[lapwizrus]

Hi,

In case anyone is wanting to replace the axles on their odyssey there is a pretty good writeup on happywrenching.com

Link: http://www.happywrenching.com/honda/odyssey/honda-odyssey-half-shaft-replacement-axle-removal-and-installation.html

 

[Mom'sTaxi]

Good write-up. I did my driver's side axle tonite and here are some additional tips.

An impact wrench and a 36 mm socket will easily remove the axle nut without prying out the staked indentation.

I tried popping out the lower ball joint, but no luck. Didn't have the right tools and an air hammer on the knuckle did nothing. The ball joint is stud-end up (opposite Accords and Civics) and normal tools won't work. Don't know if the Accord socket trick on YouTube would work, but I'll try it next time.

Plan B follows the happywrenching post. Remove the two strut bolts and the brake hose bracket bolt. You do not have to remove the wheel speed sensor. For the driver's side turn the steering wheel all the way to the left. With a little pushing and prying, the outer joint will come out of the hub.

There have been other posts on this site about difficulties popping the inner CV joint out from the transmission. I found a Wonder Bar is perfect for prying.

Mine would not come out , but I kept rotating the axle and prying and when I reached a certain position, it popped right out.

181 ft-lbs for the axle nut is best with the tire on the ground. Harbor Freight sell an inexpensive 300 ft-lb torque wrench (item #808) that will work for this and tightening harmonic damper bolts.

 

[lapwizrus]

Good points and its funny you should mention the ball joint as I just added that step in case someone wanted to go in that direction.

The only thing I would advise is that to keep as much load off of the axle when tightening the nut - if you can, keep the wheels off of the ground.

 

[Mom'sTaxi]

There is no load on the axle with the wheel on the ground. It is being carried by the wheel bearing.

 

[jvida]

How in the world do you get the inner bolt loose on the intermediate shaft. I've tried it from all angles and I just can't seem to get it.

 

[6-Speed]

You don't really need to remove the intermediate shaft to replace the half shaft. I used a long 1/2" diameter metal tree stake and a hammer to punch out the half-shaft housing from the intermediate shaft bearing assembly.

I did this job yesterday and ended up deforming the the lower ball joint stud with my fancy ball joint separator tool. Those ball joints are wedged in pretty tight after 175K miles ... sounded like a shotgun blast when it came apart. Now I have the motivation to replace the lower control arms, which have rotted compliance bushings. I used a pickle fork to separate the ball joint on the driver's side since I'm going to be replacing the LCA. I replaced both half shafts ... now just waiting for the lower control arms to arrive.

 

[6-Speed]

Good points and its funny you should mention the ball joint as I just added that step in case someone wanted to go in that direction.

The only thing I would advise is that to keep as much load off of the axle when tightening the nut - if you can, keep the wheels off of the ground.

The Haynes manual advises tightening the axle nut to spec after putting the wheel back on with the center cap removed and lowering the van.

But then I had to remove the wheel again to stake the nut; I couldn't stake it effectively through the center cap hole. Good thing my cordless impact wrench makes wheel removal & installation a snap.

 

[sontakke]

Two questions:-

1) What kind of torque wrench in the picture?
2) Which paint polish/wax? Paint is gleaming!

 

[6-Speed]

It is a Precision Instruments split-beam 1/2" drive torque wrench 40 to 250 lb-ft.



I use Collinite 845 Insulator wax. It's easy to apply and buffs off with little effort and it provides a good durable finish.

 

[6-Speed]

I used a ball joint separator tool on the passenger side lower ball joint and ended up deforming the threads on the stud to where the nut would no longer thread. Use these tools with caution. The tool may work fine for shorter ball joints, but I had the jaws almost as wide as they can open and it was squeezing the stud at an angle.



You can see the deformed ball joint stud on the right. I used a pickle fork and a big hammer to separate the other one. Didn't care about saving the boot since I was replacing the lower control arms.

