Found a beater for $300 in good shape minus the axle. About how much do you think something like that should cost and is it worth it.

 

you can go and pick up both axles from either a yard.. for 40 bucks.. or NEW for 80-100 bucks.. and put them on yourself for free..
changing the axles is not a hard process at all.. here is a write up for a DIY

https://www.honda-acura.net/forums/s...d.php?t=173647

 

those instructions don't apply to 86 Civic, which has different suspension - try this: (Page 18-2)

http://www.redpepperracing.com/techn...Civ-fsm-chap18

 

only a different suspension.. NOT AXLES.... if you would reliaze it.. pretty much all axles are the same except the preludes.. and newer civics...

 

It's about as much as a newer car to get one installed, and you can expect to pay about as much as you would for the axles of a newer model. If you do decide to buy your own at say a parts strore you'll be fairly likely to have to wait for it to be ordered and shipped.

 

so are we talking about $200 with labor? I guess if I can pick up the car for $200 plus $200 to do the axle and $40 for cheap tires, it could work. If the damn thing lasts for 4 months it is worth it. The guy says it clicks when turning, which makes me think it may be the cv boot, but doesn't that get replaced with the axle anyway?

 

i didn't say that the axles were different - i said that you can't use those instructions for replacing the axle on 86 Civic, due to it having a different suspension set-up - 86 is much easier since it doesn't have a strut to disconnect, but you need to have a jack below the lower control arm or the torsion bar will send the control arm down toward the floor when you loosen the lower ball joint