Inner CV joint swap DIY with pics

OK, this may not be exactly a "DIY" since it's best done with a few special tools that many may not have.

Nevertheless, this thread should give a good idea of the issue and what's involved in fixing it.

For reference, the original and still definitive thread on the CV joint issue is here:
http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39249
This thread is a classic example of the S2Ki community coming together to solve an issue and finding a good fix even before Honda does. Eventually, Honda did release TSB 02-063 for this fix; it can be found here on S2Ki:
http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=275218

As indicated in the TSB, the symptom of this problem is a vibration from the rear of the car under acceleration. In particular, it's worse under hard cornering and/or acceleration, and is often worse when turning right, since the left CV joint tend to go first. As you'll see below, the root cause is pitting of the bearing surfaces in the the CV joint housings. The correct solution is to replace the bearing housings, though if you're in a pinch (say, in the middle of a 3-day track weekend ) or out of the warranty period and strapped for cash, you can do what I did: just swap the old bearing housings left for right. This presents a new set of bearing surfaces to the driveline when using the forward gears. However, when in reverse, the pitted surfaces will be engaged and the vibration will be back. Usually this is not much of an issue, though, since we don't often gun it or corner hard while in reverse. At least, not AS hard.

OK, to the DIY. As always, consult your Helm manual before attempting anything you read online. Alternately, just get davepk to help.

First, get up early so you can have the swap done in time to make it out for the first track sessions:


This is best done when the car's cold. Jack it up, put it on jackstands, and remove the rear wheels. Looking from the rear, here's what you see:

The diff housing of course is the big finned case in the middle; the inner CV joints are the beige metal cups bolted to either side of the diff with 6 nuts and bolts each. Fortunately, removing the CV joints won't drain the diff so you don't need any diff fluid. However, we found it easiest to remove the entire half-shaft, which required a couple special tools: a big honkin' impact wrench to remove the axle nuts, and a ball joint separator:

(Note: there's another special tool coming later.) You can rent or borrow impact wrenches from most hardware stores. You'll also need to buy two CV boot clamps (not just hose clamps since the sharp edges can cut the soft rubber of the boot), and some hi-temp CV grease. The recommended grease is Redline CV-2 Red Moly grease, and OEM straps are best, but since I was in a pinch I had to settle for these cheap imitations:

If you can't get OEM ones, the boot clamps come in "small" and "large" generally; you'll need the large ones.

Now, remove the six 14mm nuts and bolts from the driver's side inner CV flange. You can get the impact wrench up there with a short extension. In the wheel wells, loosen the brackets holding the ABS sensor wires to give them some play. Pop the lower A-arm joint with the joint tool. You'll want to try to save the cotter pins, or have a couple extras on hand if they break. Finally, remove the axle nut with the impact wrench (it's a big socket, 36mm). Now, being careful not to damage the ABS wire, pull the hub away from the axle just enough that you can get the half-shaft and CV joint free. (Don't pull on the CV boot; always grip the metal housing.) Once the axle's out, you'll have to break off the existing CV boot strap. The CV joint housing can now be pulled free, spilling out lots of CV grease. Here's the inimitable davepk with my left axle (oriented the "wrong way" in the pic):

Notice the rust on the axle splines (right end of the shaft in this pic); add a little of the CV grease to the splines and you'll also cure/prevent the annoying-but-harmless rear-axle "click" noise. Now repeat the above to remove the passenger's side axle. Most likely, your passenger's side CV is OK, while the driver's side is damaged. As shown below, this was obvious in my case: the grease from the left-side CV was several shades darker due to the metal filings built up in it!

Here's a close-up of the pitting that occurs on the "driven" bearing surfaces:

Now if you're replacing the CV joints, just fill the new ones with the new grease. If like me you're just swapping them left to right, but you managed to find the good RedLine CV grease, wipe off all the old OEM grease from the cup and bearings and refill with the new stuff. In my case, we weren't too optimistic about the cheapo CV grease I'd been able to find, so we left the old OEM stuff in and just added the new grease to it.

Finally, reassemble the joints and install the new boot clamps. This is best done with a strap tool, which can generate enough leverage to get the straps good and tight:

Trim any excess from the straps once they're tight.

Now just reinstall everything in reverse order and you're done! Again, be careful when pulling on the hub not to damage the ABS wires (ask me how I know ). When the axle nuts are retightened, use a hammer and screwdriver to put a new crimp in the nut flange if necessary. There's no real "break-in" required for the new housings, I don't think, but you can go easy on it for a few hundred miles if you really want to be careful.

