Front axle replacement?

[F22A4burner]

Hey people. I have a 1991 CB7 EX 4dr. AT transmission. Akebono calipers and Nissin brake booster.

For a while now I was hearing a "clu-clunk" noise coming from the suspension/wheel area when I would roll over speed bumps. I also started feeling the car snatch when it would change gears both ways (up/down). This has progressed to the point that turning left is a little more difficult than turning right and during hard left turns i can hear something that I can only describe as the sound of a diesel idling, but it isn't an engine sound.

The clunk feeling feels like its on the left side. I am currently believing that my CV joints on my axle(s) are about to fail. I inspected them visually and the dust boots are broken on both sides. Which would further explain it.

What I really need to feel comfortable about tearing the axles out is some opinions from the guys here on what to look out for. I know I can rebuild the joints but a whole assembled axle from advance auto parts is 59 dollars and claims to have better engineering than stock. What I need to know is when I do this, am I going to run into any parts that once removed should be replaced at the same time? I just don't want to get my ride torn apart and have to leave it sitting because I need more than what I thought. Budget is limited.

Also, will having that much play in the joints have any runout effect on anything on the transmission or at the opposite end at the spindle? Thanks anyone.

[alkoholikwun]

with ripped boots, i dont think they will have any effect on the tranny. i rode on my busted driver side for about a month and half. i once tried to replace just the boot, and ended up busting my gears inside, probably because they had been dried for so long.

replacing the full axles is not a big problem, there isnt really anything that are in the way and that need to be replaced. the only thing is the axle nut that bolts to the rotors, but that should come with the new axle.

quick and easy DIY.

[wed3k]

id rip it all apart and check balljoints as well, if everything checks out okay then proceed and replace the axle.

when my upper balljoints go out, they make a knocking sound whevever i go over bumps.

[bobbycos]

make it simple, dothis

REPLACE
upper contol arms complete with bushings/ball joints installed
axle (whole)
lower ball joint
sway bar end links

and while you have the knuckle off
rotors
wheel bearings

and check you tie rod ends too

[plee3]

I 2nd the last reply. You have to remove the steering knuckle to get the axle out anyways. might as well replace the hard things wile you have the steering knucle out the way.

[F22A4burner]

Ok, thanks for the rapid response everyone. I will check everything around/connected to the setup when I get in there. However as much as I would love to refresh everything under there I'm forced financially to only replace the necessities to keep me mobile. I have my mind set on new suspension bushings all the way around...one day.

[drovebykeptgoin]

Sounds like your cv's are done replace the whole shaft with remans but beware the 36 mm axle nuts are 180-200 ft pounds tight and can be a bear to get loose and most remans dont include a new nut.

[angus67]

i just bought both sides, and should i seperate the lower ball joint, or the steering knuckle? wich ones easier?

[187 customs]

make sure to replace the axle seals the are only a few dollars, but if you don't they may leak, and you will have to take it all back apart.

[GearBangnAccord]

ur knuckle is connect to the lower bj, tie rod and the upper control arm they all gotta go to make clearance for the axle to go thru also i the fork gotta go as well or u risk ripping the boot forcing it thru there trust i've done it before

[C91BLX7]

ur knuckle is connect to the lower bj, tie rod and the upper control arm they all gotta go to make clearance for the axle to go thru

No they don't. Just pop the lower and you'll be golden.

[Losiracer2]

might as well do the balljoints (lower), if they're old, since the boots are going to rip anyways when you use the pickle fork to separate them. And yeah that clunking is most likely your CV joints screaming to be lubed up.

How long have you been driving w/ ripped boots anyways? the second I see a ripped boot and grease all over the inside of my wheel, I'd replace that axle. B/c CV joints w/ no lube is VERY BAD, they could seize up on your or worse, just break apart from all the heat and friction they undergo while accelerating, turning, braking and shifting from the trans.

And when you do the BJs, if you decide to, ALWAYS replace the cotter pin that goes through the hole for safety, so the castle nut doesn't back itself out unexpectedly.

[batever]

If you catch the ripped cv boot right away or soon enough, you can clean and repack it.

