94 honda accord CV joint emergency :-P

[columnshift]

So here's my perceived emergency - I have to drive it like this probably for another two to four weeks because of a scenario of no money, no further credit available, and etc. I have no way of fixing it until another one or two pay cycles because i'm already behind on every other bill and already eating one bowl of rice per day because everything hit me at once.

How stupid or/and dangerous is it to do so, and can I mitigate the problem any in the meanwhile like shoving some extra grease in there (of what type) or what.


This is a 1994 honda accord EX, I didn't realize the CV boot (and joint) was bad until now. There's been "a noise" on turns for almost a year but it's intermittent, like one out of 8-9 turns just seemed more like a curiousity, and it was always a tick-tick-tick more than a grind or anything. Well finally yesterday it turned into notable grinding on every sharp turn, I looked under the car and saw the CV boots are screwed. I'm not sure how long they've been screwed, if I just didn't see it before/didn't know what to look for or what, but now more than a minor lane change gives a good grind-grind-grind.


So first up I have to make it live another 2-4 weeks until I will have a chance to properly fix it. FWIW my normal 12 mile or so drive didn't make it feel abnormally hot, perhaps its more the grinding turns than highway driving that will aggravate it. And second i'm wondering what special tools and such I will need to do it when I get the chance. I hope to look up specific instructions later either at the library or if someone has an online tutorial thats good too, just wondering what tools I need to look for/dig out of storage/plan to have to do the job later.

I'm also assuming I need to just buy some new or remanufactured shaft to replace entirely or is this something rebuildable... (never done one before so i'm clueless)

 

[Olas]

You can get a cv joint&boot. No need to replace the inner cv or the shaft, that's just wasteful and unnecessarily expensive.

If your really that broke just drive carefully, and avoid using throttle and lock at the same time (where possible). If you can get to a junkyard you can pull a boot off another vehicle for a short term fix but nothing beats having a look under yr car once a week so you know what's happening down there.

I hope you have an LSD, or youll be getting stranded somewhere when it pops!

Re tools, jack and wheel bolts, ball joint, hub nut, side cutters, zip ties or band clamp pliers, and the joint&boot kit.
Takes an hour at the very most.

 

[eljefino]

You might be able to get a "split boot" kit for $10. It wraps around the whole mess, shove some grease in there, and glue the seam. Couple CV clamps you can pinch with a linesman pliers.

Since it's also clicking the better approach is a used OE half-axle with all you need from a junkyard. That way you're not investing in the split boot when in time you'll be dumping that for a complete repair.

 

[Wolf359]

You do realize that you can buy the part at Advance Auto for about $65 and with a 30% discount code (TRT30), it's $45.50. It's even cheaper on rockauto, around $35, but shipping probably makes it the same as Advance Auto.

I just hope it doesn't snap on you, if it's flying around free, it's sure to take out a few other parts down there.

 

[zrxkawboy]

The last-ditch approach to TRY to get by for a couple weeks? Pack it full of grease and duct tape it. No guarantees.

 

[beanoil]

Your click, click, click was a warning. Once you get to the grind, you are on borrowed time. Now that you know, you'll recognize it for next time.
I vote for a reman half shaft. You'll get something that will last a long time, vs. a half-arsed repair that you'll be dealing with again later.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: columnshift
I have no way of fixing it until another one or two pay cycles because i'm already behind on every other bill and already eating one bowl of rice per day because everything hit me at once.


Does that mean you're gonna hire the work done ?
These CV shafts are pretty easy to change at home.

 

[Olas]

Why do all yu guys recommend changing the shaft and inner CV at the same time? Nothing wrong with them. Joint&boot kit is all that's needed, and cheaper.

+1 on the split boot kit though, might buy a little time..

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
The last-ditch approach to TRY to get by for a couple weeks? Pack it full of grease and duct tape it. No guarantees.


Ditto. I'd do this, maybe in a couple of weeks try the split boot--but if the tape is holding, leave it be.

When funds show up, replace.

 

[columnshift]

Originally Posted By: Olas
You can get a cv joint&boot. No need to replace the inner cv or the shaft, that's just wasteful and unnecessarily expensive.


Is it possible running broke/stoopid has damaged something else, or should just the joint/boot be serviceable then?

Originally Posted By: Olas
If your really that broke just drive carefully,


At this moment yes I am, I got screwed out of an insurance payment I was 100% sure was coming (anyone know of a cheaper better home insurance than State Farm since theyre worthless at paying a claim having found a loophole? ) spending more than I had to to fix a house problem "with professionals" to document what was done after finding out i'd have to eat it and they wouldnt pay anyway when I could have DIY'ed. Now i've got about $15 to make it through two weeks and if I miss work i'm out of a job as well.

