Outer CV Joint??? help

It sounds like you have more than a CV joint problem. You may not even have a CV joint problem. It sounds like a bearing or other suspension parts. The CV joint does not support the wheel in any way, it only causes it to turn "I've got a little up and down play in the wheel"

If the CV joint fails, you no longer have any power to the wheels so you are not going anywhere. Depending on when and were that happens it could be dangerous and certainly inconvenient.

Some of those suspension parts could be even worse and you should have this fixed at once. Drive very carefully or have it towed.

If the CV joint is start starting to go fixing it now may save the joint and you may need only clean, lube and a new cover.

Joseph: Thanks for the quick response. My wife had brought it to a shop for state inspection. They claim they saw grease flung inside the wheel area apparently from the CV boot. They claim it's a broken axle. (And they'd be happy to fix it for $800.) Not that I don't trust local mechanics (and I don't), but wouldn't that be giving me some other symptoms beside some grease flung around...like noises when turning or steering irregularities? The car drives just like it always did. Granted the axle does have a bit of in and out play at the wheel when you grab it and move it, but I never checked it before. I'm planning on selling the car and don't want it killing anyone. I mean could it just need wheel bearings...? Tomm Scalera

Have to agree with all this. I've had two CV joints fail in operation. In one case, the inner, all the bolts came out (the shop didn't torque them properly after a clutch job) and in the other, the outer, CV joint came apart. In both cases I rolled the car to a stop off the road on the momentum I had at the time. The car still worked fine, as a roller toy, just no way to get it moving under it's own power again. The second case was funny in that you could actually hear the ball bearings banging against the bottom of the car as they came out and bounced away on the road.

Aye. That wheel play would concern me a lot.

- Bill

----- Off topic (I'd guess)

I've never seen that before. Can you explain the background of this?

$800??!?!?!? AUGHHHHH!!!!

Let's see... rebuilt halfshaft should be about $100 - $125 (maybe less) and I can replace one in under 20 minutes. So, maybe $200 would be more like it IMHO. If the bearing is gone add another $100 - $150 tops.

I'd report this shop to the State where you live for using the inspection service as a way to fleece sheep.

Tim Wohlford '89 Golf

The CV joint may be fine. If you're mechanically inclined you can pull off the axle and clean and repack the cv joint with a new boot. This will also give you a good indication of the condition of the joint. The play that you're describing may have nothing to do with the joint at all. But you should get the wheel repacked soon in any case since losing the grease will cause the joint to fail quickly if you don't do anything about it.

Do you hear any noise from the wheel when you're driving? Does it make a rattling sound, like you were driving over gravel? THat would indicate a cv joint on its way out. A growling sound, on the other hand, might mean a bad bearing, especially if the hub of the wheel is getting hot when you drive. That might also explain the play you describe. Other suspension parts may also be behind it. Take care of this sooner rather than later, though.

Good luck - Chris

Joseph Meehan wrote: