The front wheel drive transaxle of a Toyota Corolla is integrated with the wheel by the CV (constant velocity) axle shafts. On each end of the CV axle, there are two joint bearings that are coated in rubber boots for protection. This keeps the joint bearings lubricated and prevents impurities like dirt, grit, and other debris from clinging to the assembly. The rubber boot or joint bearings may wear out with time, and as a result of the speed at which the wheel spins, grease may be forced out of the boot, leaving the joint bearing exposed to the environment.
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Step 4
To check if the axle is being held to the transaxle housing by inner flange bolts, raise the Corolla up high enough on the hoist. The Corolla’s older versions still have the bolts. If necessary, take the bolts off. Lower the Corolla once more to waist level and set the drain bucket beneath the inner boot of the CV axle, where the axle will detach from the transaxle.
Step 5
Remove the lower ball joint nut and detach the outer tie rod end from the knuckle. Disconnect the ball joint from the lower control arm and the tie rod end from the knuckle. Hit the knuckle close to the tie rod end with a hammer until it splits.
Step 6
To detach the CV axle from the hub, tap a rubber mallet on the end of the spindle. Swing the entire knuckle away from the shaft to the left or right while stabilizing it with your other hand by grabbing the shaft’s outside boot. Put a bungee rope around the knuckle once it is separated from the shaft, then move it out of the way.
Step 7
Make use of a strong pry bar to separate the CV axle from the transaxle. It needs to be freed from the transaxle by removing a ring clip that is holding it in place. When the ring clip releases, take off the CV axle. There will be some transaxle fluid leakage. After changing the CV axle, make sure to top off the fluid in the differential. To use the proper fluid, consult the owner’s manual.
How much does a Toyota Corolla’s CV joint replacement cost?
Best in Automotive Repair Replacement of a CV axle typically costs between $932 and $1,079. Between $139 and $175 is the expected cost of labor, and between $793 and $904 is the projected cost of parts. Taxes and other costs are not included in this range, nor are your particular vehicle or geographic area taken into account.
Can I change a CV joint on my own?
You can save some money by replacing a CV joint yourself, but it will take some mechanical know-how and effort.
It is advised that you get a competent specialist to complete the task if you believe it to be too complicated. Additionally, this may aid safeguard you from nullifying any motor plan or guarantee.
However, replacing outer CV joints is rather simple if you already have some mechanical knowledge. In South Africa, CV joints for your specific car are also readily available.
How can I tell if my CV joint needs repair?
These are the five simplest ways to tell if your CV axle is damaged.
- An opening in the boot.
- Your wheels have grease inside of them.
- a knocking noise
- Turning While Clicking.
- Driving While Vibrated
Can a fractured CV joint be used to drive?
The CV is sealed by a boot, although the boot is not damage-resistant. When this occurs, the joint will deteriorate and break down. Driving an automobile with a broken CV will worsen the joint’s condition and render it impractical. You run the danger of being involved in an accident.
What would occur if your CV joint broke while you were driving?
Many drivers are unaware of the fundamental relationship between the health of the automobile axles and CV joints and how well a vehicle’s wheel system performs. The vehicle’s steering, driving, and braking are all controlled by these parts, which transfer engine power to the wheels. They must be capable of supporting the entire weight of the vehicle, including passengers and cargo, in good condition. These joints can last up to 100,000 miles without needing to be replaced if they are not damaged.
You might be wondering what CV joints are. Simply put, CV joints, which connect the axles to the front wheels and are crucial for delivering torque from the transmission to the drive wheels at a consistent speed, are complex ball and socket joints. For instance, each of the two car axles on front-wheel drive vehicles has two joints, one connected to the transmission and the other to the tire. A CV joint is greased and sealed with a rubber “boot” to ensure smooth operation. Your joints are safeguarded and your wheels are powered as long as this boot is intact. What transpires, though, if it fails? When CV joints malfunction, the result is instantaneous and occasionally dangerous since the engine’s ability to transmit power to the tires is lost.
What are the symptoms of a bad CV joint?
By being aware of what to look for and what to listen for, CV joint failure can be avoided. Your automobile will start to pull to one side as one wheel loses power if a CV joint starts to fail while you’re driving. Even though the engine may continue to operate after the joint entirely collapses, the automobile will remain stationary. Your front tires may not point in the same direction due to one of them being fully removed from its driving axle, and you may notice smoke escaping from the fractured joint. When you accelerate, you can experience vibrations or hear a loud clunk, and turning might cause grinding or clicking sounds.
What should you do if your CV joint fails? If you can, gently steer your automobile off the road before dialing a towing service. Get your automobile into the auto shop as soon as you can since failing CV joints offer a major risk. Your mechanic might be able to fix a little break in the outer CV joint by simply replacing the CV boot and repacking the grease, but if there is any significant damage, a new joint must be installed.
How challenging is it to replace a CV joint?
You can certainly replace your CV axle at home, but using a jack, jack stands, and power tools will require you to be at least somewhat competent. The expense of replacing your CV axle will be relatively affordable if you already have the majority of the necessary tools installed in your garage at home. You can typically get a new one for less than $100 at parts shops and online retailers.
How long does a CV joint replacement take?
Depending on the vehicle and whether further repairs are required, replacing a CV axle typically takes one and a half to three hours. A CV axle normally lasts between 70,000 and 130,000 miles, although they should be frequently checked for corrosion. For instance, a damaged boot lets grease leak from the CV joint it guards, thus reducing the lifespan of the axle. To keep the expense of this repair down, it is acceptable to merely replace one faulty CV axle as opposed to both (or all four in an all-wheel-drive automobile).
