CV Joints--Problems / Symptoms

Vehicle: 2000 Pont. Grand AM 3.4

Just wanted to ask besides the common "clicking" noise in turns what other systems would be present if you had bad CV joints?

The reason I'm asking is that the car has been aligned, spin balanced and 2 new hubs/bearings put in and I'm getting a chugging noise and vibration that's got me worried.

This used to happen at highway speeds above 60mph and was not solved by the bearings, spin balance, or wheel alignment. I do not have clicking in turns, but I'm suspecting the CV's. These are the originals and the car has 201K miles. I don't know what else it could be.

Since the tires are fairly new and are the same Eagle LS's the car came with and this problem existed at high speed with the older tires as well, and persists after the bearings, alignment, and spin balance there doesn't seem to be anything else it could be.

Thanks for any replys.

MAB

Reply to
MAB
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Thumping annd vibration.

Chugging noises make me think bearings first off, but if it's not the bearings, and you are SURE the tires are good, the C-V joints are the next thing to check.

Tires. Transaxle.

Well, pull off the rubber boots and look inside the C-V joints for signs of wear. You might just be able to clean and repack them and get a few more miles out of them. You might have to replace them. You won't really know anything until you look inside.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

I'm reasonably sure that you can wear out CV joints. I have 152,000 miles on mine. I'm waiting for the transmission to go, then have them replaced with new ones at the same time I get my transmission rebuilt. My boots aren't torn or anything, but I can gra the bar that between two accordian like things and move it back and fourth a little (along the axis of the axle). I bet you can do the same. You can't do that with new ones. If they weren't so hard to replace I would have tried replacing mine by now. You want to replae them with new ones, not rebuilt!

Reply to
scott21230

Is that a blanket condemnation of rebuilt shafts, or have you had problems with specific remanufacturers?

Reply to
hls

I have had very good luck with rebuilt shafts done by a competent machine shop. Craft Machine in Newport News VA made me up a couple splined axles with CV joints for my Chrysler a few years back and did an excellent job of it.

I have had friends with REALLY bad luck with rebuilt shafts from a couple of the chain stores, including someone who got a shaft from Autozone which looks like they just cleaned and regreased a bad joint and put a new boot on it....

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Scott, from my experience, this is true about just about every remanufactured part that can go on an auto. There are some really high quality remanufacturers that can come out with a product actually better than OEM (some rack and pinion remanufacturers I used to know). Then there are others that it is hard to see how they stay in business.

Autozone has some crap. I think we agree on that. They have some other things that are quite okay. As long as one can differentiate the one from the other, Autozone serves a purpose.

Their lend situation on some tools saved my bacon a week ago,and I have some loyalty to them for this and some of their other free services. BUT, some of their parts I wouldnt touch with gloves.

Reply to
hls

I was wondering if the looseness I can feel in the axlw/shaft might make me think that my tires need to be balanced, when they don't. That type of symptom.

Reply to
scott21230

Interesting reading on Wkipedia:

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"Faultfinding and diagnosis

Constant velocity joints are usually reliable and largely trouble- free. The two main failures are wear and partial seizure.

Wear in the outer joint usually shows up as vibration at certain speeds, a bit like the vibration caused by an unbalanced wheel. To determine if the joint is worn, a driver should find a big empty car park and drive the car slowly in tight circles, left and right. Worn joints will make a rhythmic clicking or cracking noise. Wear in the inner joints shows up as a "clunk" or "pop" when applying power, or if severe, when lifting off the throttle.

Partial seizure causes a strange "pattering" sensation through the suspension. It is caused by the joint overheating, which in turn is usually caused by the outer joint gaiter having split, allowing the joint to throw out its grease. If caught in time, one can clean the joint carefully, repack with grease and replace the gaiter. Kits which include the grease, gaiter and retaining clips are available from most automotive manufacturers. Some universal gaiters are split lengthwise enabling them to be fitted without having to disassemble the wheel hub and CV joint."

It's not that I disagre with Wikipedia on the clicking issue, I just figure that the vibration part they mention probably proceeds the clicking.

Reply to
scott21230

I've found that all discount rebuilt CV axles use boots that disintegrate when in contact with atmosphere within a year or two. Spinning and turning makes them wear out quicker.

A few dealer programs offer better quality reman shafts with OEM boots for a reasonable price. Unfortunatley the $59.99 to $99.99 CV rebuild mentality has lowered peoples' idea of 'reasonable pricing' in that area. There's no way you can make a profit unless you reuse most parts and buy bulk, poor fitting hard parts made in China along with the lowest grade boots available.

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

NAPA shows new ones available for my car for $90-$105. And I doubt that they are made in China (but would check before buying). That doesn't seem so expensive to me. If I could do it myself I would have done it by now. These things are supposedly really hard to change out.

Reply to
scott21230

Doubt away, but the replacement hard parts inside are cheaply sourced as previously stated. Cheap metal parts come from China these days. Do you buy "Pittsburgh" wrenches just for the name?

Hard is relative.

Toyota MDT in MO

Reply to
Comboverfish

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