I noticed the other day that my kids' 96 with 170,000 miles has a clicking CV joint. I don't really want to mess with it at this point, and I'm in So Cal where rain/salt is not a big issue.

I've heard of folks going 20-25,000 miles on clicking CV joints, curious what other's experience here has been. I may just squirt a bunch of waterproof grease in the boot where its torn and see how long it lasts.

 

Oh, you may get another 6 months, a year, who knows? Maybe it's just me, but I don't like to let my kids drive around with defective suspension/steering or brake components to complete a durability test, despite the favorable predictions of some other people. So if only one parent said fix it ASAP, would you?

Ok, I just did.

 

better fix it, its eazy to put on and it cost about 50-60 bucks...better be safe than sorry...............anybody can do it

 

you could get a boot kit. my uncle civic hatch was doin it since 110k. it now has 170k.
i replaced the boot and would pack it with grease. it usaully does the trick.
one of my sables did it. it had 60k miles got rid of it 130k.

 

$60? I wish it was only $60 here, a re-man for me is $80.... I have been drivin on my clickin, knockin, and popin CV for about 2k miles....not as far as you guys are talkin about, but definately time for this on to be replaced. So maybe its been doing this for longer than i thought.

My vote, really does not take too long, and really isn't that difficult, might as well replace it now before it gets too bad and does some damage to the car, or you.

 

So what happens when it fails? The joint breaks and the axle hits the ground??? Has anyone ever actually experienced that other than losing it at the track or under extremly heavy (read that racing) use?

Not the easiest fix, you need a specialized socket, bigger ratchet/breaker bar than I have, and the patience to deal with the carrier bearing assy.

 

what will happen is the joint will dry out and the joint will seize but due to the constant motion it will break and the shaft might fall out of the joint and the car wont move because the open differential will just spin the least resistant side

then you have to get it towed AND the shaft replaced (assuming that nothing else broke/got damaged due to the axle breaking at high or low speeds)

i have seen fix it kits that you can regreese the joint and "wrap" a new boot around the old one while its one the car (if you have enough room and depending on if its the inner or outer boot)

it is only a band-aid not a fix in my opinion

or the next would be as you described taking it out and repairing it can get tricky but i think its worth the saving

or a new axle all together


and your right you would need a large socket 32mm i think and i use a hollow pole/pipe as a breaker bar and i think you can "borrow" sockets from some auto stores such as auto zone

ill admit its not for noobs but a noob could do it (it would just take a little longer)

as far as if it were my kid driving it i would show him/her how to fix it so they learn to appreciate stuff/money and can do it to the other side when that one goes

GL

 

it's a 36mm your local autozone should have the socket.
also at autozone 'round here it comes to about $80 with tax.
actually now that i think about it...a friend of mine has a 5spd maxima.
the axle was'nt worn out but it came out of the joint.
and it happened while he was trying to pass someone.

nothing else happened with his car, just a whole bunch of grease.

i say invest in the boot kit. like i said it's not hard to do.