CV joint

[smokinrz]

First post!

I have 101 projects and I've done a search on CV joints and got some good info and now I'm about to attempt it on my 87 Targa. I purchased the car in San Jose and drove it back to Dallas in October. A plume of smoke kept passing me when I would stop after exiting the interstate. I couldn't find any leaks and it wasn't coming out of the exhaust. After getting back home (1,800 miles in day and a half) and looking around under the car I found the mess on the outer CV boot on the drivers side. The car has been grounded ever since.

I have 1/2 inch drive 32 mm impact socket for the axle nut and the flange bolts are regular hex. Should I use my impact wrench on the axle nut or just use my 18" breaker bar with an old motorcycle fork tube as a jesus bar? Should I just pony up for the 3/4 inch drive route from Harbor Freight? I would love to do this in one day! What parts do I need?

There is a faint whine when I lug it in the lower RPMs, after doing a search it appears that this is normal. However, my Audi 4000 did the same thing, after I had one axles replaced it went away. Should I just replace the whole axle? The car has 138,000 miles so I'm sure the joints have seen some service at some point (regular hex bolts). It used a little over a quart of oil on the trip back so I'm very happy I have wanted a 911 for over 25 years but something else would always pop up. This time I held out.

[yelcab1]

Your 18" breaker bar is not goona cut it. Try a 3/4 socket, 3/4 breaker bar, with a 6 foot pipe for additional leverage. People have gone to 9 foot pipes.

It is not a requirement to change the entire axle, just easier.

[cowtown]

Congratulations on the new car! I just sold my '88 Targa after ~7 years of ownership, so I'm more familiar with that axle nut than I really want to be. The first time I removed the axles, I didn't have air tools, and used a breaker bar with 1/2" Craftsman tools. I bounced my entire weight (195lbs) on a 4-5' bar, and snapped the Sears extension into two pieces. The nut actually laughed at me. I'd never had that happen before.

Air impact tools make it a much simpler proposition, but you still should soak the nut for 2-3 days with PB Blaster or similar. 3/4" drive would also be a good idea, but I think with impact tools the 1/2" might work (it did for me - it was only with the breaker bar that I snapped them).

And make sure the car is on the ground when you remove the nut - just remove the wheel center cap and go in with the wheel still bolted on.

Good luck!