ok, replacing CV axles wednesday

[geeteedan]

Getting both replaced even though just the passenger side is making a noise

What else should i look at replacing while doing the cv axles? 258k miles and everything under there is stock

[ghettogeddy]

might want to do the alt if its never been done
and some bushings

it really depends on the money you have to put in lol

[geeteedan]

might want to do the alt if its never been done
and some bushings

it really depends on the money you have to put in lol

got around 250-300 to spend. Already figured the cv axles about $120 for both

[ghettogeddy]

ya you can do the alt
your gona need to do the tranny fluid
and might as well do an oil change
and just a basic tune up if it hasent been done by you

plugs wires fuel filter

[geeteedan]

ya you can do the alt
your gona need to do the tranny fluid
and might as well do an oil change
and just a basic tune up if it hasent been done by you

plugs wires fuel filter

did a tune up when i bought it 3 months ago. its due for an oil change so i'll figure that in as well

as far as the alt. You talking about the alternator? mines working fine still

i was looking for anything suspension wise around there that I might look at replacing.

[ghettogeddy]

well im thinking alt cause they can be a pain in the ass to replace
and it would be super simple to get at while the axle is out so you dont have to pull it again
or snake it out the top lol
250k and its original
prolly wont last much longer

[geeteedan]

passenger side wheel


drivers side wheel

[BITESIZE]

Upper control arm bushings and all other bushings you can afford.

[geeteedan]

Upper control arm bushings and all other bushings you can afford.

"trying not to sound retarded here but" what other bushings should i replace while i got them out?

[ArokASE88LXi]

I would look at the upper control arm bushings they are relatively cheap and simple to do look at napa's website they'll have pictures of the parts so you can make sure your doing the right ones. Easy to tell if they're bad just jack it up, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'lock, and rock back and forth while watching the upper bushings for movement (method also used for detecting wheel bearing looseness so make sure your watching bushings so you don't replace the wrong part.) I haven't found a sway bar bushing kit that replaces the frame mount bushings (the ones in the middle of the car not on the control arms.) but if you can i would think those would be relatively cheap too. Replacing just the sway bar bushings on the control arm wouldn't be a bad idea though if you can't find the afforementioned bushings. let's see the lower control arm bushings (where the strut mounts) Can be very difficult to do if you don't have an acetylene torch, or shop press with correct tooling and they don't look too bad anyway if it were mine i'd just leave them alone, or just buy the whole lower control arm with new polyurethane bushings already installed, it's up to you. Ghettogeddy is absolutely right though if it's the stock alternator i'd replace it for two reasons 1st they almost all go out around 250k (my own went out at 280k) and 2nd it's a lot easier to do with the axle out. Do you have all the proper tooling to do the axles?

[Dr_Snooz]

Your bushings all look pretty good to me. Just do a quick inspection of everything and only replace what is obviously bad. For joints, like ball joints, tie rods, etc., I grab near the joint and give a few yanks (don't pull the car down on your head doing this!!!). If it moves, it gets replaced. Mostly it never comes to that because you lose the boot well before you lose the joint. I just replace the joint sometime after the boot cracks. For bushings, I do a simple visual check to look for cracking. I don't see any cracking or cracked boots in your pictures, so I'd leave well enough alone. There aren't any bushing or joints that you have to remove the axle to get to, so if you end up having to replace something later, it ain't no thang.

You might consider replacing the axle seals on the tranny. With your mileage, those will be getting tired. They aren't expensive so replace them.

I'd counsel you against replacing the alternator if you are going to replace it with some garbage from Kragen, Autozone or O'Reilly's. The stock alternator will most likely give you a lot of notice before failing completely and leaving you stranded. You won't be so lucky with something from Kragen. There are more than a few members here (myself included) with stories of Kragen parts failing suddenly and totally, leaving them stranded. If you are going to replace the alternator, buy a good one from Napa or the dealer. Yeah, it's more expensive, but a tow bill is much more expensive.

Good luck!

[lostforawhile]

Your bushings all look pretty good to me. Just do a quick inspection of everything and only replace what is obviously bad. For joints, like ball joints, tie rods, etc., I grab near the joint and give a few yanks (don't pull the car down on your head doing this!!!). If it moves, it gets replaced. Mostly it never comes to that because you lose the boot well before you lose the joint. I just replace the joint sometime after the boot cracks. For bushings, I do a simple visual check to look for cracking. I don't see any cracking or cracked boots in your pictures, so I'd leave well enough alone. There aren't any bushing or joints that you have to remove the axle to get to, so if you end up having to replace something later, it ain't no thang.

You might consider replacing the axle seals on the tranny. With your mileage, those will be getting tired. They aren't expensive so replace them.

I'd counsel you against replacing the alternator if you are going to replace it with some garbage from Kragen, Autozone or O'Reilly's. The stock alternator will most likely give you a lot of notice before failing completely and leaving you stranded. You won't be so lucky with something from Kragen. There are more than a few members here (myself included) with stories of Kragen parts failing suddenly and totally, leaving them stranded. If you are going to replace the alternator, buy a good one from Napa or the dealer. Yeah, it's more expensive, but a tow bill is much more expensive.

Good luck!

if you replace the alternator,get the nappa one, have had good luck with them. replace the axle seals, they are getting old and worn,and will possibly be damaged while prying out the end of the axle from the tranny. the seals are pretty cheap, it's aggrevating to put in an axle then it starts leaking oil. if you were closer i would loan you my set of aluminum seal drivers i made, but you are way up there in NC

[lostforawhile]

i was going to mention the seals get old with that many years and take a set to the old cv axles, they may leak with the new ones.

[ArokASE88LXi]

I'd counsel you against replacing the alternator if you are going to replace it with some garbage from Kragen, Autozone or O'Reilly's. The stock alternator will most likely give you a lot of notice before failing completely and leaving you stranded. You won't be so lucky with something from Kragen. There are more than a few members here (myself included) with stories of Kragen parts failing suddenly and totally, leaving them stranded. If you are going to replace the alternator, buy a good one from Napa or the dealer. Yeah, it's more expensive, but a tow bill is much more expensive.

Absolutely I hate the duralast crap Autozone sells. As a tech i've had to warranty dozens of those and gotten a few new ones that didn't even work! I'm not a big fan of replacing things that aren't broken (Unless I've got a bunch of extra money) and thinking some more about it, the axle isn't that hard to get out again anyway to do the alternator if you need to take it out. Definetly the oil seals, or if they're not leaking just be careful. if you do i'd put some sealant around the outside edge of the seal and some white grease or oil around the inside of the seal.

[lostforawhile]

well that many miles is a lot on an alternator, the bearings wear and the brushes wear out. if you had an alternator rebuild shop get the factory one overhauled.

[geeteedan]

ok, so far i have

Axles
axle seals

i will double check most of the bushings either tomorrow or tuesday when i can get the car up on jacks. As for the alternator, i know its stupid sometimes but i have always had a "if its not broke, dont fix it thinking". I will keep it on the table and think about it alittle more but i doubt i will do the alt right now.

Thanks guys

[snoopyloopy]

i see you said lx-i. so in that case, don't worry about the alternator. it comes out the top much easier than taking the axle off is to get it out the bottom.

[ghettogeddy]

i see you said lx-i. so in that case, don't worry about the alternator. it comes out the top much easier than taking the axle off is to get it out the bottom.

but it would be alot easier while the axle is out correct

it was just a suggestion
and not an expensive one at that