# replaced CV shaft this weekend



## Kraut-n-Rice (Jan 10, 2007)

I have some tips for the un-initiated . 
First remove the outer cotter pin, with the tire on the ground use a large breaker bar plus 36mm socket to get the outer CV nut loosened. To do the job , buy a new end link if you think it may break on removal along with the CV shaft . 
The shop manual says to remove the strut to knuckle bolts , if its a car from a winter /northern climate these are frozen. I worked with heat and tools for 10 minutes then rethought things.


Disconnect the link and tie rod end , then unbolt the 3 strut nuts on top of the shock tower and lean the entire assembly out . Only do the leaning after taking the caliper off and hanging it out of the way . I unclipped the brake hose and hung the caliper from the shield bolt with some wire.
That made the rest of the replacement a breeze. It went very fast after that. :givebeer:


----------



## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

I've always just seperated the knuckle from the lower ball joint, slid the axle spindle out of the hub & turned the strut/brake assy. out of the way. Then, popped the axle and pulled it out.


----------



## Kraut-n-Rice (Jan 10, 2007)

In the Midwest with salt used on winter roads, the lower balljoint would have been a struggle to remove . The upper strut bolts are clean and unrusted in the engine compartment , no struggle to remove.

The salt brine they are using now in some places is worse than rock salt and has accelerated any rust on cars . Even my 14 yr old Audi was rust free until 3 yrs ago when they started using brine in our area.
Its going into the bodyshop this weekend to get the right doors resprayed.

As for the Altima I was removing the RH shaft with the carrier bearing . I had it lifted at the rh rocker with jack stands because I was also swapping a tire back to the rear and taking the space saver off the rear tire.

The rest of the story is my daughter hit a pothole and a steel plate in the road on Friday night . Punctured the rh tire and tore the right CV boot . Luckily it didn't catch the shaft itself or it would have done major damage .
Friends at tire shop and parts stores fixed me up with a Yokohama 205/60/16 , CV shaft and the link , totaled $140 .


----------

