Oh I've been wailing on the Protege lately. With new suspension, it is grossly underpowered. The clutch gave up the ghost at 105k.

Ordered a new Exedy clutch kit pressure plate, friction disc and bearings for $140. Bought a resurfaced flywheel for $70...just so it was an in and out job, no waiting on a machine shop. I also bought a CV boot kit since now was the time to do it as cheap insurance.

The momentous day came...everything was going so well. In fact, with the suspension going on so easy and hitch free just a week earlier, I had a sinking feeling that auto karma was about to rear it's ugly head.

Both axles would not come out of the hub to save my life. And yes, I was doing it correctly. I eventually took the whole hub out. Walked down to my buddys house where he has a 12 ton press. That didn't do make a dent. It being mid day on a Saturday all the machine shops were closing. So I take it in Monday morning. I call at lunch time, they're still fighting with it. He calls me back an hour later and says they eventually got them out. It took a 50 ton press and a special puller tool. He said they've NEVER had a pair of axles so stubborn. And this is one of those machine shops that's been around since before I was born.

So I had my hubs back but the axle shafts were toast from me beating them with hammer(which is therapuetic in a way). So I had to buy a pair of axles for $160.

It all went back together smoothly...just breaking it in for a few days.
I used some 75w-90 synth gear oil by Amsoil. I was a little hesitant at first because Hondas are specifically instructed not to use synthetic...but the machine shop guy races Miatas and swears by the stuff.
He was right...it's awesome. Shifts like buttah.

I was looking at the exhaust header while I was under there. I think I have some plans in the near future. First cat go bye bye. I'll relocate it further downstream, where it belongs, with a hi flow model.

 

I totally understand your pain. I work in a shop on weekend, and man, how many cars have I seen with the drive shaft not wanting to come out. We heated, used power hammer, and only after of intense and hardcore f*cking with them, they finally come out. The most important part however, is that everything went back together OK.