replaced the driver side cv joint on my 01 this morning. took an hour and a half.

lifetime warranty joint assembly for $75 after core. no clue why people trust an old inner boot not to fail and just replace the outer boot on these things??

anyway,

didn't do all the steps in the how-to.

used the following:
9mm/22mm socket
36mm socket
2' breaker bar
jack/stand
hammer
small crow bar
pickle fork
adjustable wrench
screwdriver

jack up the car, wheel off. pulled off the cv nut w/breaker bar. turned the wheel full left and undid the tie rod and the two strut mount bolts. moved stuff out of the way and put the cv bolt back on and used it to beat the joint out of the hub. then used crowbar and foot to pop the inner joint out. pulled it out, put new one in, reassembled (used jack to put pressure on tierod so I could tighten it back in place instead of spinning). used screwdriver and hammer to dent in the new cv bolt.

Ordered some CF emblems, 2 sets. The rear was rubbed raw by the bungee cord that was holding the hatch shut when I was waiting for the new actuator, and the front was pulled off by someone. My wife thinks it was the angry looking fat girl down the street who seemed offended that I pulled out of the driveway before she could waddle another 50 feet to cross in front of me. Sheesh, I was already over the sidewalk part!

Canadians are NOT nice. The ones here seem to be mostly entitled, arrogant a-holes. :P I am so moving out of the city in a year or to. ;)

Blew up front left tire and possibly cracked rim by hitting a curb accidentally. Was able to continue to work after changing tire. Thanks Euros for full spare!

03/2003 E53 X5 4.4i M62 FB 33

only a donut on a 4.6/4.8iS E53s...
:(

Changed the rear differential oil/fluid yesterday. Fluid looked surprisingly clean for 110k miles!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Davintosh, sorry to hear of your problem.

I have taken a couple long trips in my X but based on my fuel mileage, fuel cost difference of a rental SUV that doesn't use premium, not having to worry about bad weather, not racking up a bunch of miles, having no concern if something did happen to go wrong, not worrying about where to park it, I go the---I hate this rental---route. So much so that I have even rented a Ford Edge.

Only a donut??? wth? :wow:

today.. i made a promise to fix the white puff o' smoke issue...

Because a lot of those cheap CV axles are made in China with questionable quality control procedures.

Is that right! That sucks.

03/2003 E53 X5 4.4i M62 FB 33