My first post - I did search and read all I could find on this topic in the Forum - great information. Vibration on acceleration is getting worse on the 2012 Accord with 4 cylinder manual transmission - feel it on initial start if heavier acceleration but not on slow starts. Also feel it when accelerating at higher speeds if more than a gentle touch on gas. With windows down and tight right turns in parking lot I could hear clicking noise from left front. CV boots are all in good shape but could feel some give when grabbing them and moving both axles at transmission (they were not tight like I expected). No evidence of grease leaking from boots. Tires are new and had vibration before and after getting tires. Alignment seems good - no pull to either direction. Vibration is in steering wheel and gas peddle and now shaking felt throughout car to an extent. So - I bought new CV axles from Autozone - Durlast Gold for both sides and will get new intermediate shaft clip and seal on the outer end of the passenger side. I plan on doing the axle replacement tomorrow and hoping for the best. If this does not fix the vibration, I'm out only around $180 or so for the new axles and the time spent. I have not done this before and I'm only a sometimes Saturday mechanic so looking for any advice from you all on what problems I am going to find in this job and any advice you can give will help. And from my problem description - from your collective experiences - does it look like I'm on the right path to fix the vibration?. I'll post how the job went.

 

I wonder if you lost a wheel weight on 1 of the front tires, or if you have a warped rotor. It highly unlikely that you have a bad hub bearing, but it's a "could be" (but you'd hear it all the time).

 

Just on accelerating, that is sometimes caused by a CV joint going bad. Only during acceleration does it push the joint a little crooked & then your axle wobbles. Let off the gas & it's going straight again.

 

I second the notion you may have a CV issue in one or both of your front axles.

 

Thanks for the comments. I'm hoping the CV axle replacement works. I'm sure it is not the wheel weight. I had vibration before getting new tires at Discount Tire and they balanced the tires before installs and there was no change in the vibration. Anyone else have any hints or comments on problems with replacement and how to resolve them? I've replaced VW axles but they bolt on the transmission versus splines.

 

Well, if they are like any other FWD car I've replaced axles on, you might need a cupped tool that goes between the inner CV joint and the trans to get them out. I use a rubber hammer to seat them back in. You need to separate the lower ball joint (after getting the axle nut loose), so you have room to get the axle out. On some cars, there's a "U" shaped shock/strut bracket that has to come off as well. Then you just swing that assembly out of the way and remove the axle. Install is basically the reverse, but make damn sure the axle IS seated into the trans, or the car won't go.

 

Sounds like a bent axle. Watch ericthecarguy or southmainauto videos on honda axle replacement on YouTube. They can usually pry them out with a prybar. Passenger side is usually tougher. I've never changed one myself.

 

I've done older VW ('82 Jetta) and you unbolt the inboard CV like a flange.

You'll need a big socket with a long pipe on a breaker bar to loosen the axle nut in the center of the wheel hub. The axle stub then pulls out from the hub without taking the bearing apart. Undo the lower ball joint to swing the steering knuckle out & off of the axle stub.

Honda axles pull out from the transmission, so use some kind of prybar to unsnap the stub/spline at the inboard end of the shaft. On the left side, you pull it out from the transmission & probably transmission fluid will drain out the hole. On the right side I think you'll have a fixed shaft mounted into a carrier-bearing then the "inboard" CV joint will unsnap from that bearing.

The inboard CV joint can pull apart inside the rubber boot, so don't pull on it from the middle of the axle shaft. Not so important on the core that you give back, but don't pull the new ones apart.

Check that the snap rings are on the old axles, not left inside somewhere. Push the new axle in so it snaps & doesn't come back out. Sometimes you have to hit the outboard stub with a rubber mallet or something. If it's not snapped, sometimes it'll drive OK for a few days until it works its way out & then you're stuck somewhere.

 

I've pried them out before, but some cars don't have anything for you to get leverage on to "pop it out". I think you can rent a too from the Zone.

 

Finished the axle replacement yesterday. I only did the driver's side and vibration is now fixed. I "think" I might still feel some vibration but not really sure just yet and will had to drive it for a while to see - if there is vibration it is very slight and not too concerning right now. I did not replace the passenger side but will if needed - I think if there really is vibration it would be from that side. Bottom line, my vibration issue was the axle. Getting the parts apart to get it out went okay. I sprayed PB blaster on all bolts and nuts a couple of days before and an hour before starting and glad I did - no problems getting them off. I got the loaner forks from Autozone to pop the axle off the trans but really could not get in positioned well, so I used a small pry bar and that worked to pop it out. I used a ball joint separator to get the lower ball joint off but unfortunately it squeezed out some grease so I think I have another repair job to get to somewhat soon. Thanks for your comments - they definitely helped!