Hi,
I just broke my Front Right CV Half Shaft yesterday (Rodeo 98 - 3.2L - v6 - Auto).
The shop would like to charge me 400$ to replace it and it stated that the Isuzu one are hard to replace and very common to brake ???
I have checked the price on the web and in AutoZone and it's ~100$

How hard is it to replace it ?
Is it common to brake as the shop stated or he is building a case for the high cost ?

Thanks,

Replacing the axle is an involved process. Not 'hard' per se... but there is a lot to take apart and put back together when changing an entire front axle. It has actually been described in detail in Isuzu Tech a few times. Depending on their hourly rate, that is probably about right.

As for the breakage being common... I'd love to see their reasoning behind that statement. I have seen Isuzu front axels take a ridiculous amount of pounding with bigger tires and lower crawl ratios than stock, and have only ever been there for one breaking. I know plenty of people have broken them from reading the posts around here... but consider the situations they are being put in at the time <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

It's broken near the right wheel where the rubber is or better to say was as the rubber is all apart but as it's a 90k Rig I understand it can happen

Any suggestion on DIY or a shop ?

Definitely do a search on the process. Depending on what happened, and how you want to proceed with the repair, you might be able to do it yourself without too much labor involved. Since you broke it by the wheel, I have seen people disassemble the cup by the diff and not have to take the diff apart.

Search in isuzu tech and you will find some info though

Very interesting... the auto tranny was not available until 99 in the Amigo, I didnt think it was available in the Rodeo until then either.

More interesting is that you broke one... how did that happen?

The shop is trying to bend you over. They are basically charging you 3 hours labor @ $100/Hr + parts @ $100.

I wouldnt think that a seasoned professional would take longer than 90 minutes to do it. When I swapped axles in my Amigo, we were able to get the CVs out in less than 3 hours a side, and we are amatuers.

It is a common replacement item, not excessively difficult.

I had no idea what a CV Shaft was when I first replaced the boots. Its basicly the same thing though.

Have you done any wrenchwork? If so, just take your time, print off the article, and get yourself a Haynes and/or Chiltons manual. Between those three resources and here, you can get it done.

Odd that it broke, I'd like to know what you were doing also. Was it clicking at all beforehand?

As some of you stated is broke need the wheel (inside the rubber boot) and it happen yesterday (4/30) in the Badlands (http://www.badlandsoffroad.com/) Off-Road Park when a "crashed" on a hidden rock inside the stream
I'll send pictures tomorrow (in day light) and hopefully will get some works of wisdom for the team

You really need to visit the link in my sig <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Not wishing to contradict you but my experiences prove otherwise. The right front axle assy is the achilles heel of the later model Isuzus. having broken the Rt axle once & the Rt CV joints three times, I can attest to their vulnerability when doing HARD Wheeling especially with a locker. Almost all failures occur on the passenger side, probably due to the differences between the two axle designs when approximate equal forces are applied. Did the Rubicon without a locker, never broke a CV or an Axle. Went back with a locker & broke the axle at the Gatekeeper.Needless to say I am now more careful when I use my locker.I think a green Rodeo broke a CV at The Crack (Moab)two years ago & if I am not mistaken Fernandos Amigo ( Moab) broke a CV last year and I did as well. Pretty darn common if you ask me that's why I carry both sides spares.

Not contradicting me at all... actually going along with my point. Under the stressful coniditions of off-roading (especially with a locker), the front axles are definitely a weak point. They can take some abuse (mine have), but if something breaks... it'll probably be a CV. BUT, most Isuzu owners will never go off-road. And the CV's should be plenty strong for what most people put them through (no lift, no locker, stock tires, stock gearing, no off-roading, etc)... that's why I find it odd that the mechanic would call them "very common to break."