Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles?
 

Michael Pardee wrote:
> "jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
> news:nbmdnTjb1rRFl9_YnZ2dnUVZ_tCdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
>> Michael Pardee wrote:
>> <snip>
>>> I've also used a floor jack under a breaker bar to remove axle nuts when
>>> I didn't have air tools. It still helps to have a long breaker bar
>>> because the wheel always comes off the ground before the nut comes loose.
>>>
>> dude - loosen the nut before jacking the wheel up, and do it in the
>> gravity-assisted direction, not the other way around! life will be so
>> much easier!
>
> I was unclear - I apply torque to the breaker bar with the floor jack, as
> though I were really strong (yeah... right!) and lifting up on the breaker
> bar myself. The wheel always comes off the ground because I don't use a
> cheater bar, but the other front wheel has never cleared the ground. I've
> used a similar procedure on the crankshaft bolt of my old Volvo, but both
> front wheels came off the ground before the bolt loosened. There isn't room
> to do that with the crankshaft bolt of Hondas.
>
> Mike
>
>
ok, i understand what you're describing, but with respect, i still don't
get why. to my way of thinking, it's much easier to push down on a
lever using gravity as your friend than it is to lift up against it.
you can't lift a wheel off the ground that way [well, not unless you
pivot the whole car against a truly locked bolt and succeed in lifting
the other end] and i see no difference whether it's axle nuts or
crankshaft pulley bolts. i'm a real lazy guy mike and i hate sweating
to be the strong guy when i can just use the weight of my lardy rear end
to assist my efforts. using a jack to lift a breaker bar is fraught
with potential danger from what i can see.

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles?
 

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:WLGdnRi4vLvBdd_YnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> ok, i understand what you're describing, but with respect, i still don't
> get why. to my way of thinking, it's much easier to push down on a lever
> using gravity as your friend than it is to lift up against it. you can't
> lift a wheel off the ground that way [well, not unless you pivot the whole
> car against a truly locked bolt and succeed in lifting the other end] and
> i see no difference whether it's axle nuts or crankshaft pulley bolts.
> i'm a real lazy guy mike and i hate sweating to be the strong guy when i
> can just use the weight of my lardy rear end to assist my efforts. using
> a jack to lift a breaker bar is fraught with potential danger from what i
> can see.

The difference is that I only weigh about 200 lbs, while using the jack I
can put much of the front half of the vehicle's weight to work... probably
more than 1000 lbs. It's really quite safe. The wheel only comes up a few
inches and the nut gives smoothly, lowering the car about like releasing the
floor jack does. Think of it as jacking up that corner of the car by placing
the jack under the breaker bar instead of the usual jack point. No sweat, no
strain. Since you are standing on the far end of the jack you are well out
of the way even if the socket pops off the nut.

In contrast, I once tried to loosen a crankshaft bolt with the trick of
putting the breaker bar on a jackstand and bumping the starter (on a Toyota,
not possible on most Hondas). It worked but was really spooky. The front end
suddenly rose a few inches. I won't do that again.

Mike

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles?
 

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:WLGdnRi4vLvBdd_YnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> ok, i understand what you're describing, but with respect, i still don't
> get why. to my way of thinking, it's much easier to push down on a lever
> using gravity as your friend than it is to lift up against it. you can't
> lift a wheel off the ground that way [well, not unless you pivot the whole
> car against a truly locked bolt and succeed in lifting the other end] and
> i see no difference whether it's axle nuts or crankshaft pulley bolts.
> i'm a real lazy guy mike and i hate sweating to be the strong guy when i
> can just use the weight of my lardy rear end to assist my efforts. using
> a jack to lift a breaker bar is fraught with potential danger from what i
> can see.

The difference is that I only weigh about 200 lbs, while using the jack I
can put much of the front half of the vehicle's weight to work... probably
more than 1000 lbs. It's really quite safe. The wheel only comes up a few
inches and the nut gives smoothly, lowering the car about like releasing the
floor jack does. Think of it as jacking up that corner of the car by placing
the jack under the breaker bar instead of the usual jack point. No sweat, no
strain. Since you are standing on the far end of the jack you are well out
of the way even if the socket pops off the nut.

