"My driver's side is making "rumbling" noises that is the CV as far as I can tell."
Does the car shake when you accelerate then get smoother when you let off the gas? This is one way to tell that it is a CV. I had an 87 that shook like and earthquake and it was a bad inner CV.
It is easier and probably cheaper just to get another axel assembly. I got a used one from the Fiero Store for about $80. Took about an hour to change.
From: Liz Marr
Replacing the inner, outer or both depends mostly on your financial situation. There is available rebuilt arms complete with joints and boots. The theory is that you would bring back the used arm so the company can rebuild that one and sell it to the next person.
As to rebuilding them yourself, there's really not much to it. Be prepared to have to buy new boots, boot clamps and of course the joint itself. The boot clamps may require a special crimping tool. The joint is like a jigsaw puzzle, or perhaps more like the fisher-price ball with the cubes, circles and triangles. It only goes back together in a particular order.
From: Stephane
The arms are in three sections, so pulling on the end while the other end is still in the tranny is not a good idea. Some tend to pull apart that way.
To take them off is another matter. Some people use a pull-hammer, but another technique is to use a heavy hammer and a piece of 2x4. After dislodging the lower ball joint, the axle and strut/rotor assembly will move slightly. Remove the center bolt and washer. Take the 2x4 and use it as a pin punch so as to not damage the CV arm threads. Prop the strut assembly away from the car as much as possible, then hit the 2x4. The shock wave throught the assembly should free up the axle from the rotor. A puller mounted on the rotor could do the same thing, if you have one large enough. Once that is complete, you must then remove the inner part from the tranny. This part is a splined cylinder with a snap ring 1/4" from the end. Push the CV into the tranny, and pull it off in the same motion. You may need a few tries.
From: Stephane