On the Passenger Side
So today, on the passenger side, I actually did have to replace the CV axle itself, since Megumi’s inner boot had a small tear:
So, I chopped it in half…
…and used Megumi as a jig to hold the hub to allow me to remove the nut:
Came off no problem with PB, heat and a cheater bar.
I didn’t manage to fully “de-stake” either nut, but was able to move the flange just enough so that they broke free:
I had to drop the front of the exhaust to be able to get the angle I needed to knock the inner joint free:
Megumi’s front hub and strut in place:
And all buttoned up with new CV axle:
I also remembered to mark the front pulley for future reference:
Never hurts to make that little dent more obvious.
So…Nori drives PERFECTLY now. The juddering in 2nd and 3rd is totally gone, as is the lash in the driveline and clunks from the front suspension. He’s just a magic carpet ride of little Mazda V6 smoothness and a sweet shifting 5-speed.
Still a host of little issues to sort out, but all in all, a very satisfying weekend’s work.