ketter

So, the GF is reporting the imfamous clicking noise from the front end. Being four hours away, and one week away from spring break, I want to have an idea of what I am getting myself into. I have changed both half-axels on an '87 Pontiac Bonniville. I have searched and found that both Gro Harlem and mazdaspeedwest have done How-To's, but all the links are dead. If someone can post a new link that would rock my world. Thanks. ~K

ketter

So, jackass noob, from a foriegn .net, posting in the wrong forum. Mods please move and correct. Thank You. ~K

ketter

Doing a bit of PI work, I found the driver side write up at http://www.mazdaracer.com/pro/cv_axel.htm still looking for the passenger side, thanks. ~K
search terms:
half axle, half shaft, how-to, cv joint, constant velocity joint, replace, remove

sam65

Hello,

This past weekend i attempted to replace the CV axle in my girlfriends 92 Protege LX, but I could not get the center nut off. So in the end I packed the torn boot with grease and wrapped a plastic bag around it. The famous clicking noise is now gone(until the bag falls off!) so i'm wondering if i should just buy one of those split boots or still go ahead and replace the axle/CV assembely. I planned on taking the car to a garage so they can loosen and then retighten that center nut, then i can remove it next weekend if i need to replace the axle.

Thanks for any comments.

semtex

its better to replace you whole axel, you have little ball bearings inside your axel(cv joint) when it starts to click those ***** are gone and the joint is shot, get a shop to break the nut loose and then replace the axel

passenger side axel how to-

http://www.projectmazda.com/tech/howto/rightaxle/

sam65

thanks, the web page is great.

qjohn

I use the following method to remove the hub nut. Use at your own risk, of course.

With the wheel on and the car car not jacked up, I have someone stand on the brakes. I place the correct soze socket on the end of a 1/@" breaker bar. Then I place a long (4 foot) pipe on the end of the breaker bar and push / pull. Comes right off.

I bought the pipe at Home depot. It is heavy threaded water pipe, I think.


JQ

skr33t_rac3r

or just use an impact wrench

ketter

not when you are missing the proper size impact socket or for the less fortunate air compresser. So, i don't have a 32mil socket, but 1.25 fits perfectly, and the 6ft breaker bar i found, rocks. back to the damn ball joint.

semtex

you may want to get another lowerball joint bolt from the dealer (8.8 grade) the one thats in there will probally break or round off on you then you will have to cut it out. dont replace it with just any bolt and nut because if that bolt lets go your looking at some serious damage

sam65

I got the axle changed on Saturday. I tried using a impact wrench to get that nut off, but then resorted to a 4' cheater pipe on a breaker bar. The rest of the job went fairly smoothly except separating the ball joint from the control arm, it was a little difficult. I must be lucky because the axle came out of the intermediate axle, with a little persuasion from a ball peen hammer. I used the ball of the hammer as a wedge and just banged between the outer joint housing and the bearing mount and the axle eventually broke free.

Anyway thanks for the tips.

sirfei

Hey, all.. I need to get this done also, but am having a hard time find an axle for my 4wd... I didn't think it was different from the others--anyone got any information on this? Thanks
~Marc

TaiMaiShu

where exactly does the fluid that drains out go? i didnt see any pictures.

semtex

what do you mean? it goes into a jug then to the garbage, then you put in new fluid

skr33t_rac3r

the fluid is from the tranny fluid pan just put more in after ur done