88 drive axles

[shoreice]

I have a clicking noise in the front end on turns, also feels like the engine rocks back and forth when starting or stoping. A former tranny shop owner said CV joints are going bad. Is this likely and are the joints rebuildable or do I need to buy new drive axles? GMPartsdirect says discontued without replacement so any leads are greatly apperciated. Thanks guys, Kenny

[Vincent Vega]

I have puchased aftermarket axles from the local CarQuest. It is not a terribly difficult job to remove them. Don't waste your time with rebuilding them. If I recall, a Reman was about 65.00. Replace the shaft seals on the transaxle while you have them out. Check Rockauto dot com.

[JWC]

How hard is it to replace the seals on the transaxle once the axles are out?

[Vincent Vega]

I use one of the hook type pullers. It usually requires a little freindly persuasion with a punch/chisel to lossen up the seal enough to allow the puller to work. I've found if I don't do that, the puller just tears the metal part of the seal. I don't like to get the hook next to the housing as I have scratched them in the past. To install them be very careful! It is really easy to distort the face of the seal. Use a block of wood. Resist the temptation to use a big socket. You will destroy the new seal. I keep the two new seals I destroyed in my toolbox to remind to be careful. There are seal installer kits available. I don't own one.

[Guest F14CRAZY]

I bought reman-ed shafts from Advance last winter and installed them along with new struts before supercharging. It's a pain, but not too impossible. From what I know, you have to remove the struts. With some wrestling, the shaft should come out of the hub assembly without having to remove it from the ball joint, though it's probably better to go ahead and remove it, since you'll probably spend more time wrestling with it to get it out than if you just removed it from the ball joint <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />. Remember to remove the big nut before everything else.

[Guest DTerry]

The answer to your original question is yes, this is likely. A clicking noise coming from the vicinity of the wheels during a sharp turn is characteristic of failing constant velocity joints. They are rebuildable, pretty inexpensively, and I did it one time. It's not worth the trouble. Replacing the axle half-shaft is pretty simple and a whole lot easier. Plus, I never have a lot of confidence in things I rebuild in my garage. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />