supreme_style21 Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I have reason to believe the CV joints are going out on my '89. It clicks and thumps when I turn corners.. and suddenly, the front end is way out of balance. My boss, who also happens to be a mechanic, said it sounds like the CV joints. SO my question is this: How difficult is it to replace these??? I understand it can get pretty expensive quite quickly too. If this is the case, I'm afraid I can't afford to fix it and she may be destined for the junkyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddflash Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 You have to separate the lower ball joint and possibly tie-rod. It can be a real pain to do especially if you don't have the proper tools. Including instalation it cost me arond $300 CAD. I'd just take it to someone and save yourself a lot of hassle and stress, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 From the sounds of it, especially the price, I think she's off to the junkyard. I simply don't have the money right now. The car has a lot of life left in it... but it all comes down to money. I don't have it, so the car is gonna have to go.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 It's super easy. I didn't replace mine, but I had to pull them off to put new boots on them. I used a 36mm(?) socket and removed the center hub nuts with the car on the ground (only works with aftermarket wheels - I think factory wheels you have to either use an impact wrench or temporarily put the spare on the car and lower it). Then I jacked up the car, removed both wheels, removed 4-bolts behind each knuckle (turn the steering wheel one way then the other to make this easier), then used my hub puller to pop the hubs off the halfshafts. After that, I used a "C" type puller to yank one halfshaft out, and a pry bar on the other one... this was probably the hardest part because they're in pretty tight. Once the halfshafts are out, I used a Dremel to cut the boot clamps. If your boots are good, you only have to cut the bigger clamp. Then push the boot out of the way. There is a snap ring holding the outer CV on. Pop off the snap ring and the outer CV should slide right off. Now you can replace it. If you want to save time, you can just buy a new complete halfshaft off Ebay pretty cheap. Less than $50 I think. Really, it's a super simple job. I didn't have to separate balljoints or tierods or anything. The hardest part is pulling the LH halfshaft, the one that needs a pry bar (C puller won't fit that side). The RH one with the C puller was super simple. I think you can borrow the C puller from Autozone. You can probably use a prybar on the RH side too, but the C puller was awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Well is the hourly lifetime limit true on these then? I want to bring the car back here to college and try sell it, but if the joints are gonna fail completely half way home, I don't think I should bring it back here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patgizz Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 its an easy job, no pulling ball joints required. if you can remove the brakes, you can do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Well is the hourly lifetime limit true on these then? I want to bring the car back here to college and try sell it, but if the joints are gonna fail completely half way home, I don't think I should bring it back here. Hourly lifetime? I don't know about that. I think Penny's old '88 has a bad CV joint, because it makes a deep thud on sharp turns. It's been doing that since she got it 8yrs and 60,000 miles ago. Hasn't gotten any worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Yeah a mechanic said that 'they' rate the lifetime of these in hours once they start to go.. although he said he's never seen it happen like that, its just a heads-up. So I should be good to drive this back home and try sell it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I would think so, but every car is different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 it can always be different.... you can be lucky like Penny, or, like my truck, after the first clunk, it went within a week. Granted, it was a front wheel drive... but still... yeah, does it make any noises when going straight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baddflash Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I wasn't sure on how it was done cause I didn't do it myself, but that's how I did them on my last car.. Mine needed to be replaced for like a year but kept going till I nailed a huge pothole which finished the pass side. I'm sure that if they aren't making any noise driving straight you'll make it where ever you're going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 I wasn't sure on how it was done cause I didn't do it myself, but that's how I did them on my last car.. Mine needed to be replaced for like a year but kept going till I nailed a huge pothole which finished the pass side. I'm sure that if they aren't making any noise driving straight you'll make it where ever you're going. Alright sweet.. it only makes the noise during a hefty turn.. but it didn't sound like a very good noise, so I drove it home and parked it. I'm off to pick it up in a few minutes and drive 'er back here and try selling it. If I don't make it back and wolves eat me, you guys can have all my cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolt_Crank Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 lol, sweeeet dibs on the cool stuff! j/k good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Hmmm... it made it home fine and showed none of the symptoms it showed previously. I don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robby1870 Posted July 10, 2003 Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Hmmm... it made it home fine and showed none of the symptoms it showed previously. I don't get it. Sounds like it fixed it self. You got a rare W-body, one that maintains itself Robby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted July 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2003 Hmmm... it made it home fine and showed none of the symptoms it showed previously. I don't get it. Sounds like it fixed it self. You got a rare W-body, one that maintains itself Robby Bwahaha! If only it were true I'll bet you when I go out to start it tomorrow, I'll find it's burnt carcass. I seem to jinx things.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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