***VERY IMPORTANT*** When you install the axle and you have the inner joint mounted to the intermediate shaft (passenger side) or transmission (driver side), you NEED to tap it in with a big hammer by hitting the outside end of the axle to ensure it is fully inserted. Pressing it in by hand is not enough! You can actually sense a change in the sound of the tapping and feel it bottom out when its fully seated. If its not fully seated you can experience a wobble at freeway speeds. I recommend buying used OEM axles (you can find on eBay or getting one from an LKQ salvage yard), there's nothing out there that lasts and performs as good as the OEM axles.
@@saitekina_og9271 $499 is a lot of money. Acura used to sell remanufactured axles for $250, they discontinued those. A lot of people go with Raxles, but you'll still pay about $300 per axle. Another option is Insane Shafts, they make axles for racing applications and cost a little over $200. You can also check out what partsgeek.com has in inventory. Whatever you do, don't buy AutoZone duralast axles for your Acura, they have a tendency to vibrate and wobble.
I agree. Here in southern California the rust isn't as bad as the colder states. I've lived my whole life here and didn't realize it was that bad in other places. One more thing for me to be grateful for 😁
@@ChavezDIY Truly blessed, I started this just about 2 weeks ago an had to quick cause of stuck bolts but I'm a novice so didn't no better, now I'm much more prepared an even went the mile an got air tools lol😍😍😍😍😍 been watching ur vid for a refresher
@@ChavezDIY I just put had a passenger side axel replace like 4 weeks ago, yesterday whn I put the car on the lift an took the wheels off the was grease all around the axel boot whr it goes into the transmission I didn't see an tears but it has to me coming from sumwhr an it's a lot!!!!!!!!
Seriously! I watch these guys in Cali do these jobs no problem. I’m out here in MN torching everything and breaking bolts and turning 30 min jobs into 5 hour jobs all because I think snow looks pretty.
When I use the ball joint seperator, I left the castle nut on which ended up bending the ball joint stud which forced me to replace the ball joint. I don't recommended leaving on the castle nut.
Miguel, Thanks for the video. Your explanations were simple and to the point. Also, I think you’re the first (and perhaps only) person to post about the passenger side cv axle. Anyway, BZs to you. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, at the time I made the video I didn't see anyone showing how to remove the passenger side. I'm happy to hear people are still interested in working on their cars =)
Nice work! The first time was the hardest for me. I used a chisel once too but it put some dents into that axle cup end, haha. Looking back, the best method would be to use a large brass drift punch (1/2 inch or 3/4) and give it a good whack with a large hammer. Brass won't make dents or damage other metal parts.
Miguel Chavez after some research, the outer Boot is torn. I’m just going to replace it and pray for the best. But if I do have to replace it OEM PLUS is the way 😔
@@BeforeTheStorm that's a good idea. You can check and make sure there is no damage to the metal while you do that job. I've done the boot replacement a few times on my TSX. Let me know if you need any help.
You make it look quick and easy. I have to replace both (again), this time I have to do the work. Wish me luck....or tell me you're SoCal local and offer repair help/services. Hahaha!! Cheers!
That's because I edit out all my moments of struggle, haha! Its the editing that makes it look quick and easy. What brand axles are you using this time around? I lose motivation doing the same job over again. I have offered to help people, but not do the whole job for them, haha. I don't have the stamina of a mechanic.
@@ChavezDIY Found out that I put in Duralast Gold in 2019. Turns out they're still under warranty, so just have to swap. Mechanic work IS hard, always reaching in awkward positions. Gonna take a stab at it. Appreciate you taking time to talk about your older vids. Let me know if you ever need a car with problems to feature in your HOW TO vids, haha. I got oil leak somewhere, weird idle when stopped (have to put in N to reduce vibration), bad window switch, faulty visor, brake burp/noise after start up w/slow roll down a hill, leaking rack n pinion, jerky transmission when starting up a hill, and....think thats it. : ) All these issues, but wont get rid of it, love my car, hit 300K last month. So with me alone you have content til 2022, haha. Does feel good after you fix an issue and are back cruizin the TSX.
