Brother's 2009 Mazda5 front driver's side CV is making noise when he turns (maximum steer). How hard is it to replace? Does the OEM have to be cut to replace it with an after-market one?
Brother's 2009 Mazda5 front driver's side CV is making noise when he turns (maximum steer). How hard is it to replace? Does the OEM have to be cut to replace it with an after-market one?
You probably just replace the half axle, which is usually about $100-150 in parts and maybe $200 max in labor if done by a mechanic. I wonder if a boot was torn. The CV joints shouldn't be going out yet on an '09 unless the mileage is incredibly high.
You probably just replace the half axle, which is usually about $100-150 in parts and maybe $200 max in labor if done by a mechanic. I wonder if a boot was torn. The CV joints shouldn't be going out yet on an '09 unless the mileage is incredibly high.
Very little mileage in fact, which is why I was so surprised myself that the CV joint was making noise. I haven't jacked it up and checked yet, but I also suspect a torn boot.
I found a bunch of CV half-shaft assemblies on Rock Auto for approx. $60. Is the stock shaft assembly a single piece and would have to be cut in half to install an after-market half-shaft assembly? Would I also need to buy a CV joint boot separately (approx. $10)?
I found a bunch of CV half-shaft assemblies on Rock Auto for approx. $60. Is the stock shaft assembly a single piece and would have to be cut in half to install an after-market half-shaft assembly? Would I also need to buy a CV joint boot separately (approx. $10)?
A torn boot is easy to spot. Look under the car and check both the boot at the wheel and the boot at the transaxle. Most likely it is the boot on the wheel side since this articulates the most from both steering and suspension movements.
Half shaft assemblies usually mean the entire axle assembly for a single side of the car. You would normally get a new inboard CV, the inboard CV boot, the shaft, the outboard CV and the outboard CV boot.
You would only have to remove the axle assembly as it attaches to the transaxle and the big nut on the wheel side (after some suspension removal - ball joint or strut). Then install the new assembly as a unit.
You normally have to order an axle assembly per side of car - Mazda and many inline-4 cylinder engines have half-shafts of unequal lengths due to the transverse layout of the engine and transmission. Subaru on the other hand uses the same axle left and right because of the symmetric layout of the engine and transmission .