I'll try to pack some grease in and duct tape the boot and then in two weeks replace what I have to, I can pay up to $100ish then for whatever I need to do it right.


Originally Posted By: Olas

Re tools, jack and wheel bolts, ball joint, hub nut, side cutters, zip ties or band clamp pliers, and the joint&boot kit.
Takes an hour at the very most.


Anyone know what the hub nut size is on a 94 honda accord EX 4cyl? By ball joint I assume you mean ball joint seperator.

Having no manual handy my guesses are going to be cut the cotter pin in what I previously heard called a castle nut, remove the big-rump nut, and... i'm not as sure whats after that. I only helped remove a CV shaft once and its foggy in memory. Once it's out I replace joint sections (not the shaft) and boot, or is it more sensible to just get a whole replacement shaft?



Originally Posted By: Wolf359
You do realize that you can buy the part at Advance Auto for about $65 and with a 30% discount code (TRT30), it's $45.50. It's even cheaper on rockauto, around $35, but shipping probably makes it the same as Advance Auto.


I don't have $45 to save my life at this moment. I'm assuming this is what i'm looking for http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/honda,1994,accord,2.2l+l4,1167263,drivetrain,cv+half+shaft+assembly,2288 just chosen for the automatic and ABS, shipped shows about $50. If Advance Auto normally stocks them i'll just buy in person though.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: Olas
Why do all yu guys recommend changing the shaft and inner CV at the same time? Nothing wrong with them. Joint&boot kit is all that's needed, and cheaper.

+1 on the split boot kit though, might buy a little time..


Because it's typically quite a project to remove the joint and replace it with a new one. If you just do the whole shaft, you take out the whole shaft and replace it with another one. A lot less work. Plus in the past the reason people stayed away from those boot kits would be that they tend to split and then spill out all the grease so you mind as well just replace the whole axle and not have to worry about it. Plus with the cost of the axle so cheap, it's not really worth the time to swap the joint and install the boot. We're talking $35-$45. Hourly rates for mechanics could be $30-$100 depending on where you go.

 

[columnshift]

Originally Posted By: beanoil
Your click, click, click was a warning. Once you get to the grind, you are on borrowed time. Now that you know, you'll recognize it for next time.
I vote for a reman half shaft. You'll get something that will last a long time, vs. a half-arsed repair that you'll be dealing with again later.


Half arsed being the 'just replace the joint' option instead of the $50 shaft? I can afford $50 just not for two weeks minimum. If i'm misunderstanding and the part I linked is NOT all that should be replaced please let me know.

And yes I know it was a warning but I lack the experience to know what was wrong since every time I jacked up the car i'd wiggle every moving part, feel everything solid, and not see any broke bushings.

Originally Posted By: Olas
Why do all yu guys recommend changing the shaft and inner CV at the same time? Nothing wrong with them. Joint&boot kit is all that's needed, and cheaper.

+1 on the split boot kit though, might buy a little time..


If I did just joint/boot kit instead what specifically is ordered and done out of curiosity? I'm sure a car with 230k will have the other part pretty well worn anyways, if $50 means I don't have to touch that side again (i'm hoping to get about another 70k out of this car if I can) i'll be happy.

 

[Wolf359]

I think you have to take the shaft out if you're replacing the joint. At that point, it's just easier to replace the axle shaft with a new one instead of replacing the joint and putting a new boot on. There's a good chance the labor charge will be more than a new axle. On the other hand, there are boot kits where you just stuff some grease in the boot and seal the boot up and hope it doesn't split. Those are in the $10-$12 range and you could probably do it yourself.

 

[supton]

At that price, isn't it a low-life re-manufactured unit?

Although it'd buy you time to source a different one, rebuild yours or otherwise pursue other options.

 

[exranger06]

Just buy yourself a new shaft. Also buy a new spindle nut. They are not re-usable. Sometimes the new shaft will come with a new nut.

Jack up the car, remove the wheel. Remove the spindle nut. You'll need a 36 mm socket.(If you don't have an impact gun, remove the spindle nut with a breaker bar before jacking up/removing the wheel).

Keep the key in the ignition and the ignition on so the steering isn't locked.

Disconnect the lower ball joint (Do NOT use a pickle fork, it will tear the rubber boot on the ball joint. Only use pickle forks if you're planning on replacing the ball joint anyway).