@@elduran8686 Years ago I drove my TSX with a busted AC in Northridge to see a therapy client. I drove with the windows down, it was 103 outside LOL! I learned my lesson and fixed the AC myself.
@@elduran8686 damn, I thought my TSX needed a lot of work, hearing about yours makes me feel blessed. I won't get rid of my car either. I probably have about half a dozen more videos to make with the TSX. Yeah it feels great when I successfully fix a new problem. But repeat problems get annoying, haha.
Cool video and very detailed. I disagree with disconnecting the sway bar link and the lower ball joint. It is much easier to disconnect the outer tie rod and upper ball joint. That will give you similar leverage to pull the spindle forward and get the axle out.
I have tried both methods and I agree with you that it is easier to disconnect from the upper ball joint. I chose the lower ball joint method because I wanted to follow what the OEM service manual states. I will be working on the driver side axle soon and plan to disconnect from the upper ball joint.
One thing I recommend for alleviating the pain and suffering of having to jack around with the entire hub assembly while holding it up is to get a ratchet strap then wrap it around the wheel studs and potentially lift it up a little. I ended up doing this when replacing the lower control arms.
It's a lot of work lifting the knuckle and hub assembly, I get a good work out from it. What do you attach the ratchet strap to at the top? I replaced the lower control arms the same way too, haha. The next time I work in this area, I will just hold up the brake caliper to the side and remove the rotors to reduce the weight. I did that once and it was super easy to maneuver the steering knuckle around.
@@ChavezDIY Honestly if I know I am going to be in and out - to the upper control arm and strut tower. I did that ONLY to lift the hub assembly up to help me get it out of the LCA.
I know that this is an old video, but im having a difficult time getting the driver side axle out. The space around where yourr supposed to pry it out is very limited. Therefore, i cant actually get the end of a pry bar between the axle and the differential. What else can i do? I also tried using a flat head to pry, but with no luck. Any suggestions?
What's the year and model of your car? Why didn't the flat head work? That's what I was thinking, but a big strong one that you can hit with a hammer on the back to ram it in. A cold chisel is another idea. To help lubricate that gap you can spray some PB blaster in there.
Should I hear a click or feel a click when I put it in? I have the passenger side installed, I pushed hard but maybe not hard enough? I also hit it in with a hammer with the axel nut flush when i installed it. I can easily pull it out. When I install it, should it be hard to get it back out?
The c-clip at the end of the axle compresses when it enters the hole and then it expands when the axle is fully inserted. The c-clip locks the axle from being pulled out by hand and it should not be easy to pull out. I don't think you'll be able to hear a click. But when you tap in the axle with the hammer you will notice a difference in the sound from like hollow to more solid sound and you will feel it bottom out and no longer move further in. Make sure that you put a liberal amount of grease on the c-clip and the splines to help it slide in. I wonder if the c-clip is worn out and maybe not locking? Check the video description, I have a link to a video by scotty kilmer where he shows how to tap in the axle.
Hey, great video I just had a concern. I recently changed my CV axel for both sides but after installation when driving it starts to vibrate when hitting 15-25 miles an hour.
Are the vibrations at 15-25 mph occurring when accelerating or when coasting or both? Are the vibrations stronger on the driver side or passenger side or same? I would look into a wheel balance issue. Check your tire pressure and make sure it is up to specifications. Rotate the tires, move the two front tires to the rear. If the vibration moves to the rear it may be a wheel balance issue. What brand of axles did you use? I didn't have good luck with the AutoZone axles on my TSX, they caused vibration at hard acceleration like when going on the freeway on-ramp.
@@ChavezDIY I bought FVP from rock auto it only does it accelerating past 15-25 mph would It because of aftermarket or you recommend getting the tires balanced because I can feel the vibration from my feet like where the axel was replaced.
The vibration seems significant and it sounds more like an axle issue rather than a wheel balance issue. Other people have reported vibration issues when using cheap aftermarket axles on the TSX. Did you do the installation or did a shop do it? The only issue that could come up when installing them yourself is that you need to tap the axles in (with a hammer from the outside end of the shaft) to make sure they're fully seated in the transmission. If the installation is good then the problem is the axles.