How much should a CV joint replacement cost?
The price of a CV joint alone can range from $95 to $210. A replacement by a mechanic will cost anywhere from $165 to $800.
Whether you’re changing a double or single axle will mostly affect the cost. The cost of a double axle’s constant-velocity joint repair will be between $150 and $400, which is roughly twice as much as the cost of a single axle.
As a result, engaging a mechanic to complete the replacement will cost between $230 and $1180.
The brand and model of your car and how challenging the replacement job will be for them are additional factors. Naturally, the cost of the service will increase the more time they require.
Because this is a significant service, your mechanic or auto expert must also do a thorough safety inspection, paying particular attention to the boots and axles. There can be a leak from the CV boots if the tires have grease on them.
Additionally, if you turn and hear loud clicking noises, you might need to repair the axle as well.
Is it necessary to repair CV axles in pairs?
As long as the other axles are in good shape, it is not necessary to replace cv axles in pairs. Although there are many aftermarket CV axles available, using the original equipment part from the manufacturer or a replacement of comparable quality is far wiser and safer.
What results in a CV axle breaking?
A driveshaft connecting the front differential to each wheel is called a constant velocity joint, or CV joint. The wheels of an IFS 4WD turn and can rise and fall, so the CV joint must also be able to rise and fall with the wheel. The CV joint only has to be able to move side to side when the wheel is being turned in a solid-axle installation. Since they all have a different appearance, they all perform the same functiongiving your front wheels propulsion.
Why do CV joints break?
The main cause is shock loading, which occurs most frequently with independent suspension systems due to the typically constrained amount of travel. Shock loading, for example, occurs when a spinning wheel lifts off the ground and then lands forcefully. The driveline is subjected to extreme strain from shock loading, and CV joints are frequently the weakest link. This will result in a physical break in the CV joint cage or, less frequently, a shearing of the shaft itself. A CV joint will break under conditions similar to those seen when a 4WD starts to bounce or hop when negotiating an obstacle.
They wear out with time because they are a moving part. For instance, after installing a new raise kit, my HiLux’s CV joints, which have logged more than 285,000 miles, recently split a boot. Upon takeoff, I heard a clunking sound, and sure enough, the boot had split. In a subsequent essay, I’ll go through CV joint replacement procedures. Remain tuned.
Speaking of elevating your IFS 4WD Your CV joints will also be put under more stress as a result of this because the operating angle is significantly higher now. Installing a device known as a “diff drop,” which lowers the differential and decreases the working angle, is the most efficient solution to minimize this. I will have to check into this in order to safeguard those brand-new and crucial CVs.
Larger tires also put more physical pressure on CV joints due to their larger rolling diameter and higher unsprung mass. Not to mention the added traction that larger off-road-oriented tires offer, when a tire lifts and lands forcefully, the effect of shock loading is amplified.
How will I know the CV joint is broken?
Your CV joints are definitely on their way out if you hear a clicking sound when accelerating or making sharp turns in 4WD. Both cars with solid axles and those with IFS are affected by this.
As was already noted, another item to watch out for is split CV boots on IFS cars, which is very prevalent on 4WDs because they are prone to being torn by twigs and worn out over time. The CV joint runs dry and ultimately self-destructs when a boot breaks, allowing grease to flow from the boot. In many instances, it’s more cost-effective to replace the entire unit and maintain the old one as a backup. If you notice this early enough, a straightforward boot replacement may be carried out and a few cans of degreaser purchased to clean up the mess.
Should you buy genuine or aftermarket?
The authentic CV provided by a manufacturer will often be the strongest one on the market. Naturally, there are aftermarket businesses that produce competition-spec chromoly CV joints, like Longfield in the United States, but unhappily, this technology hasn’t reached Australian-spec IFS 4WDs.
I looked online and got some pretty affordable CV joints for my own car for about $50 each. However, this is far too inexpensive and too good to be true. For instance, authentic CVs from Toyota cost more than $500 each, which, in my opinion, is too high but indicates that the products are of high quality.
For myself, I searched the aftermarket for a solution that struck a balance and purchased a pair from Terrain Tamer. They weren’t the cheapest, but they were less expensive than genuine, and I am more inclined to believe a well-known firm like Terrain Tamer than a random, anonymous internet business that makes bold claims about OE quality. If anything sounds too good to be true, do your investigation because it probably is. Warranty and customer support are both reliable signs of quality. Will that nameless online business assist you if you need to make a warranty claim while you’re in the Simpson Desert?
How to look after CV joints
Avoid driving forcefully if you want your CV joints to last a long time. The secret to long-lasting and trouble-free motoring is mechanical sympathy. Here are my top five suggestions for preventing a shattered CV joint:
- Keep to the largest legal size for your state when choosing tires;
- Avoid steep angles while lifting heavily with IFS vehicles;
- Be cautious when reversing and refrain from utilizing full steering lock when driving. During this time, a CV is most vulnerable;
- Stop spinning your tires if you are spinning them for longer than three seconds without moving; and
- When a tire lifts, avoid shock loading. If your 44 is bucking like a bull, stop and reevaluate the obstacle.
Can a CV joint be harmed by a pothole?
A tire blowout or damaged wheel could happen in the worst-case situation if you hit a pothole. However, even little accidents have an adverse effect on your car over time, including: wheel misalignment (which accelerates tire wear), wear and tear on the shocks and struts, and damage to the CV axles.