At this point you should be able to move the steering knuckle around enough so that you can slide the shaft out of the wheel bearing. Once that end is free, pry the shaft out of the transmission. Remove the old shaft.

Lube the end of the new shaft with transmission fluid so it doesn't damage the seal when inserting. Insert new shaft into transmission. Push it in until it snaps into place. Put the other end through the wheel bearing. Reconnect lower ball joint. Install new cotter pin.

Install new spindle nut, torque to 180 ft lbs and stake it in the notch in the shaft. Reinstall wheel, lower car down. You're done.

 

[PandaBear]

Noise on joint for over a year means dirts was in for a while because of a split / crack. The joint is already done and replacing just the boot isn't going to do much.

Get a new (not reman or rebuild) axles, rebuilder like cardone grinde their axles so the heat treatment on the joints are gone, unless you go with an expensive option like OEM reman (Honda sells reman if you are lucky), or high end rebuild like raxles, you are better off buying new aftermarket.

 

[columnshift]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
I think you have to take the shaft out if you're replacing the joint. At that point, it's just easier to replace the axle shaft with a new one instead of replacing the joint and putting a new boot on. There's a good chance the labor charge will be more than a new axle.


No i'm game for replacing the whole shaft if i'm not spending more than $100 or so. I'll do the labor myself.

Originally Posted By: supton
At that price, isn't it a low-life re-manufactured unit?

Although it'd buy you time to source a different one, rebuild yours or otherwise pursue other options.


I don't know thats why i'm asking the experts here. O_O Whats considered 'low life'? I'm looking to last ~70,000 more miles if I can, once I finish the minor problem parts on this car (timing belt, water pump, few minor leaks, brakes, this CV joint) I think the trans and such is good enough to last that long. Understressed 4cyl car with no trace of stink in the pink fluid driven fairly light most of the time.


Originally Posted By: exranger06
Just buy yourself a new shaft. Also buy a new spindle nut. They are not re-usable. Sometimes the new shaft will come with a new nut.

Disconnect the lower ball joint (Do NOT use a pickle fork, it will tear the rubber boot on the ball joint. Only use pickle forks if you're planning on replacing the ball joint anyway).


Thank you for the detailed instructions.

Is there a difference in new shaft quality/should I be picking one over another? Just order from the same Rock Auto place or what? If the difference isn't more than $10-15 i'd rather get in person somewhere or it'll take the time to ship/another week to get that part.

The only part i'm not sure about is the dont use pickle fork bit, is there any trick to disconnecting and getting it out without that? For that matter how would I know if the ball joint needs replacing? (since i'm not a mechanic and not an expert here, just pressed into service working on a 230k mile slightly neglected car)

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: supton
At that price, isn't it a low-life re-manufactured unit?

Although it'd buy you time to source a different one, rebuild yours or otherwise pursue other options.


A car with 230k is already a low life. He doesn't need high quality parts for a car that might not last much longer. The real key is to keep an eye on the car and to fix things before they get worse. I think as long as the boot stays intact, it should be fine. I've replaced 3 cv joints on one side of a car, each time the boot had torn. The one on the other side was fine and the OEM one lasted over 200k.

You can also rent tools for free from Autozone, they just charge you whatever the part is worth and then you get it back when you return it.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: columnshift

The only part i'm not sure about is the dont use pickle fork bit, is there any trick to disconnecting and getting it out without that? For that matter how would I know if the ball joint needs replacing? (since i'm not a mechanic and not an expert here, just pressed into service working on a 230k mile slightly neglected car)

To see if the ball joint is bad, before you take it apart, you can take a pry bar and pry between the lower control arm and the steering knuckle and see if there is any movement at the ball joint. There shouldn't be any. When you take it apart, try to wiggle the ball joint shaft around. It should be stiff and kind of difficult to move. If it's loose and wiggles all around easily, it's bad. Go to a parts store and have them show you a new ball joint. Open up the package and try to move the shaft on a new ball joint, so you know how a new/good one is supposed to feel.

To get the ball joint disconnected, after you've removed the castle nut, you can try whacking the lower control arm with a sledgehammer right where the ball joint goes through and that can pop it loose, or you can use a ball joint separator like this:

You can probably rent one at a parts store.

Eric the Car Guy has a good video on replacing a CV axle, and it looks like he's doing it on a mid-90s Accord like yours. You should watch it:

 

[Olas]

You don't need a ball joint separator, leave it in the steering knuckle and unbolt the ball joint from the wishbone. So long as the hub nut and track rod end are loose you'll have enough wiggle room.