@@lovesavage2162 Yes, hammer the end where where the knuckle is at. Scotty Kilmer covers that part here in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bH98nX8fb6M.htmlsi=nV5lqGa4UPHVaa5y&t=154
What's up brother. I'm currently looking in to replacing both axles. Did you have to drain the trans fluid to do this? Or can i just remove the axles without any trans oil leaking out?
@@Alvaresmaico20 OEM is way too expensive for a car past 10yrs old. I bought one Raxles axle and it was expensive and not as good as OEM. They claim their stuff exceeds OEM specs LOL! The only part they use that's OEM is the metal core. The outer CV joint on the Raxles axle is binding, its in my garage, I still gotta send it in ($320 for a bad axle) and pay shipping myself. I can't recommend Raxles. Next time I'd rather go with Insane Shafts, they sell axles for racing applications and cheaper than Raxles. Go with Insane Shafts or check out the selection on partsgeek.com What I ended up doing is rebuilding my OEM axle with parts from another OEM axle from the salvage yard. I bought the OEM boot kit (comes with the grease) though. I searched LKQ inventory online and pulled an axle from another TSX that didn't have the boot torn. You also want to flex the joints and make sure they're not binding before buying. I also bought a used OEM axle from ebay and only one CV joint was good, the other joint was also binding.
The right side of car has the longer cv axle. All RockAuto sells is the outer part. I need the inner part and the bearing bracket. Where do you find the inner cv axle that can ship to an APO box. My vehicle is actually a 2006 Honda Accord which is the same as an Acura TSX in the states.
Yes, the passenger wheel of the car is farther away from the transmission (compared to the driver side) and has a "CV intermediate shaft" that links the transmission to the passenger side CV axle. The bearing in the intermediate shaft can be purchased from any honda dealer. The intermediate shaft itself is very expensive from the dealer. Your best bet is to purchase a used one on eBay. Your second best bet is to go to the salvage yard and remove it from another accord or tsx yourself.
@@ChavezDIY Great Miguel! Yeah I've owned mine since 2009. I have 155k on it. I've had 1 cv joint changed (RAXL) 6 years ago because a mechanic shoved a screw driver through my boot during a front wheel bearing press install and tried to hide it by putting glue on it. You know a great deal and really liked the way you filmed the repair. I spoke to the other youtube fella on here Josh Clymer who has over 500,000 miles on his TSX. Pretty much just keeping up with worn parts and the maintenance schedule. I'm also pretty experienced in maintaining the TSX and do most of the work myself (except for the cv axle and front bearings) so if you have any questions on something I may have done it already. Again thanks for the detailed video I'll be using it for my other axle.. A few tips off the top of my head for things most people won't think of that'll cause them a headache. 1.) ASP sensor attached to the passenger side firewall in the engine bay. It is not sealed against the elements where the wires enter the plug. The ASP is similar to a TPS. Dirt/dust over time will accumulate on the sensor plug and cause your OBDII to go into a safe/limp mode (lose almost all power and throw engine codes). If you want to demonstrate on video, use a clean alcohol wipe and clean the connector and you'll see all the dirt that comes up. Then spray it down with Electrical cleaner or Throttle body sensor spray. Most people will see the APS sensor code check light and spend 350 dollars replacing the whole APS when all it needs is the dirt cleaned off it. 2.) Front hood latch / alarm sensor: The hood latch has a sensor on it that tells your security system it is completely shut. When you Double click your "lock" button on the key FOB it'll beep. If it doesn't beep it means a door is open. It accounts for the trunk and hood. The hood latch/sensor is exposed to large amounts of dirt/bugs grime etc. This requires cleaning as well so that sensor (thin metal bar that makes contact completing a circuit) is able to actuate. If not your car's alarm will randomly go off and not activate when you want it to.
Check to see if you accidentally damaged the ABS/speed sensor cable that goes on the steering knuckle. Did you replace your axles? One side or both sides? It could also be a sign that your wheel bearing is bad. It might be helpful to get an OBD2 scanner that reads ABS codes. Not all code readers are able to read ABS codes.