I have original axles and had the right outer cv boot cleaned, regreased and rebooted 4 years ago by a honda specialist and it's been fine. Cost me $80.

Where I am now I might try to do it myself if it came up.

[jas_r34]

If you catch the ripped cv boot right away or soon enough, you can clean and repack it.

I have original axles and had the right outer cv boot cleaned, regreased and rebooted 4 years ago by a honda specialist and it's been fine. Cost me $80.

Where I am now I might try to do it myself if it came up.

thats kind of steep
i picked up rebuilt axles for $65/each

but yea as for installation, just carefully pop out the ball joint, pull the whole knuckle up and out and just tap out the threaded end of the axle with a small hammer

[batever]

you may need upper control arms too; and more info about inner & outer cv joints

Hey people. I have a 1991 CB7 EX 4dr. AT transmission. Akebono calipers and Nissin brake booster.

For a while now I was hearing a "clu-clunk" noise coming from the suspension/wheel area when I would roll over speed bumps. I also started feeling the car snatch when it would change gears both ways (up/down). This has progressed to the point that turning left is a little more difficult than turning right and during hard left turns i can hear something that I can only describe as the sound of a diesel idling, but it isn't an engine sound.

The clunk feeling feels like its on the left side. I am currently believing that my CV joints on my axle(s) are about to fail. I inspected them visually and the dust boots are broken on both sides. Which would further explain it.
.

Ok the broken dust boots are not good. Have you heard clicking before on these joints? usually you will hear clicking on a worn outer cv joint.
It sounds like you need new ones though.

Ok, I'm not an expert on front end stuff, but the clu-clunk noise when you go over a bump doesn't sound like a cv joint problem to me. Unless it's more like a clicking sound than what I consider a clunking sound. (Kind of like, you say tomatoe, I say tomahtoe). As others have said earlier in the thread, the clunk could be a couple other things.

how about, worn upper balljoint--if so, you need a whole new upper control arm. About $130 per side aftermarket.

Another possibility for the "clunk on the bumps" that is cheaper to fix would be a destroyed bushing on the front stabilizer bar. This happened to me when I was out of town and I found a mechanic who fixed it for $135. Would have cost me $45 in my driveway at home if I'd been on top of it. I think maybe this is not your problem though, because the clunk was hard and sudden and made me think it was dangerous to drive because it was so loud and clangy. Sounds like your clunk has come on more gradually, so I think upper balljoints (upper control arm) are a good candidate for looking at.

the gear catching thing could be caused by malfunctioning INNER cv joints. The clunk could be coming from there too. (worn inner cv joints can also cause vibration at specific travel speeds--but you never mentioned that. just some extra info about them.

In any case, sounds like you got new axles right and left and that's a good thing, as it will take care of the inner and outer cv joints.

But I will second that you should look at the upper balljoint. Test it before you take the car totally apart. If they are worn you will need new upper control arms which will cost you $130 or so per side. Which, if the old ones are worn, is cheap insurance for your life in my opinion.

Usually you will hear the cv joint clicking when you turn the car when the joints get worn. That's because when the CV joints are turned at an angle they are at a relative mechanical disadvantage compared to going straight ahead.

If your left outer cv joint was going bad, you would hear it most on right turns because the weight shift of the car will load the left wheel more than the right wheel and the added straing on the left combined with the weakened joint will make it click. Particularly if you combine the turn with accelleration.

You can also test it by accellerating in reverse with the wheel turned to the right; some people say this points it out even more because you have more torque in reverse than in any other gear.

The diesel/howling sound could be the outer cv joints on the left side (during right turns) failing to keep the left wheel at a the correct (slightly higher) rpms/speed relative to the left wheel. That's why they are called Constant Velocity joints, their whole purpose for existence is to have the right wheel and the left wheel travel at the correct speeds relative to one another at every angle of turn so that neither wheel drags against the ground. A badly worn outer CV joint may fail to do this job correctly, and the strain of the dragging left wheel on the tranny could cause that sound. It is less likely that the right outer cv joint would cause that problem on a right turn as well, but it is possible.

good luck with your car.