$168 solution to replacing both drive shafts, "quality" circlips?

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Dreading the thought of spending ever more time trying to extract both old driveshafts in my PS+AC Festy with 150+K and unknown history until I bought it about 5K miles (and five years) ago, I rang up the nearby Ford dealer and was quoted "1 hour for one, 1.5 hours for both, at $112/hr" plus $100 per driveshaft for the parts (about a 50% markup over Napa).

For an extra $15/side, they'll install new seals in the gearbox, including the parts.

I've already determined that both driveshafts are stuck on this vehicle.

This sounds like a reasonable price for making this somebody else's problem! I haven't patronized a dealer in many years. If they quote me this price, can they come back and say "It took more work than we thought to get the old driveshafts out, so we need to charge you more money?" Doesn't an "estimate" these days have a plus-10% limit on it?

BTW, does anybody know of a source for "quality" circlips to put on the new driveshafts vs. the cheapo one that comes with them, with an eye toward making them come out easier next time? It's a 91 or 92 manual 5-speed.

[Spike]

If they can't come back, go for it. Dealers deserve this kind of harassment for the prices they charge!

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I found this in WA law:

"The repair facility may not charge the customer more than one hundred ten percent, exclusive of retail sales tax, of the total shown on the written price estimate. Neither of these limitations apply if, before providing additional parts or labor the repair facility obtains either the oral or written authorization of the customer, or the customer's designee, to exceed the written price estimate. The repair facility or its representative shall note on the estimate the date and time of obtaining an oral authorization, the additional parts and labor required, the estimated cost of the additional parts and labor, or where collision repair is involved, aftermarket body parts or nonoriginal equipment manufacturer body parts, if applicable, the name or identification number of the employee who obtains the authorization, and the name and telephone number of the person authorizing the additional costs."

Of course, this doesn't say what happens if they call me wanting to charge more and I decline. Do they just put it back to "on arrival" condition and charge me nothing, or do they get to charge me the $398 and do less than the whole job? Given that they have to pull the drive shafts out (one at a time, of course) before doing anything else, it's hard to see what "less than the whole job" might be, other than completing only one side.

[TominMO]

Mine were ridiculously stuck (at least for me). I tried all the remedies people usually use, and finally resorted to buying the Harbor Freight slide hammer for $60. Made a U-shaped tool from $7 worth of hardware-store brackets and fasteners for the end of the slide hammer to get behind the inner CV housing, and popped them out quite easily. Recommend that route before spending all that money at the dealer. I'll look for the thread that has my solution.

Edit: found it. See post #94 and following:

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?37901-Aspire-CV-axle-removal/page10&highlight=slide+hammer

[TominMO]

Possible alternative to my homemade tool part: use a ratchet strap, winding it around the inner CV housing, and hook it to the foot-shaped piece in the slide hammer kit. Not sure if any ratchet straps have small-enough hooks to fit into the hole on the foot thing tho.

[denguy]

So what could happen if you put the axles back in without the clips on the end?

[TominMO]

So what could happen if you put the axles back in without the clips on the end?

Probably they would pull out of the tranny during lock-to-lock turns, instead of the expansion happening at the CV joints themselves.

[bhazard]

Yeah it wouldn't be good.

[scitzz]

Inspect the circlip ahead of installation. Many times, they just need to be squeezed a little tighter, so they take up less space, if that is clear. Sometimes, the ones on there are way too thick as well. Our circlips should be this rinky dink little wire, basically. I have seen aftermarket ones with what looked like 8 GA wire.

[Damkid]

First thought that crosses my mind is how do you know the axles are stuck in the trans if you haven't tried removing them?

The axles don't seize into the tranny, so age and mileage shouldn't matter

Just my two cents

[TominMO]

He probably means the circlips are too expanded to get the axles out.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

How do I know both are stuck? I recently spend several hours trying to get them both out and got nowhere. The boots are ripped and they're making all kinds of crackling/clunking noises, so they're shot (along with the sway bar to chassis bushings which seem to be so hard to find).

[Damkid]

I missed that part then lol maybe it would be worth paying someone to change them then

[Grey Vw]

Just disconnect the axles and call it a day. I've been to hell and back trying to get axles out and lost. I even split the case to the point where I could hit the axle from the inside with a sledge and still lost.

[getnpsi]

It's all about resonate frequency. Its actually easier to do on your back not on a lift for a change. Get a small hammer and tap tap tap all over the axle bell with a steady pull and they will break free. You dont even have to hit hard. Yes, i did actually do it on a car that was a rusty one, not just on my California cars. Im sure by now all the wiggling you have done so far has busted any corrosion but pb blaster cant hurt either.