my question is how bad is it to drive an average speed of 80 mph on bad front axles in my 97 honda civic?-- but i am not 100% positive it is my axles. the other day i heard a slite grinding noise when i took off in first, i parked and looked under the car and the drivers front (inside) tire was covered grease, there was not a cut on the boot but for some reason i think its the axle. but i belive it could be the bearings, probibly not. any kind of info or your past experience would be great. thanks

if the cv boot isn't torn, it's prolly a wheel bearing.
how bad is it?
glad i don't live in texas......
there's too many morons driving 80+ mph in junk around here....

i looked again today and both boots are torn but the pass. side has been torn for as long as i have owned it (1 1/2 years).
driving 80 is ok if you know how to drive- i travel long distances so i keep it about 75-80. <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" />

Well, here we have a lucky guy who hasn't had the pleasure of a CV joint failure at speed. Depending on the speed it occurs at the shrapnel effect can be exciting as the pieces fly out and the axle whips around banging into the suspension components and/or steering linkage.
A reman pair of axles for your Rice Krispy shouldn't cost more than $300 installed and could save your life or at least the innocents driving around you.
Get real, get safe, don't continue to be a joke...we'd probably like you better!

i actually can get them for $49.95 each (at cost) so i will probily do that this weekend. nobody has to like me, i don't know yall. i was just asking a simple question and all i needed was a simple answer not a cut down. thanks for helping weather you like me or not.

Young man, I must say I didn't really mean to give you a "cut-down". I find it is sometimes difficult to "turn on the light" in some younger drivers. The 80-plus talk did not give the impression you were in tune with safety and respect for other's lives we who dabble in hotrodding expect from each other.
Of course, it could have been the Dallas-Houston thing, too, a little, maybe.
Well say hi to boys at the parts store!