CV Joint hell...

Hi Guys, hopefully the forum can put forward some ideas on this one.

 

I first had the front right CV joint replaced at 80,000km, having owned the car since 34,000km, assuming that was the first drive shaft replacement, a week later it was clicking already, so I took it back and they put another new one in, the second one lasted 6 months approx 10,000km then clicking again, took it back and got another one, this one did better, about 30,000km, wasn't able to get back to the same workshop as I'd moved and got another new one at a different garage and this one lasted 5,000km.

 

Have explained the previous issues to the 2nd mechanic, obviously they weren't keen to just put another replacement in, they thought there maybe something wrong with the drive shaft, so they got a second hand inside CV, drive shaft and outside CV and put that in, that was two weeks ago and I think i heard some faint clicking already so its not sounding good.

 

Mods have been on the car since almost new as far as I know, all CV's have been non OEM parts, haven't tried an OEM CV in it, maybe an idea.

 

The mechanics are pretty baffled, don't think they have seen a car burning up CV's like mine before.

 

Any suggestions as to what could be wrong with the car causing the CV issues?

Was the car ever in a accident ? is the frame bent ?

 

Have you had the aligned ?

 

Was the replacement axles 100% new ? or the free life time replacements ?

Was the replacement axles 100% new ? or the free life time replacements ?

 

 

Wait... free lifetime replacements? Please explain.

Here we go again.

 

Honda Civic's. The auto parts stores will sell the kids a $60.00 axle with a free life time replacement. With the discount I used to have, I paid $29.00 for a civic axle.

 

Only problem is, I've gone thru 4 of them before I got a good one. I could replace a axle in 15 minutes.

 

Think about who they have rebuilding a these axles...and how the kids beat up the axles with turboed civic's.

 

Hope the auto parts stores are not doing that with these axles.

I'm starting to suspect all the third party CV joints available for our cars a just crap. Maybe try an OEM axle and see how that works out.

 

I had my both front axle halves replaced when my clutch was done. One CV boot was torn and had thrown out its grease. I figured I would get both done while they had them off and it would be a good preventative measure since the stock one only lasted 53K miles.

 

One of them is making a grinding noise, but it is only in reverse and doesn't always happen. I'm just going to wait and see how long mine lasts. Once it is shot I'll probably go back to OEM.

Oh, okay. Thanks. I thought maybe there was an extended replacement program through Subaru. I would have been a little disappointed to find out about such a thing just now though, as I had to replace an axle last summer. At least I did the labor myself.

 

Here we go again.

 

Honda Civics. The auto parts stores will sell the kids a $60.00 axle with a free life time replacement. With the discount I used to have, I paid $29.00 for a civic axle.

Only problem is, I've gone thru 4 of them before I got a good one. I could replace an axle in 15 minutes.

Think about who they have rebuilding a these axles...and how the kids beat up the axles with turboed civics.

Hope the auto parts stores are not doing that with these axles.

Perhaps it's the boot material. Maybe an axle with a silicon boot will outlast an axle with a rubber boot.

 

For $300 (or whatever OE costs these day), I'd almost rather go with an $80 generic a few times over. It's less money all at once that way. Plus, the fact that so many OE axles need to be replaced with third-party axles in the first place does not instill confidence in the quality of OEM axles.

 

I'm starting to suspect all the third party CV joints available for our cars a just crap. Maybe try an OEM axle and see how that works out.

I had my both front axle halves replaced when my clutch was done. One CV boot was torn and had thrown out its grease. I figured I would get both done while they had them off and it would be a good preventative measure since the stock one only lasted 53K miles.

One of them is making a grinding noise, but it is only in reverse and doesn't always happen. I'm just going to wait and see how long mine lasts. Once it is shot I'll probably go back to OEM.

Thanks to all posters for your responses, appreciate all the input.

 

The car was never in an accident in my ownership, from 34,000km onward, before that i'm not sure but there are no signs of it.

 

Wheel alignment is good and I have it checked.

 

Replacement CV's were 100% new, the axle we just put in is second hand.

 

Thinking more, the only known difference between the first CV which lasted so long and the next few is that the first was OEM the rest not, but you'd think a CV is a CV? What could be so much better about the OEM ones.

 

Was the car ever in a accident ? is the frame bent ?

 

Have you had the aligned ?

 

Was the replacement axles 100% new ? or the free life time replacements ?

Thinking the same, OEM CV is probably my next option, would like to know if there could be something else causing the issue though if anyone has any ideas?

 

I'm starting to suspect all the third party CV joints available for our cars a just crap. Maybe try an OEM axle and see how that works out.

 

I had my both front axle halves replaced when my clutch was done. One CV boot was torn and had thrown out its grease. I figured I would get both done while they had them off and it would be a good preventative measure since the stock one only lasted 53K miles.

