I was on my way out of the parking lot of the Papa Johns I work at yesterday night when I heard a crunch like I ran over a big piece of plastic, and then I was going nowhere. I rolled over to the side of the road and had a tow truck pull it to my mechanic. I figured it was the CV joint but he told me it was the axle, apparently it just snapped. My dad talked to him because I was at work today, and he said the mechanic quoted something like $250. I don't know if that seems way off but I'm hoping it's not much more than that.

Granted, I bought my car "lowered" and wasn't aware of how @!#$ty the suspension actually was until more recently. I've been saving my money to do it right, and I've been taking it as easy as possible. Where the parking lot and the road meet is like a 135º angle, and then the road slopes upwards. I was accelerating slightly when my car hit the meeting point of the lot and road, and turning uphill. That coupled with my "suspension" just owned my axle. Anybody else have problems like this, or is it pretty much because of my "suspension" + bad road conditions?

Change it yourself? It isnt that hard. I doubt it was your suspension though...just wear and tear.

I've never heard anything like that happen.. But really, do it yourself.. its cake.


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cavmania wrote:I've never heard anything like that happen.. But really, do it yourself.. its cake.

x1000



2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R

I would, but my mechanical experience is limited to installing an intake. I'd love to learn more about actually fixing/dealing with cars and their issues, but the only way to do that would be hands on and I don't want to break anything.

Eventually, you will become brave, o fellow padawan!


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We all drive in a yellow Cavalier...

lol careful on chaning your axle. while doing my motor swap, me and jeffie (satchmoe) were working on the car and i was under trying to pry the axle out. long story short, the bar slipped off the axle and my hand went straight into something hard and metal. its been about 3 months and i still have a nice scar on that finger lol

Well it's getting changed by the mechanic, the total price ended up being $210. Seeing as how my suspension is shot, I'm planning on getting it back to stock as soon as I can, but he said it'll be around $375 for the whole setup + install. Does that seem a little steep to you guys?

If you're going to go back to stock, get the springs from a dealer. Aftermarket "stock" springs are a crapshoot, and thats probably why his quote is so low for parts. IMO, you would be better off using some sort of reputable lowering spring.

If you can change your brakes, you can change an axle. The only two tools you need besides the brake tools are a 30mm socket and a T55 for the bearing. But $200 is about right for the hour of labor involved.

Well, I can't change my breaks... yet, so I guess I should get the mechanic to do it. Also, we were going to get the springs/struts from a junkyard car and put them onto mine. If I had the money, I'd already be on konis/eibachs, but I don't

seriously..get a haynes manual..its step by step and super easy. Especially the strut change. Strut change all around maybe takes an hr. So take a day and some beer and a haynes manual and have at it. Only one way to learn

I've got a 2002 with an Ecotec, should I buy the 2003+ manual or the '95 - '02 manual?

How are you ever going to learn to do stuff yourself if you don't actually do something yourself? The axle would have been a perfect learning experience for you. Working at Papa Johns you are never going to have money for stuff like konis/eibachs if you keep paying a mechanic. (I know I used to work there.)

Back when I just bought my z24 the mode slector HVAC did not work. It would blow out of the same position no matter where the knob was. I was a litle intimidated by the daunting task of removing the entire dash so I stupidly took it to the stealership. It cost me 700 bucks and when I got the car back the A piller trim was all scratched up and my radio did not work. and they broke my underdash neon light The dealership claimed that the trim was already scratched and that the radio was not a concern to them since it was aftermarket but did admit to breaking the neon and gave me 20 bucks off my bill. After that I decided I was going to man up act like I had some nuts and do whatever work my car needed on my own. I have since taken my entire interior out and swapped it to charcoal dash included.

I have never once been sorry I learned how to work on cars. I could not have the my car modded the way it is currently if I paid someone to do it all. I have faith in you that you can do the same. There are plenty of people here that are extremely knowledgable in whatever task you wish to acomplish. Don't be afraid. Ask lots of questions and don't worry that they might be stupid. Every one started somewhere. I do not know of anyone that popped out of their mom, sat up, and started talking to the doc about turbo upgrades for his Porcshe.



FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!

You have a godo point and I would have loved to attempt to replace the axle on my own, except I don't have a lift, and the car is still under my fathers insurance. I'm 19 and living with my father, and I highly doubt he would have allowed me to attempt it. He was giving me a hard time when I told him I wanted to install my intake (he took his to the mechanic to get it done... ) When I get my B&M short throw I plan on installing that myself, and hopefully by the time I get myself the Konis/Eibachs, I'll have a spare beater to drive around so if it takes me a while to learn, I can install my own suspension as well.

About the dash, how hard is it to take out/put back in? I've found some very sexy gauges, and I can't wait to grab a set of them, but I'd die at the idea of paying somebody else to put them in. Thanks.

Word of advice here: Don't ever pay someone to do your aftermarket stuff. As if the cost of the components isn't through the roof already, you'll pay an arm and a leg for them to "figure out" how to install your parts in your car.


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2002 Sunfire -->
- Ractive steering wheel
- ASA 17" EM9 + Nexen N5000 215/45/17 (steelies for winter)
- D-Spec Lowering kit @ 1.4" (issues currently )
- Rockford P250.1 + MTX MZS1004 + Panasonic CQ-C8313U head unit
- Barely legal tint.