I replaced just the passenger side. I did remove the the whole knuckle from the car since I replaced a lower ball joint. I did notice when I was taking off the ABS/speed sensor that it was super hard to remove. I do have a scanner I’ll run it for codes. I didn’t have the codes before either…
Hi, I have a 2012 Acura tsx special edition 2.4l and I am starting to feel a small shake when driving in slow speed! Do you have any idea what can be the cause of this issue?
It's hard to give feedback without more information. How slow are you going when you feel the shake? Does it happen when you are accelerating, coasting, or braking? Do you feel a shake in the whole car or just a shake in the steering wheel? Does the shake feel more like the engine is choking or the car is just vibrating?
@@alfredoalvarez3426 I don't really know. Sounds like something related to the engine or transmission. I would first check the engine and transmission mounts to see if they're cracked or broken. Make sure you are on top fluid changes (oil and transmission). You could search google for the same problem ("vibration gas pedal low speeds") and see what other people found. List the potential issues and start eliminating things by checking them.
Hey man, do you know if the axles are different in the manual transmission? I have a manual 1st gen TSX and idk if the axles are the same in the auto and manual.
I don't think there are different axles for automatic and manual transmissions on the TSX. They're the same. I did a search on autozone and I was able to find the axles without specifying transmission type. I also did a search with the Acura dealer online and there is no distinguishing between automatic and manual transmission axle, its just identified under the driveshaft.
Hey Miguel, I just put some new axles in for my manual 1st gen TSX and I installed the long and short shaft on my car.. would you happen to know why I’m feeling a shaking in my steering wheel after putting in new axles? Btw my car is lowered on Coilovers. And does have aftermarket front control arms.
Its hard to pinpoint steering wheel vibrations. It could be the use of aftermarket axles (especially if you use AutoZone axles), an error in installation, or other suspension components wearing out. What brand axles did you use? Is your vibration at freeway speeds? Does it happen when you're coasting? Does it happen only when you are accelerating hard like the on-ramp of a freeway? In the description of the video I mention tapping the axle in to make sure its fully inserted, did you make sure they're fully inserted?
The passenger and driver side axles are different lengths, but there is only one size for each side. I have also read people say they had the wrong size on some aftermarket axles. Seems to be a rare occasion and probably due to errors from the company making those aftermarket axles. New OEM axles are crazy expensive. Even Raxles are expensive. I considered buying insane shafts since they make axles for racing applications and have read good things. I recently successfully rebuilt my OEM axle using parts from another used OEM axle and new OEM boot kits. I recorded the rebuild but haven't have the time to edit and post it since the pandemic has taken away most of what used to be free time.
You're welcome! Axles can be challenging to diagnose for problems and once you go aftermarket your car may not ride the same again. I recorded a video on my experience rebuilding my axle I just have not had the time to do the editing.
Thanks! Honda axles can be a headache. Most of the aftermarket ones will make your steering wheel shimmy, the new OEM axles are super expensive, Acura no longer sells remanufactured axles for this generation, and its a challenge to pull them from the salvage yard but you could find some good OEM axles there. Raxles is a good source for a new axle but they're still expensive, I bought the driver side CV axle from Raxles and in total it cost me $326.
What do you do if it's so stuck that beating the end of the axle with a hammer ( and a piece of wood to soften the blow) and it still won't come out. It means your method doesn't work.
Where I live I don't deal with a lot of rust so it never took much to remove the axle from wheel hub (assuming that's what you're referring to). I've seen other people thread the nut back on the outer end of the axle to protect the threads and just bang it out with a hammer. PB Blaster can also help. Use whatever is clever.
So I have a 09 Honda Accord CU2 2.4 (Acura TSX 2nd Gen), which I believe has driveshaft issue (Car vibrates horribly under acceleration above 50ish MPH, I've done other things to try and fix the problem but it still persists) What i've noticed is the CL cars seem easy to get replacement driveshafts, but for my car I can't seem to find someone selling the whole part, or I see companies i've never heard of selling parts of the driveshaft seperately. Anyone able to advise?
