How To Replace Front CV Axles 2007-17 Chevy Silverado (2023)

FAQs

Can you replace a CV axle by yourself? ›

You absolutely can replace your CV axle at home, but you'll need to be at least remotely comfortable using a jack, jack stands, and power tools. Assuming you have most of the equipment already set up in your garage at home, the cost to replace your CV axle will be quite reasonable.

Replacing a CV axle is a maintenance item that usually takes between one and a half to three hours to complete, depending on the vehicle and if other repairs are needed. A CV axle typically lasts for 70,000 to 130,000 miles, but the axles should be inspected for damage regularly.

On a high-mileage vehicle with a bad CV joint or boot, it's often a good idea to replace both shafts at the same time. Often, the right (passenger side) shaft fails first because right turns are at a sharper angle than left turns, and right turns are more common than left turns.

The Best in Auto Repair

The average cost for a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 axle shaft replacement is between $1,050 and $1,243. Labor costs are estimated between $214 and $269 while parts are priced between $836 and $974.

Many repair shops, though, will recommend replacing the entire axle if a boot is torn because there may be unseen damage to the CV joints, axle shafts and other parts that could result in other problems. Outer boots (the ones closest to a wheel) are more prone to tears than inner boots.

there is no need to replace cv axles in pairs as long as the other axles are in good condition. there are many aftermarket cv axles on the market, but it's much smarter and safer to use either the factory part from the manufacturer or a replacement of equal quality.

Yes, many of the points that control alignment are touched as you do an axle replacement.

If the axle is too long, it can cause the CV or plunge joint to bottom out and damage the surfaces of the balls, bearings and races. If it's too short, the axle could pull out of the plunge joint under certain conditions.

Your vehicle will reveal signs that your axle is starting to go bad. If you do not pay attention to the symptoms, there is a chance your car's axle will break while you are driving. A broken axle is a safety hazard to you and other drivers on the road.

How can you tell if your CV axle is going bad? ›

If one of your axles is broken, do not drive the car. It's not safe. If you notice a bumping, clicking or grinding noise when going into turns, your axle isn't broken yet, but it's only a matter of time. It's most likely a failing CV joint.

Automotive Q & A

Answer: CV joints last from 70,000 to 130,000 miles, and over, but technicians recommend that they be inspected periodically.

It could take weeks, months, or years. But the average lifespan of a bad CV axle is around five to six months. Knowing this does not merely mean to stretch the deadline a little bit. You might be thinking that you can save more money by postponing the checkup for your ATV/UTV.

CV joints are packed with grease for lubrication. To keep the grease in the joint and moisture, dirt and roadway grime out, the joint is covered with a rubber boot called a CV boot. CV boots are made of a durable rubber that can withstand extreme weather and travel conditions.

If the car is on jack stands and the transmission is in neutral, you should be able to easily turn the CV shafts with your hands. If the tires are on the ground, you couldn't turn the shafts because you would be trying to move the car. If the transmission is in park, the wheels would be locked.

It's not always a worn boot that causes CV joints to fail. When the bolts attaching the inner joint to the transaxle or the outer joint to the wheels fail, the condition of the CV boot is irrelevant.

Don't: Remove both axles at the same time. Alignment of side gears will be lost. Do: Use a torque wrench when installing axle nuts.

Typically, back axle replacement costs $500 – $800. Replacing the CV boot is much simpler – and cheaper; it costs around $100 – $200 for the replacement and labor. CV axles can cost at least $50 – $150; remember that your mechanic might recommend high-end parts depending on your car model.

Virtually everything wears out over time. Given sufficient miles the mechanical parts of a CV axle will fail. You should expect the life of these devices to be around 100,000 miles with normal driving. For some vehicles the axles will last for 200,000 miles or more.

How do you know when alignment is needed? ›

Without a wheel alignment, your tyres will develop uneven tyre wear, your suspension quality will diminish and you'll likely experience steering problems. All of these dangers add more risk to you and those around you on the roads.

You'll know when the axle is about to fail when you begin to hear a loud, rhythmic clicking noise coming from the front wheel as you turn. That noise is due to a lack of lubricant in one of the CV joints.

Too Much Grease

You never want to add too much grease to a CV joint. The CV joint can get hot due to internal friction and heat transferred from the brakes and engine. The heat can cause the grease and air inside the joint to expand. The pressure can cause the boot to be forced off the body of the joint.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: Engineered for use with impact drivers, this 36mm axle nut socket measures 90mm (3.54 inches) in total length and is extra deep to fit various applications. Its 6-point opening grips the flats of fasteners, not the corners, to prevent round-off.

The boots or other assemblies on CV axles for front-wheel drive cars can go bad, lose grease, develop holes, or leak. In order to keep your car running properly you must sometimes change them out. Fortunately, it's possible to do this yourself.

The inner joint can have a small amount of in and out movement as well as some up and down movement. It should not move at the outer joint. If it does then there may be a failure.

CV Axle Replacement Expenses

Replacement axle shafts can be bought for between $60-150.00 each, and labor is generally between 1.5-3 hours to replace, bringing labor to around $150-350.00.

Can you take CV axle out and still drive? ›

A severely worn out CV joint can even disintegrate while you're driving and make the car undrivable. You may lose control of the vehicle entirely. It is not safe to drive with a damaged CV joint. Look for some symptoms of a failing CV joint to have it repaired before it becomes unsafe to operate the vehicle.

Wrong Axle, Bad Engineering

If the axle is too long, it can cause the CV or plunge joint to bottom out and damage the surfaces of the balls, bearings and races. If it's too short, the axle could pull out of the plunge joint under certain conditions.

Use a torque wrench when installing axle nuts. Don't: Use a hammer on the threaded end of the shaft. It will damage the core.

Let's get down to the answer. The answer will be relative from one CV axle to another. It could take weeks, months, or years. But the average lifespan of a bad CV axle is around five to six months.

Yes you can drive your truck with out cv joints. But you do need part of the cv joint . If that makes any sence. If you break a cv joint pull it apart and remove the joint of the cv closes to the wheel.Be sure to remove the other parts of the cv joint not used.

An axle actually consists of two CV joints. These joints allow the axle to transfer the engine's power to the drive wheels at a constant speed while accommodating any travel conditions, including the up and down motion of the suspension and cornering.

CV axles can cost at least $50 – $150; remember that your mechanic might recommend high-end parts depending on your car model. Additionally, labor costs for axle replacement are $100 – $300 or higher, depending on the amount of work needed.

Along with straining to move, the vehicle may also make sputtering, bumping or clunking sounds. This is because the axle is not able to transfer adequate power to the wheels. These bad axle sounds will be audible when the car begins to move as well as when turning the wheels.