CV Joint & Axle/Shaft Replacement

What size is the axle nut!?!?  I know it's less than 36mm.

Ugh, wish I could remember for sure. I have the socket, 85% sure it's 32 mm.

I just checked, I have a 30mm, a 34mm, and a 36mm, a 34mm is a little sloppy but a 1 5/16" fits perfect on my '99.

1 5/16" = 33.34 mm

A 33 mm socket would probably be it. I remember that a normal socket wouldn't work, it has to be a deeper-well type. They sell these especially for axle nuts at most auto parts stores.

The metric sockets I have are deep well but the 1 5/16" isn't, and it fits with no problem at all?

Jobs done! It is a 35mm. Thanks guys.

Jobs done! It is a 35mm. Thanks guys.

Alright, first a somewhat sad story. I was on my way back from band practice about two weeks ago. Everything's going fine until I get about 10 North on I-75. I start feeling a vibration and it's getting worse. I'm thinking it's my tire so I pull over to the right lane and turn on my 4-ways so I could change it and get home. I get down to about 40mph when the vibration is shaking the living sh*t out of my steering wheel. Then BOOM! my tire flies off. I look to my right while skidding on what i thought was my rim when I look out the passenger side window and see that my tire is still on the rim and flying at 40mph ahead of me. Now I'm thinking "WHAT THE GOD DAMN JUST HAPPENED!!!?" I get out and chase my wheel down the side of the highway. I return to my poor crippled Riv which has skidded to a halt on the brake rotor thankfully clear of lanes of traffic. I bend down and assess the damage. All five of my wheel studs snapped off. I look under the car and there no obvious leaking fluids, cracked bumper, broken tie rod or anything. Which will attest to the sheer "tank-dom" of these cars. Not even the lower grey plastic on the front bumper is scratched. I call my tow guy and get home and set it on jackstands in the parking lot. I've replaced all the wheel studs since so it's sitting on the tires.

My question to you all is this, "Why did this happen?" I've checked the Lower Ball Joints, Tie Rods, and all linkage found in the wheel well. Everything seems fine. I asked my father-in-law to take a look and he's thinking the CV-Joint seized although it's still sealed and the boot is great shape. I looked into the problem in my Chilton manual for my wife's Malibu and it says there would be a ticking sound from the wheel. There was a ticking sound but it was so quiet I figured it was just a pebble in my treads. I took it to the end of the parking lot and there's DEFINATE ticking now. Any thoughts theories or ideas would be appreciated. Also, do you guys know if I can get just a CV-Joint and not a full halfshaft from a parts store? I would rebuild the joint but I don't have the equipment or the space to do so.

When's the last time the wheel was off? Were the lug nuts torqued properly when they were put on? Were they re-torqued after 25 miles? Sounds like a classic lug nut loosening to me.

If you do need a CV joint, just replace the whole half shaft. They're not that expensive and relatively easy to change. You won't be able to rebuild the joint yourself, and even if you could it wouldn't be worth the expense and aggravation and would need hydraulic press and many oyher special tools.
Price a reman unit at your local auto parts store and compare to used through Morad's. I think you'll find your better of with re-built from local store with warranty.

I agree with deekster. I would recommend checking the lugs on the other three wheels. As far as damage, it may have not hurt anything. I would drive it for a while before I swapped any parts.
The goobers that were working on a Porsche I used to own left the wheel loose and it fell off going down the road, no damage from that mishap.

Bert

quote="deekster_caddy"]When's the last time the wheel was off? Were the lug nuts torqued properly when they were put on? Were they re-torqued after 25 miles? Sounds like a classic lug nut loosening to me.[/quote]

these 1/2 shafts are really cheap actually. i bought my driver side for $60 new not reman from orileys. i still have yet to do the pass side yet. but its easy. you will need a 34 or 36 mm to take the axle nut off, then beat the hell out of the half shaft with a big ass hammer till it comes out of the hub bearing. then just give it a tug and it should come out. then just line up the slpines and push it into the tranny. you will know when its all the way in, then jus reverse evyerthing to install. since you said the studs broke you could buy a new hub bearing too.

On the one hand I have no idea what happened. I hope the following questions and comments help:

1) clicking in turns usually means CV joint, unless lug nuts are just loose. Check all the wheels.

2) I have heard of CV joints over time slinging all their grease into the boot and then seizing. But rarely.

3) figure out if the half-shaft or CVjoint was changed in the past. If you/your family owned the riv from new you might be able to jsut ask. If not, a give-away is if the hardware on the bad side (the boot, the locking strap) is different. For instance if the boot on the bad side is plastic and the one on the good side is rubber.

What else can youtell us?
Albertj

Albertj-

It clicks all the time except when I'm turning right. I've already put new studs and lug nuts in. It only clicks from the one wheel and all the others seem fine. The boots are both original. My father in law and I are both thinking CV-Joints because of the clicking and the absense of such when putting the opposite side under load.

Sounds like a bad CV to me. Fairly easy to change, but can be a pain if you live in highly salted areas; which I assume you do. I've had them seize in the hub before and I won't even tell you how excruciating the removal process was, for myself and then my welder. They can also be a pain to release from the transmission, although it's usually fairly easy.

Boots don't have to be torn for them to be bad.

There is is a puller / press that makes removal very easy if you can find one to borrow for the job. I agree with replacing hub and bearing if it took that kind of a hit also.
Otherwise you made find yourself replacing it in the near future when the bearing starts humming / whining. Also not that expensive. May as well do it right the first time.

Well, I've looked into the bearing it's $90 from AutoZone. The CV-Joint is $80 I believe. I've been soaking the axle nut with PB Blaster everyday for about a week now so hopefully that makes it easier. I'm going do just the CV/Halfshaft for now so I can save some money. I'll worry about the hub and bearing when it starts making noise. I think my O'Reilly rents out a puller for the halfshaft.

I thought they were cheaper than that!

Right side is $79.99 and a $50 core, but I'll bring in the old one so I don't pay the core.

If they want the core then i "assume" it's a Reman unit.
'96reese said above, "that he bought new from O'Reily's for $60.00.
I personally haven't priced them lately, last time was about 3 years ago with a discount. so i was able to replace more than i really needed to.

I checked O'Reilly online and they didn't have a price, I guess I'll just call them. It was a remanufactured unit at AutoZone.

UPDATE: Called O'Reilly and they have a Reman for $59.99 and a $100 core but they have to order it. I guess I'll see what my bank looks like on friday and see what I can do. I haven't driven my Riv in two weeks and it's depressing me.

Just so I'm sure, what's the torque specification for the lug nuts on a '97?

100 lb-ft for aluminum wheels.

Thanks AA, as always you're Mr. Johnny On The Spot.

So, I got the old halfshaft out but in the process I noticed that both my outer tie rod ends and lower ball joint bushings are dry-rotted. Not surprised because I believe everything on the control arm is still factory. I picked up the new tie rod end and ball joint yesterday as well as the new halfshaft. Work will resume tomorrow. Does anyone know what size the nut at the inside of the tie rod end is, I'm thinking 21 or 22mm.

Not sure on the size, sorry. But could you tell me how much was the complete halfshaft?
Did you get new or reman.

I got a reman with a warranty, it was $59.99 + $100 core. I took the onld one out before I got the new one so I didn't have to pay a core.