B Series Axles-- Problems and Solutions

EJ2 Track Rat: B Series Axles

If you road race or do HPDE with a Honda that has a B Series motor such as a B18B1, B18C5, B16A2, etc, then you’ve likely run into axle problems.

Figure 1: Integra Axle with Torn Outer CV Boot

Many cars with continuous velocity (CV) axles, even street cars, encounter torn boots every once in a while. But when you throw in hard braking from 100 MPH to 60 MPH once every minute-and-a-half, or when you subject your CV joints to excessive stress with a lowered car, or when you toss R comps and excessive lateral loads at your vehicle, you’ll quickly find the limits of physics.

Figure 2: Damien’s Dirt-Nasty Low “EK” Hatch Race Car

Excessive heat from rotors, loads from cornering, and aggressive articulation angles all result from the conditions mentioned above. With the added heat and stress, the components inside of the CV joint typically wear in an accelerated manner-- and for those who are racing, that could mean a DNF or last place. Either way you’re losing points toward your championship and wasting money with a broken car on track.

This writeup provides a solution for those of you who hate your axles. Do you want to drive on R comps? Do you want to be dirt-nasty low? Do you want to crack rotors with heavy braking? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Figure 3: The Chaos That is Racing

Problem 1: Grease

The first problem associated with many parts-store brand axles that are made for B-Series-equipped Hondas is that they likely don’t have enough grease in them. Even if they do have enough grease, one has to question how high quality said grease is. When a single CV axle costs $35, do you trust it to hold up to the stresses of racing or track days?

Figure 4: These SurTrack Automotive Axles are Cheap at ~$35 from RockAuto

We solve this problem by replacing the old, crappy grease originally present in your axles with high-quality grease. For this DIY, I chose to use Redline CV-2.

Figure 5: Redline CV-2 “High Moly Content” Grease

Redline CV-2 is the grease of choice for rebuilding these troublesome Honda B-Series axles as it is made by a reputable company, withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, high pressures, which are common in CV axles, and because it contains an “organic moly” as stated by Redline. This organic moly is likely a compound referred to as molybdenum disulfide. Due to its molecular structure, it provides superior lubrication like graphite but it also adheres to metal surfaces very well.

Figure 6: My Friend Alex Lubing up an Axle with Redline CV-2

Problem 2: The Heat

As I mentioned at the beginning of this writeup, the axles are subject to a lot of stress on a FWD race car. Heat is transferred from hot rotors to the axle spindle through the hub and heat is generated by the bearings in the CV joints as they rotate and articulate. The effects of this heat can be exacerbated by other factors mentioned in this article such as poor grease and poor manufacturing tolerances in cheaply made axles.

If the grease can’t handle the heat, its lubricating properties degrade, subjecting the bearings in the CV joints to excess friction-- compounding the problem. If the ball bearings are pitted, the bearing races are cracked, or the cages are cracked, the axle may begin to vibrate and eventually fail catastrophically.

Figure 7: Cracked Cage on a Subaru CV Joint

To solve this problem, we firstly use better quality grease. However, we can also vent the CV joints.

Venting CV joints has not been empirically tested to the best of my knowledge-- however, it is a practice that has been employed in the Honda road racing community for a long time by reputable axle manufacturers such as Gator, RAxles, Insane Shafts, and Driveshaft Shop. While the efficacy can be debated for days, it still doesn’t hurt to understand the theory and construction of axle vents.

Figure 8: Venting the Outer Boot of an Acura Integra Axle

When the axle is rotating at a high speed, it is believed that the centrifugal force generated by this behavior disperses any excess grease around the inner diameter of the axle boot. This, in theory, creates an air space in the center of the CV joint. Heat from the hot, rotating CV joint is transferred to the air space, and if the air is not vented, it is believed that this can accelerate axle wear.

Figure 9: Diagram Showing Air Pocket at Center of CV Boot

To evacuate this hot air, it is believed that a small “vent” (which is actually a tube inserted between the boot and axle shaft) can be used.

Figure 10: Diagram Showing Added “Small Tube” Which Serves as a Vent

Problem 3: Manufacturing

I’ve taken apart brand new parts store axles that have failed on my race car and discovered that they were adequately greased, but failed anyway. This, and other anecdotal evidence I’ve read online and heard about from other B Series drivers leads me to believe that “they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.”

This last section isn’t me saying that a parts store axle with high quality grease can’t last. Contrarily, I have seen and heard of people regreasing parts store axles with high quality grease and having great success at a reduced cost. However there is a generally true inverse relationship between quality and cost with auto parts that suggests machining tolerances and material quality may be compromised for the sake of pricing-- especially with economy-priced axles.

So, let’s not focus on how true the above statements are. Let’s just make sure that our axles are well made. The easiest way to do this is with visual inspection and with precision measurement tools.

Figure 11: A Starrett 0-1” Micrometer I Bought for $10 on OfferUp

When disassembling your axles to regrease and vent, measure any components you can and visually inspect the friction surfaces. Visual inspection should always be implemented as it is cheap and easy if you know what to look for. If you don’t have precision measurement tools, it’s not the end of the world, but they do help.

