Need some advice: CV Joint
09-26-2011, 03:44 AM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Need some advice: CV Joint
Hi all,
I have an 86.5 5spd which I've been sorting out over the last year. The car has had a suspension issue in the rear since the day I bought it. Basically, the car rides very harshly over bumpy roads like it has a bad bushing or something. I've replaced all 4 shocks but the problems remains. When I recently had the car aligned, the tech said he wasn't able to align one of the rear wheels within spec and suggested a bad bushing.
Today I decided to poke around and see if I could find the bad bushing. I couldn't, but in the process I noticed that the axle on the left rear had some strange play to it. When I grab the axle and attempt to "push" it toward the wheel, it makes a knocking or clicking noise at the end of its travel like something is loose. The axle on the right side moves slightly in and out but it does not make a noise.
My question is two-fold: 1) Does it sound like I need a new half-shaft or is it possible mine can be saved? and 2) could a bad CV Joint be the cause of my suspension issue and the reason my car won't take an alignment on that wheel?
Thanks in advance for any help.
I have an 86.5 5spd which I've been sorting out over the last year. The car has had a suspension issue in the rear since the day I bought it. Basically, the car rides very harshly over bumpy roads like it has a bad bushing or something. I've replaced all 4 shocks but the problems remains. When I recently had the car aligned, the tech said he wasn't able to align one of the rear wheels within spec and suggested a bad bushing.
Today I decided to poke around and see if I could find the bad bushing. I couldn't, but in the process I noticed that the axle on the left rear had some strange play to it. When I grab the axle and attempt to "push" it toward the wheel, it makes a knocking or clicking noise at the end of its travel like something is loose. The axle on the right side moves slightly in and out but it does not make a noise.
My question is two-fold: 1) Does it sound like I need a new half-shaft or is it possible mine can be saved? and 2) could a bad CV Joint be the cause of my suspension issue and the reason my car won't take an alignment on that wheel?
Thanks in advance for any help.
09-26-2011, 12:50 PM
#2
Under the Lift
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Bad CV should not affect alignment. In/out motion is OK. It's rotational play that you don't want. However, if there is excessive in/out motion, the axle should be removed and inspected. Perhaps a circlip came off.
If it was camber that he could not get into spec (too negative), then it is likely the upper control arm bushings are distorted. They are not very hard to remove and replace.
Harshness over bumps would most likely be shock related.
If it was camber that he could not get into spec (too negative), then it is likely the upper control arm bushings are distorted. They are not very hard to remove and replace.
Harshness over bumps would most likely be shock related.
09-26-2011, 02:08 PM
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Bad CV should not affect alignment. In/out motion is OK. It's rotational play that you don't want. However, if there is excessive in/out motion, the axle should be removed and inspected. Perhaps a circlip came off.
If it was camber that he could not get into spec (too negative), then it is likely the upper control arm bushings are distorted. They are not very hard to remove and replace.
Harshness over bumps would most likely be shock related.
If it was camber that he could not get into spec (too negative), then it is likely the upper control arm bushings are distorted. They are not very hard to remove and replace.
Harshness over bumps would most likely be shock related.
I guess I was most concerned about the noise the axle made when moving in/out. The other side didn't make a noise. The boots look fine though. As for the harshness, I'm not sure what's going on there. You and I replaced the shocks but I still feel it. Maybe it's just normal. I was thinking that a completely shot bushing might result in some looseness which may be a better way of describing the feel.
Are you around this week? It's easy enough to reproduce the noise from the CV. Diagnosing it is the hard part. I can bring my alignment printout from Sears for kicks. $80 for any car and they did it right. What a deal