 

One of them is making a grinding noise, but it is only in reverse and doesn't always happen. I'm just going to wait and see how long mine lasts. Once it is shot I'll probably go back to OEM.

I know the side with the turbo always goes a little earlier due to the heat. Any chance you are missing a heat shield on your turbo? That could really speed up how quickly they fail

I know the side with the turbo always goes a little earlier due to the heat. Any chance you are missing a heat shield on your turbo? That could really speed up how quickly they fail

 

That's a new one on me, will definitely discuss this with my mechanic thanks for the tip!!!

 

My current CV is clickitty clicking already.....

 

Will be back to mechanic Monday, wonder what he had in mind next...

The second hand drive train we put in (inside CV, drive shaft, outside CV) lasted 2 weeks before clicking, though we had it apart and it has worn differently, this time in the middle, while the previous one was on the edges.

 

The drive shaft people have seen this before on lowered cars which mine is, but the original CV lasted 80,000km with the car lowered, and nothings changed.

 

So I now have another aftermarket CV, with some special grease to keep the temperature down (which might help) with the 2nd hand drive shaft that they reckon is in better condition than my original.

 

But really, no one has worked out what this issue is other than it might have been the drive shaft.

 

But I already heard it make a click turning into my garage when I just got the car home :mad::mad::mad::mad:

 

So i'm at my wits end, I'm going to sell the car.

May be raise the car 1/2 "

May be raise the car 1/2 "

 

Will I need all new springs to do that or is there an easier way?

How low is a the car ?

 

I would think up to a 2" drop should not be a issue. Ask Mike, "m sprank" what he thinks if your that low or lower.

 

But yes if the car is lowered and not on coilovers, new springs will raise it.

Dredging up my old thread here, hope no one minds...

 

Well i had 40,000km of no CV issues and i couldn't quite remember exactly where I ended up with the CV, I had it in the workshop so many times, but I believe we had a full inner/drive shaft/outer 2nd hand OEM CV installed.

 

So that started clicking recently and I took it back in to get a brand new OEM CV which comes with the drive shaft also, that had a faint click the day i drove it home, eventually clicking like crazy after 4 weeks, so subaru are replacing that under warranty and my mechanic has asked for the inner CV as well, and we will see how that goes, i have to wait for the parts to come from Japan..

 

I should note this is all on the right hand side, the left has been fine.

 

but for a brand new CV to click the day you drive it home, really means something must be wrong with the installation or geometry of the car, or I've got really bad luck and got one that was faulty out of the box!!

Do you have any junkyards around, I might be thinking about getting one from there.

 

I complete new OEM axle should be fine. Why would the Dealership only replace the one joint. I guess they were trying to save you money...when you understand the whole process to replace an axle instead of replacing just one end...it's faster to replace the axle.

 

I did have the boots replaced on my OEM right front axle when the boot cracked. OEM axles are the best choice for these cars. My left front is a remanufactured axle that is a replacement for a new aftermarket that didn't last long, that replaced a new aftermarket axle that I replaced back about 2010.

I wonder if your center differential is no good, and the CV axle is fine.

That could be the next thing to check ^

A locked center differential will find and destroy the weakest driveline part and sometimes that happens to be a CV axle.

Hey guys thanks for the responses,

 

To answer a few questions, I have it serviced at a private mechanic not a dealership, so yes he was trying to save me money by just doing the outer CV and drive shaft.

 

If there is a problem with the centre diff, how would we diagnose it? If it was locking up I would notice when low speed turning right?

 

A question I had given the car is lowered and brake modifications, is there a possibility the Axle/CV's needed to be modified to suite with some kind of spacer or shim that hasn't been kept or repeated with subsequent changes.

 

I should note I've changed the left hand side once and had no issue since.

Never heard of a shim for the axles. How low is the car ? I seem to recall Honda Civic's having axle noise if they were dropped really low.

also should note my car is on 225/40 R18 tires, standard on this car are 215/45 R18, I've always had 225/40's on it, I'm not sure if they went for those tires because the wheels are wider than standard.

 

Part of the problem??

Never heard of a shim for the axles. How low is the car ? I seem to recall Honda Civic's having axle noise if they were dropped really low.

 

I don't know exactly it was lowered when I got it but its nothing extreme, is there an easy way to measure it?

The stock wheel well gap is about 2" or a little more. My wagon is lowered 1" and that is not a problem. I have run both the stock 17's and the 18's from my 09 Spec B on the car.

 

By really low I mean the tire normally sit hidden behind the top of the wheel well...On the way in to work today a civic pasted me with the tires angled out and the top of the tires were tucked up under the fender...I thought of this thread when he drove past.

 

You could see the angles the CV joints had to work with...not good.