DIY: Axle replacement; G1 specific...

[pnoye2]

With proper tools, this procedure is fairly simple task...


Note: protect yourself at all times.


Personal Protective Equipment...
- safety glasses (must be worn at all times)
- hand gloves (optional for y'all don't likes to get dirty)


Safety equipments/gears...
- floor jack
- scissor jack (optional)
- jack stands
- wheel chocks


Tools required...
- 1/2" drive air/electric impact gun
- 1/2" drive 21mm wheel lug nut socket
- 1/2" drive 36mm axle nut socket
- 1/2" drive torque wrench
- punch or small chisel
- small needle nose pliers
- small wire cutter
- small hammer
- 12" long pry bar
- 3/8" drive ratchet
- 3/8" drive 6" extension
- 3/8" drive 12mm
- 3/8" drive 14mm
- 3/8" drive 17mm
- 3/8" drive 19mm


Special tools required...
- tie rod-end ball joint puller/separator (can be rented from your local auto parts store)
- cutter pins




Here goes...

Axle nut removal...
(Note; this can be done with the wheel on or off the ground, which ever is easy for you)

- opted with them on the ground, like so... driver side first
- use air/electric impact gun with the 36mm socket to remove the axle nut
- loosen all wheel lug nuts
- repeat procedure on the passenger side

*** I choose these tools for the above procedures ***


Once them axle nuts removed...
- put wheel chocks in the front and back of the driver side rear tire
- safely raise the front end of the car until both tires are off the ground
- place jack stands under the tow hooks to support the weight
- take all wheel lug nuts off and remove tire


With the tire removed, you'd be looking at THIS image. Separate the following...

A) Tie rod-end...
- remove cutter pin (I used small wire cutter)
- loosen castle nut just half way down
- position ball joint puller/separator and loosen ball joint
- remove tie rod-end and swing to the side

*** tie rod-end removed from the hub ***

VERY IMPORTANT: once removed from the hub, try NOT to rotate the tie rod-end... doing so will throw off the wheel alignment!

B) Lower ball joint...
- remove cutter pin (I used small wire cutter)
- remove castle nut
- position ball joint puller/separator and loosen ball joint


Taking the following parts out of the way WILL make axle removal a lot easier...

A) Forks for the strut assembly...
- loosen/remove clamping bolt
- loosen/remove fork rod nut
- pull fork rod out (watch your finger)... pushing the hub up and down will also help get that fork rod out faster

B) Stabilizer bar connectors/links
- to relieve tension, place scissor jack under the lower ball joint
- carefully raise the hub up until needed slack for the connector/link is achieve
- remove connector/link (take notes on rubber bushings and hardware orientation)
- slowly drop the hub assembly down

*** fork and stabilizer bar connector/link (hardware + rubber bushings) removed ***


Dismounting axle...
- pulling the hub up (or pushing the arm down) will dislodge the whole assembly
- swing the whole hub assembly to the back
- slightly tap the axle out of the hub (I used a center punch)
- once axle is separated from the hub assembly, you'd be looking at THIS image
- pry out the other end; from the tranny, like so
- carefully remove the axle out, and you'd have THIS open space now


Installation in reverse...


ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTATION: there are differences on the axle unit themselves

> driver side
> passenger side



Note: Same axle removal procedures for the passenger. The only difference is; you pry the axle out from the intermediate shaft!


When finish with axle replacements...
- remount tires
- tighten wheel lug nuts
- remove jack stands
- lower floor jack until both front tires rest on the ground
- torque all wheel lug nuts to 80 ft/lbs
- lower floor jack all the way down
- remove wheel chocks


With all the luck, you'll be done in less than an hour... and I'm sure there are some experts in here that can do it under 60 minutes, goodluck!

[90LSCoupe]

Originally Posted by pnoye2

With all the luck, you'll be done in less than an hour... and I'm sure there are some experts in here that can do it under 60 minutes, goodluck!

+1 great DIY man.I was able to do mine in 45 mins with out seperating the hub,tierod and upper ball joint

[pnoye2]

Originally Posted by pnoye2

I'm sure there are some experts in here that can do it under 60 minutes.

^ Alright Rick

[kitchwatembo]

well i'm finally about to do this come winter break, but i'm far from familiar with suspension and steering components

doing this, would I need to get an alignment afterwards?

i guess the better question is, after replacing what parts is an alignment necessary?

[pnoye2]

Originally Posted by kitchwatembo

well i'm finally about to do this come winter break, but i'm far from familiar with suspension and steering components

doing this, would I need to get an alignment afterwards?

i guess the better question is, after replacing what parts is an alignment necessary?

^ Not necessarily ...unless, you are replacing them tie rod-ends as well - then you'd need to get the alignment check!

[Crash477]

Ok, bumping this old thread here. This is probably a stupid question, but is the axle nut a reverse thread or something? I have been trying like crazy to get the axle nut off of my drivers side and have had no success. I do not have an impact gun, figured I could get it with a cheater bar... but all that got me was a broken ratchet. is this a must for impact drill?

Thanks

[sam o nela]

Originally Posted by Crash477

Ok, bumping this old thread here. This is probably a stupid question, but is the axle nut a reverse thread or something? I have been trying like crazy to get the axle nut off of my drivers side and have had no success. I do not have an impact gun, figured I could get it with a cheater bar... but all that got me was a broken ratchet. is this a must for impact drill?

Thanks

You need to bang out the tab on the nuts lip first which will allow the nut to turn. Yeah it takes a lot of effort lol.

And nope not reverse thread. I had
To use a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar with a like 24" handle with a 4 foot cheater bar placed over that!

[sam o nela]

I should also add that you should try turning it clockwise just a smidge to start with to break the threads loose if need be

[Crash477]

Originally Posted by sam o nela

You need to bang out the tab on the nuts lip first which will allow the nut to turn. Yeah it takes a lot of effort lol.

And nope not reverse thread. I had
To use a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar with a like 24" handle with a 4 foot cheater bar placed over that!

Originally Posted by sam o nela

I should also add that you should try turning it clockwise just a smidge to start with to break the threads loose if need be

Thanks. I posted on a local SCCA forum and am going to take the car to someones house tonight who has 3/4" drive cheater bars and sockets, as well as air tools. We are going to bust that nut loose and then I will finish the job later.

Oh, and I did bend the tab on the nut as much as I could, but still no luck.

THanks again

[sam o nela]

Good luck man...

Yeah the nuts on one of my axles was all stupid messed up when I did them last. Makes feel happy knowing it won't come off on the road but yeah it made things super hard on me lol