Struts on 91 Accord, and right axle?

do you have a question?

and 91 accords are wishbone suspension, not strut. what you're talking about are the shocks, or "damper units". just to be pedantic.

Right, two questions then. Is it ok to ignore the need for new struts? And, will the axle collapse while I'm driving if I don't do anything about it?

My (limited) understanding is that shocks are fairly cheap to replace, but struts are a big deal and require suspension work and an alignment. And I really do not want the axle to fall off the car while I'm driving.

if they need to be replaced, replace them. otherwise, don't! take a pic of the one that's supposed to be leaking and post it on tinypic.com if you want an opinion.

pedantically, the 91 accord doesn't have axles - it's independent suspension front and rear. all a failing driveshaft will do is annoy you and make the car vibrate.

shocks on a honda are non-trivial to replace because there are coil springs over them. you need a special tool to safely disassemble and replace. however, you don't need to re-align because the wishbones set geometry and the shocks are independent of that. again, be sure you need to replace them.

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Regardless of what you call them, axles, cv shafts, propellor shafts etc., the clicking noise is coming from the cv joint. The axle will stop turning the wheel when the cv joint fails. I guess it could fall out if the joint came completely apart and separated into two parts. Possible but highly unlikely.

DaveD

Is a junkyard part worth doing or is the labor most of the cost?

Negative. Junkyard parts in this case are simply not worth it. Check with your local dealer and the local parts stores, such as NAPA, AutoZone, etc., check the price and the guarantee. NAPA was offering lifetime warranty on the cv boots. Don't know if that still applies. Cost is about 50-50 parts and labor. Figure around 75-100(USD) for each a total of 150-200...

DaveD

Hmm. Lifetime warranty on a 91 Accord? Oh well, it still needs to be done.

not /your/ lifetime, the "lifetime" of the axle. it doesn't mean much because legally, it's warranteed until it breaks. think about that!

So let me get this all straight. I need to replace the axle because the CV joint will fail and the wheel will stop turning? That really does seem like something to be avoided.

The lifetime warranty, at least until the axle breaks, is definitely rewarding.

that's only the extreme final worst outcome. the noise and vibration will become intolerable long before that happens.

if the drive shaft is already making noise, it needs replacing. oem are the best, longest lasting, etc. and you can replace just the cv joint. but aftermarket are cheap and plentiful. and to swap the whole shaft takes about 20 minutes if you have the right tools.

Check to see what the "lifetime" warranty describes. I think a failure of the boot (tear) would be considered under the lifetime of the workmanship and thus be allowed for an exchange.

Try this: The liftime of the part, as long as the owner of record owns the car.

What's the lifetime of the part? Until it fails?

Well, yeah. But with a LLT guarantee, the person offering the guarantee as long as the original purchaser/end user of the part is still the owner of record of the car.

You buy a new axle/CV joint, and have it installed (or do it yourself). After 60,000 miles the part fails, you go back to where you purchased the part with the receipt (you save receipts, right?) and the broken part. They give you a new one, or, if you haven't removed the part yet you pay for it and they reimburse you when you bring the failed one back.

You buy a new axle/CV joint, and install it on the car. 30,000 miles later you sell the car. The part fails at 35,000 miles. The new owner goes back with the part and the receipt...oh, too bad!!!

Fair enough. Have you noticed that current receipts often fade after a few months? I scan the important ones but if they ask for the original copy that can be tough.