donco
New Member
Long time lurker, did our 99 4 cyl axles a few years ago, no problems with them.
Now I have a 1999 Accord V6 with 175k miles. The CV joints rattling loudly on both sides so I'm replacing them. I did the left side yesterday but it started getting dark so I waited until this morning to do the right side. Double checking the left side, I could see the stub shaft wasn't seated all the way into the trans, by over 1/2" and it wouldn't budge by hand gripping the CV housing. I had already torqued the spindle nut but luckily I hadn't pounded the brim into the keeper slot yet. What to do without doing the entire job over again? I tried prying the end of the CV housing lightly with a pry bar and thin block of wood, trying not to damage the boot but it wouldn't go in any further. I rotated the axle to see if maybe the splines weren't clocked, still no luck.
Solution:
I lowered the wheel to the ground and removed the spindle nut, leaving everything else fully assembled and grabbed a lathe dead center
and registered it into the center divot on the end of the axle and tapped it lightly with a heavy copper mallet. Bingo! the inner stub shaft seated the rest of the way and there were still enough threads showing to start the flange nut. Note to self: always double check my work.
On another note, the lower ball joint boots were torn badly. They are still available separately from Honda, p/n 51225-S84-A01. Out of stock at the local dealer but plentiful on Ebay & Amazon. Napa, Autozone, O'Reillys, etc. no longer have just the boot, they make you buy the entire ball joint assembly. Too much more added work for this job and the old ball joints still feel snug despite the torn boots. I put the torn boots back on and will go back and finish the job when the new boots get in, not much more duplicated work, just jack it up, remove the wheel, and tap the taper back up.
Now I have a 1999 Accord V6 with 175k miles. The CV joints rattling loudly on both sides so I'm replacing them. I did the left side yesterday but it started getting dark so I waited until this morning to do the right side. Double checking the left side, I could see the stub shaft wasn't seated all the way into the trans, by over 1/2" and it wouldn't budge by hand gripping the CV housing. I had already torqued the spindle nut but luckily I hadn't pounded the brim into the keeper slot yet. What to do without doing the entire job over again? I tried prying the end of the CV housing lightly with a pry bar and thin block of wood, trying not to damage the boot but it wouldn't go in any further. I rotated the axle to see if maybe the splines weren't clocked, still no luck.
Solution:
I lowered the wheel to the ground and removed the spindle nut, leaving everything else fully assembled and grabbed a lathe dead center
and registered it into the center divot on the end of the axle and tapped it lightly with a heavy copper mallet. Bingo! the inner stub shaft seated the rest of the way and there were still enough threads showing to start the flange nut. Note to self: always double check my work.
On another note, the lower ball joint boots were torn badly. They are still available separately from Honda, p/n 51225-S84-A01. Out of stock at the local dealer but plentiful on Ebay & Amazon. Napa, Autozone, O'Reillys, etc. no longer have just the boot, they make you buy the entire ball joint assembly. Too much more added work for this job and the old ball joints still feel snug despite the torn boots. I put the torn boots back on and will go back and finish the job when the new boots get in, not much more duplicated work, just jack it up, remove the wheel, and tap the taper back up.
![summer Rims "]]](/forums/data/xfmg/thumbnail/1/1426-1c931fdd728febb90f30aa2d5b1929f5.jpg?1695467878)