replacing driveshafts

[djcslice]

I need to replace the driveshafts on my 87 dx. Do i need to drain the tranny fluid to do it? does the dynamic damper come on new driveshafts or does it have to be purchased seperately?

do you guys have any tips other than what the workshop manual says?

[ghettogeddy]

um yes u do have to drain the fluid but u can do it when u remove the shaft it self it will come out after u remove the shaft other than that make shur u have some heavy duty tools to remove the axil nut

[djcslice]

yea, i learned that the hard way with my other honda. the next question is, where is the filler/dip stick for the tranny?

[ghettogeddy]

auto or stick

[MessyHonda]

when i replaced my axles i did not have to drain the fluid and i have a 88 dx auto...they just came out and the reman just went in like a glove....it sucks since honda did not design the fork think so they could be sliped out in the middle but you have to take off the bottom part of it. i just helped my uncle do it and with a lift and all the right tools we changed them out in 15 mins each side

[ghettogeddy]

well i know on my 5speed when we did the clutch the first thing we took out was the drive shafte and we had something there to catch all the oil that comes out

[djcslice]

its a manual.

[88Accord-DX]

The axle nut is 1 1/4". Good 1/2" drive impact would spin if off easy, but you can use a breaker bar. Try to knock the indention out on the axle nut with a screwdriver & hamer, it'll make the nut spin off easier.

Also a good time to look at the seal on the transaxle, if looks like it is leaking, replace it. The C-clip on the driveshaft should be replaced anytime you pull the driveshaft out, but that is your call.

[ghettogeddy]

its a manual.
there is no dip stick

[2ndGenGuy]

I just replaced mine this weekend. Have fun with that, make absolute sure they compare exactly to your cores and don't buy them at Shucks. I returned 3 halfshafts from Shucks and bought a brand new one at NAPA for cheaper and it fit exactly how it should have. Those ring clips need to snap in firmly, but shoudln't have to be hammered in (as I did with one of my Shucks axles that was a bitch to remove). If it's a manual, then yeah the oil is going to drain when you pull the axle out. You should get new oil seals too, since they're about $5.00 a piece and will give you some good peace of mind that your oil won't all leak out...

[djcslice]

where is the oil filler cap then? i was planning on buying my axels from either drivewire.com or rockauto.com

[ghettogeddy]

its on the side or u can take the spedo cable assm out a fill from there its prolly easyer to do it that way all u have to do is disconect the spedo cable, then the two vacume lines remember were they go there should only be one bolt maybe two i cannot remember but afetr u get the bolt (or bolts)off just twist and it should come out wih ne prob then just fill from there if u want u can also open the side fill hole just so u know ur getting the correct amount of fluid into the tranny, only fill to the lower edge of the hole

[2ndGenGuy]

Yeah definitely use the side hole, or else you'll have no idea how much fluid you're putting in there. I'ts a 17mm bolt on the side of the transmission.

You'll need a funnel with a long hose on it or a pump, and you fill it up until the fluid starts to pour out. That how you'll know it's at the correct level.

[djcslice]

how about the dynamic dampers? do they come on new driveshafts or do i have to buy them seperately? are they even worth putting on?

[ghettogeddy]

um that i dont know is it connected to the shaft of no

[djcslice]

dynamic dampers are rubber rings that sit on the metal shaft of the drive shaft. From all of the pictures posted on napa, drivewire and rockauto, i havent seen any on them. It does talk about them in the honda shop manual.

[2ndGenGuy]

I would jump in and help ya, but I just replaced both axles on my car and I didn't have anything like that. Also the 3gee I had didn't have anything like that on the axles as far as I know.

[ilikevtecs]

When I replaced the passanger side halfshaft the only thing that gave me a problem is the damn lower control arm bolt, what happens in that is that there is a metal sleeve in the bushing that froze and fuzed together that wasn't fun, and than none of the parts stores had another bushing or bolt, so I had to get one from Honda, other than that it wasn't to bad.

[ilikevtecs]

and also the drain plug is right on the bottom and you just use a 3/8" ratchet to get it lose and thight again.

[88Accord-DX]

what happens in that is that there is a metal sleeve in the bushing that froze and fuzed together that wasn't fun, and than none of the parts stores had another bushing or bolt, so I had to get one from Honda, other than that it wasn't to bad.
That bushing is froze up most of the time. Much agreeded on that comment. I personally broke the strut tower down & took it out from the top to get the s.o.b. out the way.

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

dynamic dampers are rubber rings that sit on the metal shaft of the drive shaft. From all of the pictures posted on napa, drivewire and rockauto, i havent seen any on them. It does talk about them in the honda shop manual.

Most rebuilt axles do not come with a damper. They cannot be attached without disassembling the inner CV joint. Its unlikely that you'll notice significant change in performance or any vibration without a damper.

[djcslice]

ok, i have a few more questions...

what is the weight and type of transmission oil needed? How much oil can i expect to loose (or how much do i need to buy?)

are there any special tools that i need? anything else you guys recommend?

i am at college, where honda parts arent readily available, is there anything i should buy just to be safe? (damper fork bushings, differential oil seals, etc?)

do new driveshafts come with new spring clips or do i need to buy them? (if so, what size?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

ok, i have a few more questions...
what is the weight and type of transmission oil needed? How much oil can i expect to loose (or how much do i need to buy?)
are there any special tools that i need? anything else you guys recommend?
i am at college, where honda parts arent readily available, is there anything i should buy just to be safe? (damper fork bushings, differential oil seals, etc?)
do new driveshafts come with new spring clips or do i need to buy them? (if so, what size?