Starting with the outer joint of an Acura Integra CV axle, it consists of six ball bearings, an inner race, a cage, and an outer race which is integrated into the spindle. This type of CV joint is called a “Birfield joint.”

Figure 12: Diagram of Outer CV Joint

Disassemble the outer joint and begin visually inspecting the components. The following video is a great DIY on how to disassemble the outboard joint of a CV axle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-R11jtnyV8. Things to look for during inspection include: metal pitting, hairline fractures and cracks, and discoloration.

Figure 13: Discoloration on the Spindle Caused by Overheating

If you can see pitting on the metal surfaces, it could be due to contaminants in the grease such as sand that entered through a torn boot or corrosion from moisture. If you see discoloration, it is likely that grease was not lubricating effectively in the affected area and the metal is now distorted. If you see cracking, the affected area may have overheated at some point or may have been constructed from cheap metal.

Figure 14: Ball Bearings with Spalling

A well-manufactured CV axle, such as an OEM unit, will show minimal signs of wear on the friction surfaces. I have disassembled OEM Acura Integra Axles with over 150,000 miles on them and torn boots with nearly perfect looking wear surfaces.

Figure 15: Outer Races of Said 150,000 Mile Axle with Minimal Wear

Once you’re finished your visual inspection, measure whatever you can with precision measurement tools. Engine builders use this process when disassembling motors. Critical dimensions are measured to the nearest one-thousandth, sometimes the nearest ten or one-hundred-thousandth of an inch to gauge the health of various components. If the components are found out of spec, they are sent to a machine shop where they can be brought back into spec with specialized machinery.

Figure 16: Using an Outer Diameter Micrometer to Measure Ball Bearing Diameter

For the outboard joint of a CV axle, one easy component to “blueprint” is a ball bearing. Take several diameter measurements of the ball bearings and compare the results against all bearings in the axle set. Mark each ball bearing with dots so that outliers can be identified. Record your results for future rebuilds.

My OEM axles that I rebuilt all had healthy looking ball bearings with outer diameters that were the same to one-thousandth of an inch.

Figure 17: Recording Ball Bearing Diameter Results

The process is the same for the inboard CV Joint. Disassemble, clean, visually inspect, and blueprint what you can. The inboard CV joint used on B Series Hondas and Acuras is known as a “Tripod joint.” The picture below shows a cutaway view of the side of the inboard joint on the left, and on the right, a cutaway view of the front.

Figure 18: Tripod Type CV Joint (Image from: http://what-when-how.com/automobile/universal-joints-automobile/)

Below you’ll see the inboard spindle that houses the majority of components comprising the inboard joint assembly. Again, this is an OEM unit and looks nearly immaculate after years of abuse.

Figure 19: OEM Honda Tripod Joint Housing (“Cylindrical Pot Chamber”)

When I disassembled the inboard joints, I only blueprinted the outer diameter of the “semispherical rollers” as outlined in Figure 18. But I could have also disassembled these “rollers” and blueprinted their internals as well.

Figure 20: Semispherical Rollers Cleaned and Recently Inspected

Again, when blueprinting the inboard side, the more measurements you can take the better-- but remember, all of the measurements are relative (unless you’re an engineer at Honda and have access to the dimensions you need!) Regardless of what the measurements are, record them and keep them for future axle rebuilds. More data is always better.

The Finished Product

Disassembling, cleaning, inspecting, greasing, venting, and rebuilding your old axles can be a hassle, but if you’re looking to save a buck, the tips in this writeup should help. When you buy a project car, save the OEM axles! When your friend wants to throw out their OEM axles, save the OEM axles! And if you’re at a junkyard and you see OEM axles, save the OEM axles!

#SaveTheOEMAxles

Figure 21: An Assembled, Regreased, Vented, and Blueprinted OEM Honda Axle

Thanks for reading all. Your time is greatly appreciated.

Figure 22: Chelsea the Civic

Helpful Links

CV Joint Types: http://what-when-how.com/automobile/universal-joints-automobile/

How to Disassemble a Birfield Joint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-R11jtnyV8

How to Replace CV Boot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S-ofMoWsr0&t=329s

Band Tool Operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBsqyH6xhw0

How Does Moly Grease Work: http://www.nitronine.com/how-does-moly-grease-work/

Rusty Bottom (The Magical '93), Part 1

Rusty Bottom (The Magical ‘93)

Part 1

When I was in college in 2013, I was sent to Wisconsin by a co-op employer to work at a chemical plant. I picked up my belongings and drove eleven hours in my RSX Type-S from my home outside of Northeast Philly to Janesville, Wisconsin.

Figure 1: My old RSX Type-S

At the time, I was really into car meets and car shows. I liked having a clean car and making it faster, but I didn’t know a lot about performance driving.