Did you lower the suspension on your 2nd Gen TSX? I had the same problem after lowering my TSX on Eibach springs. It seems to be a common issue when lowering the TSX. Your specific symptoms are generally associated with the inboard CV joint of the Axle. I had a bad experience using AutoZone Duralast axles, the problem never went away (still vibrated). I bought an axle from Raxles back in November and the outboard joint is now binding and vibrates on freeway speeds. What I did was grabbed an axle from another TSX at the salvage yard and rebuilt an OEM axle. Now my problem has been solved. I used OEM boot kits and all OEM internal parts. I actually just finished recording the axle rebuild video, but its going to take a couple of weeks to edit and publish it. If you're brave, check LKQ website and sign up for notifications when a TSX arrives at one of their yards near your house and source the inboard joint from there. The shaft length may be different from the 1st Gen to the 2nd Gen, but the CV joint parts should be the same.
@@TheUncleGoat Interesting. If no boots are torn, then its just normal wear and tear on top of the fact that its an 11 year old car or so and the grease inside those boots start losing their ability to lubricate and cool the metal CV joint parts. If you want to prevent the rest of the joints from going out, you'll want to buy the OEM boot kits for the rest of the CV joints and regrease them.
No need to take apart the lower ball joint or the to bolt on the wishbone just remove the bottom bolt on the wishbone and with the upper ball joint out lower the control arm down and move the strut to the right you’ll have enough room to get the axel out
You don't have to replace the intermediate shaft when you replace an axle. The intermediate shaft doesn't get as much wear as the CV axles. If the transmission seal is leaking on passenger side, then youll need to remove the intermediate shaft to get to it. At about 95kmi, when I repaired the inner joint of the passenger CV axle, I was curious and replaced the intermediate shaft bearing and found the old bearing was as good as the new bearing. It was a waste of money changing the intermediate shaft bearing, but that's how you learn, haha.
@@Ryo_sukuna36 awesome. I've seen that brand but don't know much about it. Honda's have a reputation of experiencing a wobble at freeway speeds with aftermarket axles. On my TSX I installed some duralast axles a few years ago and experienced the wobble so I reinstalled the OEM axles and fixed the inboard passenger joint with OEM parts and it solved my vibration problem. After a week of running those axles, let me know your experience.
The pickle fork type tore my boot. With this type just make sure you don't pinch the boot when you slide it under the boot. I sometimes rub grease on the rounded top part of the tool that comes in contact with the boot. I haven't had any issues with this tool.
You don't have to get it precisely torqued to spec, but get it close enough. If you go over the torque spec then you risk stripping a bolt, breaking a bolt, or warping parts. If you under torque, you risk bolts coming loose. The reason why I torque to spec is because i'm not a mechanic so I don't have a good feel for how tight certain bolts are supposed to be. Some experienced mechanics don't use a torque wrench but they have an idea of how much to tighten bolts.
SKU per Acura is 44305-SEA-N00. This part number applies to all the automatic first generation TSXs (04-08). Its very expensive buying a new axle from the dealer and the dealers no longer sell remanufactured axles. Next best thing is buying from Raxles, which is still expensive at $326 for one side (passenger or driver) total with taxes and two way shipping (you have to send back an original OEM axle core). I was considering Insane Shafts at about $220 (plus taxes and shipping). The cheapest option is to pull one from the salvage yard, LKQ has a good online system that lets you know their inventory. I did that and was surprised to find an OEM axle. Youll see the number/letters SEA-N00 (or N01 or N02) stamped on the rubber (donut-.looking) damper that sits about middle of the shaft on the OEM axles. Just make sure the car you pull it from doesn't have torn boots and suspension was not lowered, or the inner joints will likely have some wear/damage that could make it wobble at freeway speeds. Take apart the OEM axle from the salvage yard and make sure all the metal parts are smooth with no scarring, then you can replace the boots and grease with an OEM boot kit. Boot kit number is 44018-S9A-020 and there's an inboard and outboard kit, the difference in the boot kits is on the flex of the boot, but the grease is the same yellow grease.
