Discard the drive axle. Remove the old rubber-boot clamps and throw them away.
Slide the tripod out of the joint housing after removing the boot from the inner CV joint.
Using a brass punch and hammer, remove the tripod joint from the drive-axle, being cautious not to damage the shaft’s bearing surfaces or splines.
In This Article...
What occurs if the inner CV joint malfunctions?
A minor fracture or break that allows grease to escape is a warning sign that the CV joint boot is failing. You might notice dark grease smeared on the interior of the rim and around the CV joint, like in the picture, if the damage is more severe.
The CV joint will deteriorate and eventually collapse if the automobile is driven with a damaged CV joint boot. An audible click or pop when turning is the most typical sign of a damaged outer CV joint. When you accelerate through turns, the noise gets louder. In the worst situations, a severely deteriorated outer CV joint may even fall apart while being driven, which could result in a dangerous situation.
Failures of inner CV joints are uncommon. During acceleration, lateral (side-to-side) shaking or vibration is one of the signs of a failing inner CV joint. Additionally, shifting from Drive to Reverse or from accelerating to decelerating may clunk due to an inner CV joint that is worn out.
Can you swap a CV joint on your 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.
Can the inner CV boot only be replaced?
They maintain the grease for lubrication inside the joints as well. When CV joints are injured, turning usually causes a “clicking” or “knocking” sound. The entire CV axle needs to be replaced as a result of this. You can replace simply the CV boot if there isn’t any noise and it’s broken.
How can I tell if the outer or inner CV joints are damaged?
Did you know that the condition of the axles and CV (constant velocity) joints largely determines how well your car’s wheel system performs? These parts assist in driving, braking, steering, and transferring engine power to the wheels. They support the entire vehicle’s weight, including passengers and cargo. Typically, these joints can travel up to 100,000 kilometers. The continual rotation and flexing of CV axles to adapt to the state of the road, however, can lead them to wear out and fail, necessitating an expensive CV joint repair.
You might be wondering what exactly CV axles are. A shaft with an inner and outer CV joint makes up the CV axle. Rubber boots serve as protection for the CV joints, which are lubricated with a particular grease. The flexible CV joints’ ability to travel up and down with the suspension or side to side while turning your front wheels makes for a seamless power transmission. Even while CV axles have a lengthy lifespan, they will ultimately wear down. When CV joints malfunction, the result is instantaneous and occasionally dangerous since the engine’s ability to transmit power to the tires is lost. Call a tow truck after carefully removing your automobile from traffic.
Preventing a costly cv joint repair is possible by knowing what to listen for and where to look:
- The most typical sign of a faulty CV axle is a turning click, which is most frequently heard at slower speeds during tight turns.
- Driving-related vibrations: If the CV axle shaft is bent, you might start to feel vibrations while you’re driving. As you go faster, this vibration will become more noticeable.
- Clunking noise when accelerating or decelerating: If the inner CV joint starts to fail, you might hear a clunking noise when accelerating or releasing the gas pedal quickly.
- Grease inside your tire: Both joints are shielded by a rubber boot containing grease, and any rips or cracks in the boot could cause grease to leak out. Grease was visible on the ground, the interior of the tire, and the steering and suspension parts.
Can one operate a vehicle with a damaged CV joint?
Constant Velocity (CV) joints attach the axles to the wheels in front-wheel drive automobiles. As the car is being driven, these permit the axle and wheel to flex (to account for turns, uneven surfaces, and more). The joint, however, is a weak link in the system. It requires lubrication and defense against dirt, dust, pebbles, and other foreign objects. The CV joint will eventually wear down and fail if the boot that seals it is destroyed because grease will leak out and contaminants will begin to grow.
Even while you’re driving, a severely worn-out CV joint could disintegrate, rendering the vehicle undriveable. You can completely lose control of the car. Driving while wearing a damaged CV joint is unsafe. Check for some signs of a failing CV joint so you can fix it before the car becomes unsafe to drive.
Are brakes affected by CV joints?
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. If intact, these joints can endure up to 100,000 miles without need for repair.
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.
Are CV joints difficult to replace?
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).
Can the inner CV joint vibrate?
Damaged Inner CV Joints Can Vibrate During Acceleration Damaged inner CV joints can vibrate under acceleration, but the damage is very hard to detect because it is so subtle. Only when the inner CV joint has been taken out of the car and thoroughly cleaned of grease and debris can you see it.
How much time will a CV joint with a ripped boot last?
We recently published a post on the significance of routinely checking and, if necessary, replacing the CV boots on your car. (You can read it here if you missed it.) This article may arguably be seen as a continuation of previous one, or even “Part 2: What happens if I don’t replace my damaged CV boots? To better understand what CV axles do and why it’s crucial to repair those boots as soon as any damage or ripping is noticed, let’s take a look at some broken CV joints on the rear axles of this 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo (951).
Let’s quickly review what a CV joint is and what it does first. Constant velocity joints, or CV joints, are present on both ends of the drive axles in all front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicles as well as many rear-wheel-drive applications (such as the example 944 Turbo in this post). Their purpose is to compensate for variations in relative wheel position caused by the up and down motion from suspension travel as well as the camber, caster, and toe set-up of the alignment geometry while transferring the torque from the transmission to the drive wheels at a constant speed (hence the name).
To keep the joint lubricated, the joint is filled with grease that has been specially prepared for this use. Without this grease, the unlubricated metal-to-metal contact would quickly wear out the joint and cause it to fail due to the heat and friction it produces. Each joint is covered with a protective rubber boot, or “CV boot,” to keep that crucial grease contained where it belongs. It is usual for CV joints to live well over 100,000 miles or more as long as that boot is still in place. Road grit, debris, and water will be allowed to enter if the boot is torn or ripped, which will cause the grease to be hurled out of the joint and speed up joint wear and tear. This is why it’s so important to periodically check your CV boots and to replace them if they become torn or damaged. Compared to CV joints or half-shaft assemblies, replacement boots are substantially less expensive.