How difficult would it be for me to replace my front axel’s on a 89 Honda Civic SI. Would I need any special tools?
I am fair to medium mechainically inclined.
Check a service manual, although be aware that changing a CV axle is usually about ten times harder than it looks in the manual. You don’t strictly need any special tools, but there are ones that having will make it go a lot faster like a slide-hammer and possibly a ball-joint separator.
It’s not beyond a moderately skilled shade-tree mechanic, but it is one of the few things I don’t do anymore. My reasoning is that this job is SO much easier with the correct tools and specialized knowledge that a good independant mechanic can usually do it in an hour to an hour and a half. He can also probably get the part cheaper, so in the end you’re saving very little by doing it yourself and it will take you at least a full afternoon and you will do a lot of cursing!
Thanks, well stated, I will go to my mechanic.
It’s also something I would not want to try without the car on a rack. Steve, you’re making a wise decision to go to a shop and pay the $.