Hope this helps!

Great info. Linking this into "FAQ's".

I've done one already and the car is like new again. TIP...the factory band clamps on this car are the most superior design. They can, and SHOULD, be re-used. They could litterally be re-used hundreds of times. A simple pair of pliers easily releases them.

whatever dude

twohoos, nice thread, thanks for taking the time to sum it up

Davepk, nice pic

I wasn't trying to be a smartass, sorry if you took it that way. I guess it did come off kind of cocky....good post man

Good DIY post.

Noticed that you removed the halfshafts completely from the car.

I've also done this on other front wheel drive cars and there may be a quicker way of doing this.

If you can get enough clearance by swinging out the upright, it should be possible to diassemble and remove the inner CV joints from the halfshafts without having to undo the outer CV from the upright. This avoids having to engage the swear drive to get the outer CV hub nut undone, or upsetting the hub bearings.

What you do is detach the inner CV from the differential flange, Undo the CV boot clip and pull the CV housing off, you can then undo the trunnion circlip and remove that and the boot from the inner end of the halfshaft. Reinstallation is the reverse of removal.

Chris.

This post has been edited by chris_barry on Oct 17 2004, 06:07 PM

This is definitely possible on the S2000 ...... done it many times w/o removing the axles from the car.

I am having this done on Wednesday. HondaCare is having them replaced under warranty. $0 out of pocket for me and they provide the rental. Second time HondaCare has come through for me, best extended warranty I ever bought. The dealership had to call the tech line for Honda to figure this out, however, even after I explained it to them because I spoke to Billman about this earlier. I realize this is reviving an old thread, but at least now people with HondaCare will know that it will be diagnosed and at least for me, fixed without cost.

Axle nut is 36mm

.... that's what she said

FWIW, I think that it's a 36 mm hex nut. I also use a small slide hammer with a machine steel head to push out the locking tab on the nut.

Before I apply grease to the splines, I shoot the whole shabang with Boeshield T-9, let it dry and then apply the grease.

I haven't got enough miles on them to see a positive result, but, I'm hoping my drive shaft flange spacers will reduce CV Joint wear.

BTW, thanks for contributing this write-up.

RoadNCrack's car has a pretty bad vibration on his car under acceleration, I'll be doing a swap on his this week and hope to cure it...

I just had this fixed by Honda. I assumed it was a design problem and the new parts were redesigned and would prevent this from happening again. I guess this isnt true?

So I can expect to fix this again?

Great write up by the way. Looks easy enough to do. Just want to know if I should keep an eye out for vibrations in the future?

Question, was this a warranty repair or did you pay for it? And if so, what is the dealership charging for such service? If you don't mind me asking.

It's a wear item. No CV joint will last forever. Some will last longer than others, though.

The joint prices are outrageous. I was hoping they would have fixed this excessively quick wear issue and we could go 100k or more on the joints without this issue.

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=272528

At the bottom of that thread I tell my story.

The good news is I found the vibration of the car very annoying, I thought it was due to the high revving. Now I know it was due to the axles, the car is much more livable now.

As suspected, roadncrack's car had a pitted CV joint. Notice the pitted area, which only occured in one of three possible spots. Swaped them from left to right and it's good as new....

billman, was that car lowered? If so, do you have a gut or other feeling about the location of the pitted area? Specifically, it looks like it's way too inboard to have been designed that way. Do you agree?

My view is that the spider rollers ought to operate normally within 5-8 mm of the outboard limit of the joint spline. That's why I've built and inserted spacers.

What is your view on that?

Bill, do you think this type pitting will have ill effects on the inner portion of the CV joint? I.E. The part that rubbed that pit into the metal? I would think you'd have some similar style metal depth loss on the other side of the coin?

roller seems to be way harder material than the cup so you don't see any spalling on the mating surface

Well, then...I guess this brings up a stupid question then?

Mebbe it's like the whole 'why not make the whole airplane out of the black box material' joke.

Is it weight, price, design, heat, what?

Safety. A hardened steel drive bucket could shatter, while these can distort and pit.

Hecash...car is not lowered. Has about 90k on the odometer. This spot is about where they all pit out.

I've got another car, 2003, coming in on Monday with a vibration. Odometer is at 36,235 miles (how convenient for Honda). It would suck if he has the same problem.

I will say that the 00 and 01 sit lower than 02-03, maybe that's the deal bro....