Honda Car Forum

I think the inner (close to tranny) is probably easiest.

ndccpf1 wrote:
> I think the inner (close to tranny) is probably easiest but the
> outside one I have searched for (http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?
> id=2268437&postid=33284531
>
> )


the procedure is covered in the factory workshop manual for the 2000
civic. i seriously recommend you track that down and use it as its the
most comprehensive description of what to do. i replaced the outer cv
joint on a driveshaft recently and have some pics. i'll try to dig them
up over the weekend and post them.

in summary though, you use a slide hammer to pull the cv joint off the
outer end of the shaft, replace the boot, then replace the joint. but
there's a circlip ring you need to be very careful of. the joint is a
pig to get back on because of it, and if this is the factory driveshaft
and the boot has been replaced before, it may not have been reassembled
right rendering it impossible to get the cv joint off again and you'll
need to buy a new one. [it's possible to slide the cv joint past the
ring on reassembly. if this happens, the ring opens too wide past the
end of the splines in the joint and the joint cannot be forced back past
it again.]

if the cv joint is damaged, [makes a clacking noise as you turn] it's
too late for that joint and it needs to be replaced. you can buy just
the outer joint from honda, but it's not cheap. cheaper than a whole
honda shaft though.

for after-market shafts, they're usually not maintainable - the cv
joints are permanently fixed. but the boot outlasts the joint for those
things, so it's not a problem!

when faced with boot replacement, most people simply replace the whole
shaft as it's cheap [<$100 for the whole thing] and quick to replace
[<20 minutes]. after-market shafts are ok, but the quality is never as
good as the honda units. provided the boots aren't allowed to split and
the cv joint loose lube, get grit contaminated and subsequently wear,
factory honda shafts will last the life of the vehicle. ask tegger.
[www.tegger.com]

jim beam wrote:
> ndccpf1 wrote:
>> I think the inner (close to tranny) is probably easiest but the
>> outside one I have searched for (http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?
>> id=2268437&postid=33284531
>>
>> )
>
>
> the procedure is covered in the factory workshop manual for the 2000
> civic. i seriously recommend you track that down and use it as its the
> most comprehensive description of what to do. i replaced the outer cv
> joint on a driveshaft recently and have some pics. i'll try to dig them
> up over the weekend and post them.
>
> in summary though, you use a slide hammer to pull the cv joint off the
> outer end of the shaft, replace the boot, then replace the joint. but
> there's a circlip ring you need to be very careful of. the joint is a
> pig to get back on because of it, and if this is the factory driveshaft
> and the boot has been replaced before, it may not have been reassembled
> right rendering it impossible to get the cv joint off again and you'll
> need to buy a new one. [it's possible to slide the cv joint past the
> ring on reassembly. if this happens, the ring opens too wide past the
> end of the splines in the joint and the joint cannot be forced back past
> it again.]
>
> if the cv joint is damaged, [makes a clacking noise as you turn] it's
> too late for that joint and it needs to be replaced. you can buy just
> the outer joint from honda, but it's not cheap. cheaper than a whole
> honda shaft though.
>
> for after-market shafts, they're usually not maintainable - the cv
> joints are permanently fixed. but the boot outlasts the joint for those
> things, so it's not a problem!
>
> when faced with boot replacement, most people simply replace the whole
> shaft as it's cheap [<$100 for the whole thing] and quick to replace
> [<20 minutes]. after-market shafts are ok, but the quality is never as
> good as the honda units. provided the boots aren't allowed to split and
> the cv joint loose lube, get grit contaminated and subsequently wear,
> factory honda shafts will last the life of the vehicle. ask tegger.
> [www.tegger.com]


here are the visuals on the cv joint replacement.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/2500122867/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/2500122865/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/2500122859/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/2500122861/

for the last one, these are the instructions that come with a new honda
joint. note VERY CAREFULLY the diagram at the bottom and where the two
slots need to align with the spring circlip between them. if this is
done correctly, the shaft will disassemble again. if it's pushed too
far, the spring opens up outside the end of the splines and is too large
a circumference to come back out again.

when assembling the joint, use a jubilee clip to compress the circlip
[just like you'd use a piston ring compressor] or you'll have the same
problem assembling the joint as the disassembly problem outlined above.

again, the 2000 civic workshop manual describes the process [not all
others do] and should be read before undertaking this job.