When I got to Wisconsin, I realized I had no friends and went to Facebook (FB), as millenials do, and typed “Wisconsin Honda” in the search bar. After a short time, I was connected with a friend named Mike out in Illinois who autocrossed a black EK hatch with the Sports Car Club of Rockford (SCCR).

Figure 2: Mike and Me in his Autocross Civic

Mike had a “unique” approach to motorsport. For him it wasn’t about having brand-name this or rare that, it was about driving the car as hard as possible, and that approach stuck with me.

Over the winter, I began speaking with an acquaintance from Home that I had met through the car scene in Philly, Alex K.

Figure 3: Alex K Washing his ‘93 Miata

Alex had seen my autocrossing through social media and with piqued interest, he wanted to do an event with me when I got home. So, I registered for a Philly SCCA event and we both went together.

Figure 4: Alex and I at Autocross

As we got more serious about driving, we got less serious about aesthetics-- and so we began to fall down the slippery slope. Like Mike in Illinois, our goals had shifted and we began to care less about car setup and more about actually driving our cars.

Figure 5: Alex Karate Chopping his Dented Fender

My friends and I began to call Alex’s car “The Magical ‘93” because it seemed like no matter what, the car was always competitive in local autocross events with minimal car prep. For example, the picture below documents when he beat the modded S2K sitting to his passenger side and got first in STR vs. well-prepared competition.

Figure 6: Alex at a Pocono Infield Autocross with the Northeast PA Region SCCA

We all soon realized that it wasn’t just the car that was magical. It was the combination of driver and car that was fast. Alex spent his time driving...he didn’t worry about upgrades or aesthetics. He worried about driving.

Figure 7: Alex Driving at Pocono

Eventually, when Alex graduated his technical institute and got a job working as a technician at a good company, he sold the car to my friends Sam and Franklin who are now engaged. Sam and Franklin are a pair of adrenaline junkies who ride mountain bikes and race TAG Karts when they’re not tracking the Miata they bought from Alex.

Figure 8: Sam and Franklin Working on Their New Miata

Sam and Franklin renamed the car, appropriately, as Rusty Bottom after they bought it from Alex-- since the car was in pretty rough shape from constant abuse, winter driving, and sitting outside. And they soon after began tracking it.

Figure 9: Franklin Rounding Turn 5 at the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) Thunderbolt Course

This EJ2 Track Rat blog series will document the build progress of Rusty Bottom and the driver development of Sam and Franklin, and maybe even Alex. Stay tuned to see the car fully caged, augmented with full safety gear like seats and harnesses, and maybe even receive a paint job.

Figure 10: Franklin Chasing an S2K at Pocono

In memory of Alex’s Father, Chris.

Figure 11: Alex's Father and Our Friend: Chris

#TrashTeg, The Chronicles; Part 1-- A Free Car

In the Winter of 2017, our friend Ryan told all of the Junior Varsity Honda Challenge (JVHC) Squad about a free car he had found on the Chump Car Forum in Delaware.

Within a day at most, my buddy Alex drove down to Delaware from Philly to check the car out. He brought with him: a case of beer to show gratitude, a license plate, and his own self off the couch. Total cost? About $40 bucks.

And so The Chronicles of #TrashTeg began. Alex picked up an Integra for free, with the catch that he remove it from the seller’s property. Not only this, but Alex was told that the car had a bad head gasket! And would likely need serious work.

Figure 1: #TrashTeg

Either the same day, or the next, I went over to Alex’s and with the help of our friend Adam, we started the car and slowly troubleshooted an issue that started as overheating and climaxed in not-starting.

Figure 2: Video of Alex, Adam, and I putting water in the radiator

After some water and a new distributor cap, rotor, and plugs, we had the car running. My boy put the classic PA tag on and he ripped it up and down the block and it didn’t smoke. So we decided we would try and track it.

My Goal? To get Alex in a Honda just because. Alex’s Goal? IDK. Our Goal (I Think)? (I think) our goal was to make a freakin’ race car!

But for real though-- Alex and I both knew we wanted to race wheel to wheel. We both talked, and still talk, regularly, about endurance racing with AER or in Lemons, since our friends do it. We talked about having our own race team together. I was already building my Civic in his garage. So, I guess, impulsively and rationally it was a pretty good decision to pick the car up. What’s the worst it would do? Take up space?

Figure 3: Using #TrashTeg as a Vise to Break a Motor Mount Bolt for #ChelseaTheCivic

As is apparent in the figure above, the #TrashTeg proved to be very useful just in its presence, initially.

I told Alex I would help him get the Trash Teg on track if he would track it. He agreed. So in return for lending me his space, I would give or sell to him second-hand parts from my build and my own services at the least, in return.

Figure 4: Roll Bar, Harnesses, and Seats All Installed on a Budget

Stay tuned into the #TrashTeg: The Chronicles Series on EJ2 Track Rat. And you’ll find a story of building a cheap, capable track car, to use for driver development and (eventually in some way) racing-- including tips on how it benefited the driver and can be applied to the reader’s own driving style.

Figure 5: Trash Teg at Lime Rock

Thanks for reading.

--EJ2 Track Rat