 

[OdyinNH]

A BFH and a long bar pushing down on the control arm did the trick for me. A few whacks where the ball joint goes into and pop, done deal. BTW, cool torque wrench.

 

[gbonawitz]

Thanks for the various authors on this thread. I'm going to attempt to replace the driver's side axle on my '09 tomorrow. Question about the Plan B option (from HappyWrenching): if I do that method, do I have to get an alignment done after everything is back together? I happened to get some pages from the service manual, and if I read them correctly when changing the alignment you mess with that 2 damper bolts that are in Plan B.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JCsHonda]

I used a ball joint separator tool on the passenger side lower ball joint and ended up deforming the threads on the stud to where the nut would no longer thread.

I did this job yesterday and ended up deforming the the lower ball joint stud with my fancy ball joint separator tool.

Oh yeah, been there done that! Honda sells a cap that threads over the end of the stud for that very reason. I didn't know about that when I bought the separator from HF. I was able to salvage my threads with the help of a thread file though, so no new ball joint.

Excellent thread, thanks for the link and tips!

 

[gbonawitz]

Sorry - one more set of questions to go along with my post #12:

If I use Plan A or Plan B, should I replace the those 2 damper pinch bolts (Plan A) or the castle nut (Plan B)? The service manual states replace but I don't know if they are being ultra conservative or not.

I am already planning to use a new spindle nut regardless.

 

[6-Speed]

Oh yeah, been there done that! Honda sells a cap that threads over the end of the stud for that very reason. I didn't know about that when I bought the separator from HF. I was able to salvage my threads with the help of a thread file though, so no new ball joint.

Excellent thread, thanks for the link and tips!

I didn't know about that until I saw the cap in a Honda Service News. The part number for the 14mm cap is 071AF-S3VA000. It turns out that the ball joint was failing anyways; it was pretty loose.

 

[6-Speed]

Thanks for the various authors on this thread. I'm going to attempt to replace the driver's side axle on my '09 tomorrow. Question about the Plan B option (from HappyWrenching): if I do that method, do I have to get an alignment done after everything is back together? I happened to get some pages from the service manual, and if I read them correctly when changing the alignment you mess with that 2 damper bolts that are in Plan B.

Thanks in advance!

You should have the alignment checked any time you take apart the front suspension.

 

[gbonawitz]

You should have the alignment checked any time you take apart the front suspension.

Thanks for the response.

 

[gmcmickle]

I didn't know about that until I saw the cap in a Honda Service News. The part number for the 14mm cap is 071AF-S3VA000. It turns out that the ball joint was failing anyways; it was pretty loose.

I looked up this part and most everywhere wants $30 shipped. I'm just wondering if one couldn't use a couple of of nuts threaded together on the bolt as a DIY "cap"? Anyone know what the thread size is?

 

[sinbad]

The Haynes manual advises tightening the axle nut to spec after putting the wheel back on with the center cap removed and lowering the van.

But then I had to remove the wheel again to stake the nut; I couldn't stake it effectively through the center cap hole. Good thing my cordless impact wrench makes wheel removal & installation a snap.

What brand/model is your cordless impact wrench? I am ready to buy Makita 1/2 inch 18V cordless. There are two models: 3-speed ( 210 ft-lbs) and one speed (balls-out 325 ft-lbs). What is you advice?

 

[nitely2]

Save your money and get the inexpensive but reliable electric corded impact wrench from harbor freight Electric Impact Wrench - 1/2" This is the lowest sale price you can get it for. Grab one now. You really do not want to waste money on cordless impact wrench. Not only is it less powerful it will not last long. But this HF impact will work great on majority of your needs from lug nut removal to suspension work. I also highly recommend this matching socket set.... 13 Pc 1/2 in. Drive Metric Impact Deep Wall Socket Set. Good luck.

BTW, you use the impact wrench for fastener removal and the torque wrench for tightening back to specs. 80 ft lb for lugs.