I got the knocking sound like my CV boots are busted but they aren't. Is the grease that lubs them dryed up or something? Will I have to replace the whole joint?

 

It sounds like you took it a part to see if the grease is dryed up. I mean how do you know if the grease is dryed up, with out the CV boots being busted open.
well if you think they are dryed up and you continue to drive your car like this you going to changed them no matter what, because they will over heat and break the cv joints.

 

How does it sound like that? I was asking questions, not saying that is exactly what happened. If I knew what was going on why would I have made this post?
No I haven't taken them apart I was just guessing because isn't that what makes them usually knock when the boot tears and the grease gets slung all over the place? Right?

What else makes the knocking noise beside no grease in the joint? Just wondering,not trying to sound like I know what is going on.

 

If your hearing a clunking noise and it's from the drivers side than that one is no big deal to replace you just need a socket large enough to loosen the axle nut if its your passenger side one than that one is a little more tricky not something for the beginner to attempt.

 

I agree that the passenger side is not something for an ameature to attempt. I replaced the passenger side on a 96 GXE and I have been a mechanic for a few years and still had some problems. But if you are going to replace it I found the easiest way is to take off the 3 bolts that attach to the engine block and rotate the mount to remove the axle. Trust me it takes patience but it can be done in a driveway.

 

yeah that bracket holding the bearing on the passenger side was a pain, the easiest way to get it off was to remove the bracket with the axle and then beat the bracket off the axle while it was removed from the car

 

Strange... I've never had trouble getting the axles on and off the car... the hard part is seperating the CV joint!! Or are yall using split boots?

 

whatever you do, don't use the split boots. it is impossible to keep them clean while putting them on and the seam will split in 3 months and then you will end up putting a real boot on anyway

 

I wouldn't put a split boot near my car, the real ones break fast enough (85,000 mi for me). So do you know an easy way to seperate the CV joint?