it out with the transmission. Then removed it. :)
 
GeddyLee said:
And by the way...........Its GEDDY! :th_tongue2: :cool:

Glad it worked out for ya none the less sir :)
Click to expand...

I said Geddy. My "R"s are silent:th_nanana: lol sorry about that. Brain fert.

Long story short, I ended up ordering the wrong passenger side shaft. Must have been for a GT because the splines didn't line up. Rockauto was really cool about me being a bonehead and sent me a new one with me paying shipping to send the 'incorrectly ordered part' back to them. That's fine.

The dealer, who has been great to me in the past (passing me on inspections on both me GTP and my GTO when they probably shouldn't have) said that the transmission seals needed to be replaced. Anyone have comment on that? I went ahead and let them do it figuring that a 100K tranny seal would've likely been needing replacement anyway.

Also found out my sway bar is cracked (which I knew before). Any suggestions on aftermarket replacements? Which is best? GMPP or something like wbodystore?
 
I4NI said:
I said Geddy. My "R"s are silent:th_nanana: lol sorry about that. Brain fert.

Long story short, I ended up ordering the wrong passenger side shaft. Must have been for a GT because the splines didn't line up. Rockauto was really cool about me being a bonehead and sent me a new one with me paying shipping to send the 'incorrectly ordered part' back to them. That's fine.

The dealer, who has been great to me in the past (passing me on inspections on both me GTP and my GTO when they probably shouldn't have) said that the transmission seals needed to be replaced. Anyone have comment on that? I went ahead and let them do it figuring that a 100K tranny seal would've likely been needing replacement anyway.

Also found out my sway bar is cracked (which I knew before). Any suggestions on aftermarket replacements? Which is best? GMPP or something like wbodystore?
Click to expand...

LOL no worries my friend :) I had to bust your chops for it ;)

As for the cracked sway bar, mine on my old GP GT cracked and I replaced it with the GMPP package. Its gone up in price since I got my last setup, back in 2004/5 it was only $150 shipped. Now the kit from GMPP is running around $175+shipping.

Here is a link to them. Personally I would avoid Wbody.

GM Parts Direct: Your direct source for Genuine GM Parts
 
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