CV Joints...?

Question

I have a '96 Nissan Maxima. How difficult will it be to replace the CV joints and axle on the passenger side, if you were rating the difficulty level from 1 to 10. Thanks so much.

It isn't just the CV joint...I have to replace the entire axle on the passenger side. How much more difficult does this make the job?

Answer 1

It all depends on your skill level.I personally would consider it a 2 but i have been working on cars for about 11 yrs. I'll give you a quick runthrough of how to do it. Most people end up removing more parts than necessary. Star of course with lifting the car and securing it with a stand and remove the wheel. next you will need to remove the axle nut. this is the nut right in the center of the rotor. put some lube on before you remove the nut and the after try and spray some on the splines of the axle the tend to like to get stuck in there. next you need to remove the lower ball joint nut. some imports have bolts on the bottom of the control arm that secure the ball joint to the control arm if you car has this it makes it alot easier. if not remove the nut and put a prybar somewhere on the lower control arm. while putting a litttle pressure on the control arm take a hammer and hit the metal on the spindle around where the ball joint goes into the spindle. do not hit the treads of the ball joint. doing this will pop the ball joint loosse from the spindle. i wouldnot recommend useing a ball joint speperator or a pickle fork because these tools damage the balljoint dust boot and your ball joint will wear out faster. once the ball joint is loose pry it down and pullout on the spindle and the axle should fit out and be hanging free on the out joint. now you should be ready to pop the axle out of the tranny using the prybar. be cautious not to damage the seal . the axle should come out relatively easy. once out you can put in your new axle by sliding in the axle and lining up the threads be sure to get it in straight. you will not be able to just push it in. the esiest way to get it in is to find a metal pipe that will fit over the splines f the axle and tap it in with a hammer. DO NOT HIT THE AXLE DIRECTLY this will damage the threads and you will not have a good day:) once this is popped in just put it all back in in reverse order and you done. if you use this methos you will not have to remove brakes or struts or many other parts tha alot of people do. good luck.

Answer 2

If "we" you and I had the tools and had seen it done once it's a breeze possibly a #2. We'd need a metric deep well socket and breaker bar to remove the nut at the street end of the axle. Remove the disc brake caliper and brake rotor. Disconnect the lower ball joint from the spindle ( pickle fork needed). Swing the strut / spring / spindle away from the half shaft. Pull the entire half shaft from the transmission Replace with an entire rebuilt half shaft which includes a new rebuilt inner CV joint sealed with grease and bellows installed Complete axle and outer CV joint sealed & ready to re-install. If you have a warm work place to work, floor hydraulic jack and steel jackstands for the frame. The car must be suspended by a frame rail behind the front tires. This job requires the car to be suspended from either a front frame rail or better yet the frame rails directly behind the front tires. I realize you have a unibody so it must be suported by the proper lift points. Do not screw with only one CV joint. the whole rebuilt assembly is a better deal. With CV joints the rubber bellows usually fail ( rip, tear ) exposing the joint and the grease flys out and water and dirt pack in ruining the joint. If you detect a small hole or tear in a bellows their easily replaced but you 've got to be inspecting every time you change the oil. For us this job would be an expensive 5 ( parts tools sweat room to do job)

Answer 3

There are NO benefits to changing to CV joints. Not even better turning. Your turning radius is limited by the tires rubbing against the inside of the body NOT the U joints on the axleshafts. CV joints are about 1/5th as strong as a Ujoint under 4X4 stresses and cost 5 times as much if not more.

Answer 4

Hard to rate your skill level. With the proper tools this job is not very difficult. As the CV joint is part of the axle assembly it doesn't make the task any harder! ;-)=

Answer 5

it depends upon your mechanical ability. I just changed the passenger side drive axle on my Audi. it took me less than 2 hours. before you decide to do it yourself, invest about $15 in a repair manual for your car. it will give you step by step instructions with some pictures for reference. i would rate the difficulty for a beginner about 6 or 7

Answer 6

There are some "tricks" to makeing a job easier on different cars.
I'm not real familiar with your model.

I would however say it's a fairly simple job.That said however, there are some things you probably don't have in your tool box that you will need to buy. ie: 32mm socket, 1\2" breaker bar etc.

I HIGHLY recomend buying the Haynes, or Chiltons manual for your car before tearing it down. It will give you a much beter understanding of what's involved.

Spend $22.00 and but the book. It will save a lot of headaches.

Answer 7

Its was not that expensive to get mine replaced on my Honda Accord ('92). I had a friend at work that tried to help me remove the huge nut in the center of the wheel (axle nut?) so I could replace it myself, but even using a 6 ft steel fence post as a leverage bar, we broke the extension bar attached to the socket because that nut was so tight.

I had both of mine replaced for about $350 US.

Answer 8

it is one of the cheaper things mechanics do if you cant do it yourself....the CV boot is easier than the joint though i think

Answer 9

it can be a chore,if you dont have the knowledge and tools.ive changed them before,and if you dont know what to do,then it can be diffulcult.