Just Changed My Axles Yesterday
 

I just changed both front axles after 120K miles. I took me 7 Hours to change the damn things, but when it was done it was great. I took my car for a drive and I made some u-turns and there was no clicking, oh it was great. Thanks to Wil, and darrel's how to on changing the axles. The how to's really got me started, but after I got started I decided an easier way to change them, without unhooking the speedo cable, and so on. I basically undid some bolts and pulled on the axle till it came out. (that was the hardest part) The drivers side just didn't want to come out. The passenger side came out with a few good tugs on it. All in all it really wasn't that bad of job, and if I had to do it again i could probably do both axles in about 1 hour (now that I know what to do). There is one question I do have though, and it is before I changed the axles in my pro. When I would make a right hand turn I would hear this popping noise, and its funny because I thought it was doing it because of the axle being bad, but after I replaced it the damn thing still pops. Any suggestions? Do you think maybe it could be a bad strut? How could I tell?

yeah, since i changed the axles I said what the hell..know soon as the board gets working I can update my profile..... :bt:

awesome!!! my axle was so messed up the tranny had to be removed to get it out :mad:

That doesn't sound good, but Im glad I didn't have to do that, all though it did take me forever to take out the drivers side.

Well, I'm not a good enough DIYer to change one myself. And I took it to the dealer... the previous owner had put in one too big or something. And there is some kind of pin you need to remove to take it out I think? But it was wedged in improperly. Or something like that. They couldn't get it out with even one of those giant hammer things... well, I don't really remember, it was '99

That was about an additional $1000 in labor...hmmm.

But I got the other axle changed recently...much cheaper, and it was done at the end of the day this time.

Good God thats sounds bad, I think I was you I would have just sold the pro, but I got to hand it to you if you spent over 1,000 for an axle job. (Im just glad I didn't have to spend a 1,000, or else I would have said bye bye protege)

Well, cause it's a safety issue, my dad paid for it. It would be great for my car to become a 1 wheel drive 3 wheeler or something like that at 85 mph. And the car was worth a little more back then than it is now :(

Oh, well thats sure sounds better, Im gald you got it fixed though. I would hate to hear about a fellow pro owner driving down the road with 3 wheels instead of four. that would suck.

Yeah, it wasn't just preventitive...it kinda went.... "CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH" everywhere I went.... D'oh!

next time you need anything done to your car........call me.......
I'll come to your garage and do it.........and I'll charge you less than a 1000. that way we both get something:D

next time, try doing it yourself...............that's how you learn and the most important thing is ...........you save cash.......

I dont blam him for taking it in, I know if I had to pull out my tranny to get the damn axle off I would take in it as well, cause there is no way I am taking a tranny out to change an axle.

I'd love to... but you're a bit far to get my car to. ;)

I'm more into DIY now... but that was a while ago (after HS graduation), I didn't know anything about cars back then, I still don't know much now (but protegeclub is helping me. :D) Plus I'd never be able to do that one myself. The tools that they tried to use (and some which still wouldn't get it out, such as the giant jack-hammer thingy) had to be shipped from other mazda dealers. Plus it's an auto tranny, fuck that up while you're dropping it... and you're SOL.

Also...while I'm away at school... my car is outside in a parking lot... so I have to wait until I'm at home to get to the safety of my garage :(


edit:: Plus at the time, I didn't really know it would have been such a hassle to do. They tried doing it the less expensive way first, no luck. My dad was the one who told me to take it, all I complained about was the sticky gas pedal, that was only $107 :p

The driver's side axle on my 91 DX was much worse than crunch, crunch crunch. at 60 mph it felt as if the wheels were square. at 65 mph the car was barely controlllable. An axle and a wheel bearing later and it is fine now. It can definitely become a safety issue.

Both "Half-shafts" can be removed with out taking the tranny out. Using a pry bar wedged between the shaft end and the tranny just slip the geared portion out. Just becareful not to scratch the part that slips into the spline housing. :D

I'd like to see someone take the tranny out to get the shafts off! That's entertainment!!!:laugh:

I still wouldn't pay $1000 ................ I would rather take apart the whole car than pay that .................