Saturday, November 20, 2010

Help!!! CV joints?

Last Friday I got my oil changed and they told me I need to get my CV joints fixed because the boots are cracked and the grease is coming out.



There is no clicking sound yet, I don't think. Is the clicking sound loud and unmistakable? if so, they are definately not clicking.



If CV joints don't make any noise, does that mean I probably only need the boots replaced and grease packed back in? I'm not sure how long the rubber has been cracked, but do you think the CV joints are still good?



I know I should get this fixed asap, but how long do you think I'm good for, a week?



If I wait longer, stuff is going to get to the joints and mess them up, right?Help!!! CV joints?
depending on how much you drive..you've got time. the cv joints don't just fly apart all of a sudden. They can get pretty bad before failure(not saying that you should test out how long). Unless you plan a cross country tour of the US, you'll be fine for a few weeks, a month...maybe longer. I'd be guessing the oil change place also would be happy to put the cv joints in for you too, eh? I'm not saying that they did this, but I have heard of mechanics 'creating' extra work for themselves by 'inspecting' cv joints...i.e they accidently stick a screw driver through the boot while checking them over to see if they're cracked. If you're not sure, have some other shop quote you a repair to the joints as well...it's a good idea anyway, because it pays to shop around sometimes. And to answer the clicking question-yep, very unmistakable sound. Constant clicking that gets faster and slower as you drive faster and slower. And as they get really bad you'll feel a slight rhythmic jerk in the steering wheel when turning to one side or the other.Help!!! CV joints?
Have some one else check them.

They might be needing income (if you know what I mean).

I have gone the split boot repair route, and I was not happy with how long the repair lasted.

The labor to replace just the boot will exceed the cost of labor to replace the axle and the damage to the mechanical parts may have already been done. Resulting in returning to the mechanic sooner the should have been needed.

So when I get a CV joint done, I just spring for a total replacement.

As for the clicking, you will hear it before they go out.

Start setting aside money right now to have the job done before winter.Help!!! CV joints?
here a good way to check drive backwards and turn as sharp as you can both ways if they bad most of time they will pop more than likey its just the boot.... and sooner is always better but who know how long they been bad you know coulkd have been a long time and no one said any thing you know and yes a week or two is not going to hurt any moreHelp!!! CV joints?
if if if its only the boot then its cheap and easy to do and will last a couple weeks with out noise but if its been ripped for awhile i give it a week but if you have around 40 to 60 bucks you can get 1 with a warranty and thats the whole cv shaft and its very easy to install without going to a shop i can help talk you through it its about the same time wise of work.Help!!! CV joints?
it will be cheaper for you in the long run to put a rebuilt axle in it. most cars it takes a little more than an hour per side. the price of rebuilt axles is right around $70.00. a very reasonable repair that wont come back to haunt youHelp!!! CV joints?
I would replace the entire axles even though they are not yet making noise......they will still have gotten some dirt and debris in them if the boots are already cracked and broken.....even the smallest amount of debris will wear the joints out......get second opinion first though as some shops will use the %26quot;cv boots%26quot; as an excuse to extort money from customers......Help!!! CV joints?
If you are a technician, you can replace all 4 boots for less than fifty dollars. It's like getting a kidney transplant, if you can find a used on on craigs list, you could save tens of thousands of dollars doing it yourself. If the joints are not clicking (popping) as customers state, then yes you can replace the boots. Usually it's just the outers, so at a shop, lets say mine, boot costs me 12.00 costs you 39.95 times two and labor would be between an hour and an hour and a half depending on what kind of vehicle you have, so figure 99-149 in labor per side. As others have stated, you can get complete axle, one per side. At my shop, axles are 39-49 dollars my cost so customer cost is 129.95 and again, an hour labor to an hour and a half depending on labor cost in your area. If you are not clicking the boots will do you fine.Help!!! CV joints?
How big are the %26quot;cracks%26quot;? Obviouisly the bigger the %26quot;holes', the quicker the grease is going to get out, -- and if big enough they will allow dirt and water in (depending on location along boot)also!



Get down under the car and check for yourself, -- if you see lots of grease that has been slinging out in area right above the axle boot (note that there are boots on both ends of each axle). The outer ones will sling grease out quicker (because of extreme flexing when turning)--so a very small hole in inner end will leave grease in for a long time, - but the outer end towards wheel will throw out faster from same size hole, - and allow stuf to get in also -- if it is big enough!



You don't want to wait too long, as when the axle %26quot;joint' parts run dry (all it is ,-is a universal joint tht runs in grease)-- it damages the parts, and there is no %26quot;repair%26quot; at that point!** And of course the %26quot;grit%26quot; from dirt and water %26quot;compound%26quot; really accelerates damage! Some drive axles had both ends removeagble for replacement, and some only have one end removeable!



You did not say what kind of car you have! Some cars have %26quot;quick boots%26quot; which can be installed without pulling the axle out! They are not the best you can do,-- but might save axles till you have time or money to get them taken out and done with%26quot;origional (seamless) boots%26quot;! Since the %26quot;quick boots%26quot; have a %26quot;flange%26quot; that is used to hold them shut after fitted overt the joint, - this is a place for stuff to get jammed in and tear boot up again! In southern states they work fairly well, - as long as you don't go %26quot;mudding%26quot; with the car!.. If you live where there is lots of snow %26amp; ice (and mud in spring),-The deciding factor here is how much clearance between boots and surrounding suspension and frame parts! They get torn off prety easily because of the way the stuff cakes up underneath, and sometimes even builds up around tires so you can't turn steering wheel! If you live there you know what I am talking about !