Purchase new differential output seals, new axle circlips (even if the rebuilt ones come with new ones, a lot of the time they aren't the correct size and may cause the axle to pop out). I'm on the verge of replacing my axles too and here's my parts list:
1) MOOG lower control arm bushing kits (includes new bolt and nut)
2) New Axle Nuts
3) New Oil Seals
4) New Circlips

Everything except the MOOG kits was purchased through the dealer (majestic honda online).

For a manual transmission you will need to get either 10W-30 motor oil or Honda MTF from the dealer. I'm planning to replace the 10W-30 oil in my tranny with the MTF. Either one works just fine, although MTF is claimed to improve shift quality somehow (we'll see about that). Because the axles are at the very bottom of the transmission, I'd expect a lot of oil to come out. It might be a good ide to simply drain the transmission and minimize the mess. I believe it takes a little under 3 quarts to top off the transmission.

HTH

[djcslice]

is the output shaft seal and the drive axel seal the same thing?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

is the output shaft seal and the drive axel seal the same thing?

Yes, one and the same. There is one for each axle.

[djcslice]

and they are replaced from the outside of the transmission or from the inside?

by circlips do you mean the "snap rings" for the oil seals, or do you mean the "set rings" that go on the inner spline of the driveshaft?

[snoopyloopy]

so besides the axles, what else do you need to change or is a good idea to change along with them (auto tranny)? and what are the honda part numbers for those items?

[AccordEpicenter]

i would only drain the oil if the car is not on a lift. If the car is on a lift and raised level then it shouldnt leak.

[djcslice]

so what if i put the car on four jack stands? would that relieve the need to drain the oil? i have to replace the clutch next summer and it seems a little overkill to drain the oil now...

[AccordEpicenter]

if you can get the car level then it shouldnt leak much at all when u pop the axles out

[djcslice]

is there a noticable difference between this drive shaft
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/djcslice/664006.jpg

and this one?
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/djcslice/604006.jpg

the second one is a remanufactured one, and has a different drive shaft. It is also more expensive. The top one is brand new. I know that the second one is the kind that is on my car, so i am guessing its oem. With that, should i buy the oem ones or does it not matter?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

OEM have the fatter shaft. The brand new one pictured is different because the manufacturer chose to use just a straight shaft rather than the OEM spec thick shaft that tapers out. If the lengths and spline counts are the same, it'll work. Mechanically they should be equivalent for a stock vehicle.

[djcslice]

and they are replaced from the outside of the transmission or from the inside?

by circlips do you mean the "snap rings" for the oil seals, or do you mean the "set rings" that go on the inner spline of the driveshaft?

anyone ?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

The seals are replaced once the shafts have been removed. They are pressed into the transmission case around the differential openings. You will need to pull the old seals out and tap the new seals into place evenly. The shop manual will tell you step by step. (www.pauldesign.ru) The circlips are the snap rings that are on the inner ends of the axles. They snap into a groove inside the differential and keep the shafts in place.

[djcslice]

well then, are the "set rings" on the drive shaft or do i need to purchase those too. from what i read in the manual, the "set rings" held in the driveshaft and the snap rings keep the seal and the bearing in. Maybe i am confused, i havent actually gotten to see what i am working on, so its hard to vissualize.

[AccordEpicenter]

there are no snap rings for the transmission seal, it just sits in its groove. I wouldnt replace the axle seals unless they leak, and thats only happend to me on 1 accord ive ever owned

[djcslice]

where is the clip for the drive shaft sit (on the driveshaft)? how big is it? whats the part number?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/djcslice/664006.jpg

Look on the inner CV joint. You can see the little groove and a clip sitting in it.
Your new axles should come with these preinstalled. It is common knowledge, however, that very often the aftermarket circlips are not OEM spec, which can cause problems.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catimgs/13se00_j13.gif
Part number 9 in this List (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1989&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=DRIVESHAFT)

HTH

[djcslice]

Purchase new differential output seals, new axle circlips (even if the rebuilt ones come with new ones, a lot of the time they aren't the correct size and may cause the axle to pop out). I'm on the verge of replacing my axles too and here's my parts list:
1) MOOG lower control arm bushing kits (includes new bolt and nut)
2) New Axle Nuts
3) New Oil Seals
4) New Circlips
Everything except the MOOG kits was purchased through the dealer (majestic honda online).
For a manual transmission you will need to get either 10W-30 motor oil or Honda MTF from the dealer. I'm planning to replace the 10W-30 oil in my tranny with the MTF. Either one works just fine, although MTF is claimed to improve shift quality somehow (we'll see about that). Because the axles are at the very bottom of the transmission, I'd expect a lot of oil to come out. It might be a good ide to simply drain the transmission and minimize the mess. I believe it takes a little under 3 quarts to top off the transmission.
HTH

when you talk about oil seals, i assume you mean the drive shaft output seals, right?

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

when you talk about oil seals, i assume you mean the drive shaft output seals, right?

Yes. As Accordepicenter mentioned, it is up to you whether or not you decide to replace them. I'm going to replace mine regardless as I already have the parts to do this.

[djcslice]

does it make a difference if i buy remanufactured or new? It seems that most remanufactured ones are oem (tapered). I have yet to see new ones that were tapered. I feel like buying the oem ones, but the remanufactured cv kinda worries me.