Need to Replace a CV Axle? Here is how.

[andrewb24]

I had busted boots on my axles on both sides of my truck. At the end of last year the dealer was going to replace them under warranty so they ordered the parts which were back ordered and took a month to get them so when I went back for them to replace them, they decided they would not be able to replace under warranty.  It was like $1400 it was going to cost me so I figured I would try and do myself so I ended up going ahead and buying the axles from the dealer before another dealer tried to get these since it would be no telling when two more would be available.  The dealer price was like $250-$260/each but I got them down to $200/each.  For the install the dealer said it would take like 8 hours for installation.   I completed it in my garage in about 3 hours.  Before doing this I searched the web high and low on how to change the axles out and did not find much so I wanted to walk through the steps from what I recall and may be it will help someone else out one day.  There was one YouTube video of a guy installing a lift kit that helped some but still didn't show everything I needed to see but enough to make me feel comfortable going ahead and trying it.  The only part I was worried about was how to get axle out of the differential case but that ended up being the easiest part of the job.

 

Note: I am not a mechanic just a Diy'er

 

1. Obviously park on level ground and put parking brake on.  Put stops behind back wheels (I did not do)

2. Set Jack under truck and go ahead jack enough to apply some pressure then break lug nuts on wheels loose and after that finish jacking truck up high enough up to get the wheel off.

3.  Lower truck on appropriate jack stands and I would leave the jack in place as well for extra safety unless you need it which I don't think you will on this install.

4. Remove axle nut with a 36mm socket which will require a strong impact wrench or a regular socket wrench and probably need a cheater bar or a piece of pipe laying around to break it loose.  If you have to muscle it with a regular socket wrench you will need a pry bar to place between lugs while breaking the nut loose to keep rotor from spinning.

5.This can be done before step 4 but doesn't matter.  Remove all 10mm nuts from knuckle that are holding a sensor and brake lines on.  

6. Remove Brake Caliper (before removing this find a s hook, wire , rope or something to place on the truck frame somewhere to hang the caliper on or if have something you can put under the truck that will hold it to keep pressure off the brake lines) which has 2 bolts holding it on I can't remember the size but I think they were 18mm or 22mm maybe.  

7. After that you will need a star bit to remove the brake disk/rotor and sorry but not sure on the size bit but I want to say a t25, t30 or maybe t35

8. Now would be a good time to push the axle through the hub (I don't want to recommend this but I think it'll be fine but I got a block of wood and placed on the axle stem where nut threads on and hit with a sledge hammer a few times and this didn't mess anything up, you could probably even tap it without the wood but may risk damaging threading but if your replacing that doesn't really matter unless you want to do like I plan to do and fix up the old axles for spares)  I think the video I saw the guy used some kind of air punch to push it through the hub.

9.  Remove the 18mm nut that holds the upper control arm and knuckle together. 

10. Remove the 21mm nut that holds the steering control arm to the knuckle.

11. When you have the axle where it is freely moving in the hub then remove the lower control arm nut.  Cant recall size but I believe its an 18mm as well. set the knuckle to the side.  (i set mine to the side and after i finished I had a squealing noise from where I laid the knuckle down and it bent the dust cover and made it rub on the rotor)  

12.  You have to remove the axle from the differential which is just prying it out.  I used a crowbar or big flat head screw driver and put right between axle and differential and pried it out with a little force which I only had 7k miles on the truck at the time so it came out pretty easy.

13.  All you have to do now is get the new axle and push the one end in to differential case and then put everything back together in reverse order.  

14. After you have it all back together except the wheel.  Spin the rotor with your hand and make sure it doesn't rub against dust shield.  If it does its probably on bottom of rotor or something and you can pry it away with a screw driver and test again.  If no sound is made put the wheel back on.

 

 

I don't think I had to on this project but you may have to take the sway bar nut off with an 18mm and probably going to need impact wrench for that.  I am pretty sure you don't have to remove it to do the axles.  Also if you do have to you will need the jack for this so you can jack the lower control arm up to get the sway bar bolt back  through the hole in the lower control arm and get the nut on.

 

other tips

1. have paper towels near by

2. I got a mechanic type stool with wheels that has adjustable height and it will save your back and has a pan for tools on the bottom.

3. use brake cleaner for cleaning grease off garage floor or tools.

4. use fast orange to clean hands

5. take your time and don't panic lol

6. be prepared for wife to complain about you being outside so long because she doesn't understand how aggravated you are while your wondering why you even did this project yourself because its a PIA.

7.  I could've got axles off gm parts online stores for a little cheaper but they were out of stock at the time.

8. Use an impact wrench whenever you can but know its limits.  Don't use it to install the brake line mounts on the knuckle but do use to take off. 

9. Play Morgan Wallen while doing the install.

10. Dont finish your 12 pack to quick while in the middle of the install.

11. Dont complain to me if you messed something up this is just what I went through because again I am not a mechanic by no means.

12.  Keep the nuts and bolts organized in a way that will make it easy to know where it goes.

 

 

[BIGDOGx]

Did you figure out why the boots ripped first?

 

These are suppose to last for a good amount of time, my truck is going on 8 years old and not a problem with them, nor did i ever have an issue with my previous 2005 for ten years of owning that truck..

 

I'm taking it you have a aftermarket lift or have changed suspension angles and it most likely will just destroy the boots you just put on if you

didn't correct what caused them to fail in the first place.

[andrewb24]

18 minutes ago, BIGDOGx said:

Did you figure out why the boots ripped first?

 

These are suppose to last for a good amount of time, my truck is going on 8 years old and not a problem with them, nor did i ever have an issue with my previous 2005 for ten years of owning that truck..

 

I'm taking it you have a aftermarket lift or have changed suspension angles and it most likely will just destroy the boots you just put on if you

didn't correct what caused them to fail in the first place.

I had a local truck accessories shop install a lower rough country 2" kit and I didn't like how close the axle was.  I also wanted a little more lift and decided to get a 2.5" motofab leveling kit for upper strut  and decided to install myself. While installing I noticed a boot already had a clamp missing and I know the shop messed it up because that put a zip tie on it.  After installing the opposite side of the damaged one i guess i somehow knocked off a clamp I guess not knowing what I was doing at the time and also an inner boot must have had a small hole because i could see a little bit of grease on it.  So basically the install is what caused them to tear.  Which I didnt think was that big of deal until i went to try and just put new clamps on but couldnt get them where i was satisfied and decided to replace the whole axle while they were available.