Symptoms of worn CV joints? Options

[RustyWa]

What are the symptoms of worn CV joints? On front wheel drive cars they clunk when you turn, but what about rear wheel drive cars?

My inner joints (tranny side) are worn and are pretty sloppy. They are not that sloppy in the twisting motion, but they have plenty of clearance when I pull the joint back and forth on the shaft. If the joint is on the axle, and I can grab the outer race and pull straight out, the outer race will move close to 1". Make sense?

[lapuwali]

They clunk when you turn, just like fwd cars. The noise may be more like a clicking at typical wheel speeds. There should be some axial play, as that's how the things work. There should be no perceptible rotational play, however.

[cnavarro]

Yup, clunking. Just had to order cv's for the 911. I guess that's what happens when you drive a car more in the last few months than it has been driven in the last decade.

[Joe Ricard]

Just replaced the inner joints on the yellow car last month. I have noticed that the inners wear faster on the 914. Outers wear faster on 928 (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif) So I took the outer off the stripper and put them on the inner of the yellow car.
I had lots of rotational slop. Upon inspection of the races there were big wear grooves in both pieces. and the balls came out really easy

[michel richard]

A loud "Bang", and then no power at the wheels. (BTDT, twice, 23 years apart )

[RustyWa]

What about vibration?

[lapuwali]

QUOTE (RustyWa @ May 16 2005, 07:56 PM)

What about vibration?

Vibration can be a lot of things, but CV joints usually aren't the cause. Do you feel the vibration through the steering wheel? Does it change frequency with engine speed, or wheel speed? Is there also a noise?

[Bleyseng]

QUOTE (RustyWa @ May 16 2005, 10:49 AM)

What are the symptoms of worn CV joints? On front wheel drive cars they clunk when you turn, but what about rear wheel drive cars? My inner joints (tranny side) are worn and are pretty sloppy. They are not that sloppy in the twisting motion, but they have plenty of clearance when I pull the joint back and forth on the shaft. If the joint is on the axle, and I can grab the outer race and pull straight out, the outer race will move close to 1". Make sense?

Its supposed to move, Eric.

Still chasing the shimmy?

Have you had the car 4 wheel aligned yet? I would after you install the new bushings. Check your a arms for straightness too while you have them out. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

[914werke]

Here we go again... How do you check the trailing arms for straightness w/o a jig?

[Bleyseng]

Take the a arm off, hold it up in the air and eyeball it. hey, it looks good !

Find someone or a shop who has one, say maybe Akers or Fordals.

[RustyWa]

QUOTE (Bleyseng @ May 17 2005, 07:25 AM)

Still chasing the shimmy? Have you had the car 4 wheel aligned yet? I would after you install the new bushings. Check your a arms for straightness too while you have them out. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool_shades.gif)

Still chasing it and had it aligned last summer. I'm running out of things to replace...

Tried a different set of wheels
new shocks
new springs
new rear bushings
new front bushings to be installed soon
new wheel bearings front and rear
new turbo tie rod kit

Axles and engine/tranny mounts are only thing left to replace The tranny mounts looked good last time I looked at them and the engine doesn't jump around when taking off from a start, so I figure they are good. When the vibration happens, I feel it in the butt and if I take out the slack in the shifter handle, it's jumping around at the same frequency. That's why I'm wondering if it could be the axels.

I realize the joints move in and out, I'm just thinking my inner joints are excessive. I'm going to try and find out if it is power on/off related this weekend.

[dmenche914]

Movement back and forth along the axle is ok, not a sign of wear, movement up and down, and celarance when twisting is a sign of a problem in the CV.

Since CV's are now out of production, all 914 owners should make periodic checks of the CV's and immediatly fix any torn boots, and such. A torn boot, or lack of maintanence (yes, they do need to be re-packed once and a while) will spell a rapid death of these no longer available parts)

In the good ole days, people would ignore re-packing and do nothing until a joint failed. Not a wise thing to do these days

[Toast]

QUOTE (lapuwali @ May 16 2005, 11:00 PM)

QUOTE (RustyWa @ May 16 2005, 07:56 PM) What about vibration? Vibration can be a lot of things, but CV joints usually aren't the cause. Do you feel the vibration through the steering wheel? Does it change frequency with engine speed, or wheel speed? Is there also a noise?

**HIJACK** (sorry Rusty, this will be quick)

My Toyota truck vibrates, and a various speeds. What do you think could be wrong?

I did a complete tune up (helped with the loss of power I thought was associated with the vibration).

I had my tires rotated and balanced. There is wear on the inner walls of the former front tires, althought I did have an alignment done a few months prior.

Tie Rods dont look bent from visual inspection.

Maybe steering dampener??...but wouldn't it only vibrate when I hit a bump or something?

I'm out of options other than another alignment.


Any suggestions would help.
Thanks

**HIJACK OVER**

[mike_the_man]

So, if there is a twisting motion, thats bad, hey? Hmm, so if I have this symptom what can I do? I've heard something about using Bus CVs, I think. Can it be done? Can I repair my current CVs? Am I totally screwed? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

[RustyWa]

I think this is my loose cv joint outer part. Never got a photo of the axial play.