In contrast, I once tried to loosen a crankshaft bolt with the trick of
putting the breaker bar on a jackstand and bumping the starter (on a Toyota,
not possible on most Hondas). It worked but was really spooky. The front end
suddenly rose a few inches. I won't do that again.

Mike

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles?
 

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:WLGdnRi4vLvBdd_YnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> ok, i understand what you're describing, but with respect, i still don't
> get why. to my way of thinking, it's much easier to push down on a lever
> using gravity as your friend than it is to lift up against it. you can't
> lift a wheel off the ground that way [well, not unless you pivot the whole
> car against a truly locked bolt and succeed in lifting the other end] and
> i see no difference whether it's axle nuts or crankshaft pulley bolts.
> i'm a real lazy guy mike and i hate sweating to be the strong guy when i
> can just use the weight of my lardy rear end to assist my efforts. using
> a jack to lift a breaker bar is fraught with potential danger from what i
> can see.

The difference is that I only weigh about 200 lbs, while using the jack I
can put much of the front half of the vehicle's weight to work... probably
more than 1000 lbs. It's really quite safe. The wheel only comes up a few
inches and the nut gives smoothly, lowering the car about like releasing the
floor jack does. Think of it as jacking up that corner of the car by placing
the jack under the breaker bar instead of the usual jack point. No sweat, no
strain. Since you are standing on the far end of the jack you are well out
of the way even if the socket pops off the nut.

In contrast, I once tried to loosen a crankshaft bolt with the trick of
putting the breaker bar on a jackstand and bumping the starter (on a Toyota,
not possible on most Hondas). It worked but was really spooky. The front end
suddenly rose a few inches. I won't do that again.

Mike

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles?
 

"jim beam" <spamvortex@bad.example.net> wrote in message
news:WLGdnRi4vLvBdd_YnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> ok, i understand what you're describing, but with respect, i still don't
> get why. to my way of thinking, it's much easier to push down on a lever
> using gravity as your friend than it is to lift up against it. you can't
> lift a wheel off the ground that way [well, not unless you pivot the whole
> car against a truly locked bolt and succeed in lifting the other end] and
> i see no difference whether it's axle nuts or crankshaft pulley bolts.
> i'm a real lazy guy mike and i hate sweating to be the strong guy when i
> can just use the weight of my lardy rear end to assist my efforts. using
> a jack to lift a breaker bar is fraught with potential danger from what i
> can see.

The difference is that I only weigh about 200 lbs, while using the jack I
can put much of the front half of the vehicle's weight to work... probably
more than 1000 lbs. It's really quite safe. The wheel only comes up a few
inches and the nut gives smoothly, lowering the car about like releasing the
floor jack does. Think of it as jacking up that corner of the car by placing
the jack under the breaker bar instead of the usual jack point. No sweat, no
strain. Since you are standing on the far end of the jack you are well out
of the way even if the socket pops off the nut.

In contrast, I once tried to loosen a crankshaft bolt with the trick of
putting the breaker bar on a jackstand and bumping the starter (on a Toyota,
not possible on most Hondas). It worked but was really spooky. The front end
suddenly rose a few inches. I won't do that again.

Mike

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.

First one leaked around the seal
Second one ratcheted
Third one leaked around the seal.

All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.

I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.

Not a problem.

I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced them was nice
enough to not charge me a dime extra in labor for al that work. I'm they
one that said use aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the Aftermarket axle.

G-Man


"Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95 impreza - the inner
> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the best way to do
> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am wrong,
> though).
>
> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on ebay. I don't
> want to do this job more than once so what's a good source reliable
> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.

First one leaked around the seal
Second one ratcheted
Third one leaked around the seal.

All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.

I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.

Not a problem.

I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced them was nice
enough to not charge me a dime extra in labor for al that work. I'm they
one that said use aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the Aftermarket axle.

G-Man


"Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95 impreza - the inner
> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the best way to do
> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am wrong,
> though).
>
> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on ebay. I don't
> want to do this job more than once so what's a good source reliable
> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.

First one leaked around the seal
Second one ratcheted
Third one leaked around the seal.

All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.

I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.

Not a problem.

I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced them was nice
enough to not charge me a dime extra in labor for al that work. I'm they
one that said use aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the Aftermarket axle.

G-Man


"Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95 impreza - the inner
> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the best way to do
> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am wrong,
> though).
>
> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on ebay. I don't
> want to do this job more than once so what's a good source reliable
> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.

First one leaked around the seal
Second one ratcheted
Third one leaked around the seal.

All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.

I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.

Not a problem.

I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced them was nice
enough to not charge me a dime extra in labor for al that work. I'm they
one that said use aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the Aftermarket axle.

G-Man


"Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95 impreza - the inner
> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the best way to do
> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am wrong,
> though).
>
> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on ebay. I don't
> want to do this job more than once so what's a good source reliable
> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>
> Thanks!
> Remco
>

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

In article <zf-dnZ3pI7rQntjYnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d@adelphia.com>,
"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.
>
> Not a problem.

It's the cheapest man who spends the most.

Honda OEM, whether it's brake pads or exhaust or axles, work great. A
Honda OEM exhaust is well worth the premium, for example. Anything else
is a false economy if you're going to keep the car and actually use the
part you bought.

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

In article <zf-dnZ3pI7rQntjYnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d@adelphia.com>,
"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.
>
> Not a problem.

It's the cheapest man who spends the most.

Honda OEM, whether it's brake pads or exhaust or axles, work great. A
Honda OEM exhaust is well worth the premium, for example. Anything else
is a false economy if you're going to keep the car and actually use the
part you bought.

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

In article <zf-dnZ3pI7rQntjYnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d@adelphia.com>,
"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.
>
> Not a problem.

It's the cheapest man who spends the most.

Honda OEM, whether it's brake pads or exhaust or axles, work great. A
Honda OEM exhaust is well worth the premium, for example. Anything else
is a false economy if you're going to keep the car and actually use the
part you bought.

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

In article <zf-dnZ3pI7rQntjYnZ2dnUVZ_v6dnZ2d@adelphia.com>,
"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda axle.
>
> Not a problem.

It's the cheapest man who spends the most.

Honda OEM, whether it's brake pads or exhaust or axles, work great. A
Honda OEM exhaust is well worth the premium, for example. Anything else
is a false economy if you're going to keep the car and actually use the
part you bought.

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

Do you know from where your shop purchased the rebuilt half
shafts?

I have in my notes that www.hondaautomotiveparts.com sells
the rebuilt OEM half-shafts for about $126 (again, assuming
the core is returned), lifetime guarantee, IIRC.

"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote
>I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out
> of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda
> axle.
>
> Not a problem.
>
> I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced
> them was nice enough to not charge me a dime extra in
> labor for al that work. I'm they one that said use
> aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
> it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the
> Aftermarket axle.
>
> G-Man
>
>
> "Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95
>>impreza - the inner
>> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the
>> best way to do
>> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am
>> wrong,
>> though).
>>
>> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on
>> ebay. I don't
>> want to do this job more than once so what's a good
>> source reliable
>> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Remco
>>
>
>

Re: what's a good source of replacement half axles? - WARNING
 

Do you know from where your shop purchased the rebuilt half
shafts?

I have in my notes that www.hondaautomotiveparts.com sells
the rebuilt OEM half-shafts for about $126 (again, assuming
the core is returned), lifetime guarantee, IIRC.

"G-Man" <g_foreman@yahoo.com> wrote
>I had mine replaced on my '96 Accord LX 5-Speed.
>
> First one leaked around the seal
> Second one ratcheted
> Third one leaked around the seal.
>
> All had life time warranty and did these things right out
> of the shop.
>
> I said the hell with it and had them put an OEM Honda
> axle.
>
> Not a problem.
>
> I'll stick with OEM from now on. The shop that replaced
> them was nice enough to not charge me a dime extra in
> labor for al that work. I'm they one that said use
> aftermarket. We both agreed in the end it wasn't worth
> it. I did pay the difference between the OEM and the
> Aftermarket axle.
>
> G-Man
>
>
> "Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1161871582.763102.140320@i42g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>>I need to replace the passenger half axle on our 95
>>impreza - the inner
>> u-joint is getting really bad. From what I've heard, the
>> best way to do
>> this is just replace the whole axle. (correct me if I am
>> wrong,
>> though).
>>
>> There are a lot of sources for half axles, including on
>> ebay. I don't
>> want to do this job more than once so what's a good
>> source reliable
>> source of rebuilds? I take it most places require a core?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> Remco
>>
>
>