CV shaft/joint problem?

[Jeff7181]

Here are the symptoms...

Vibration in the steering wheel that changes with speed.
Abnormal wear pattern on right front tire. (The side of the tread is worn at one point, 180 degrees from that, the tire is worn on the opposite side.)
A "clunking" noise is heard when making a hard left turn.

Sounds like a CV shaft/joint to me... anyone else have any ideas?

*EDIT* Forgot to mention, the car is a 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage DE, 1.8L automatic.

 

[Aikouka]

I'm going to actually guesstimate it's your left front wheel bearings.

EDIT: Could be wrong, but I believe that issue could cause those symptoms as well.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Well the first 2 make it seem like your tire isn't balanced or isn't completely round. Also your rim could be dented thereby making it oblong.

I can't quite grasp what you are getting at from your 3rd point.

Take the car to a mechanic that can do a road surface balance (Instead of suspending the tire to balance pressure is applied).

-Kevin

 

[Jeff7181]

The clunking noise is a heavy metal on metal type of noise that is only audible when making a hard left turn. (when there's a lot of weight transferred to the right front tire, which is why I suspect that right front CV shaft when taking into consideration the other symptoms as well)

 

[Gamingphreek]

CV Joint is possible. I remember with Toyota Trucks (Not sure it happens with Mitsubishi) anytime you would turn the wheel all the way you would get the metal on metal noise though nothing was being damaged.

Outside of what I said earlier, CV joint is what I would guess.

-Kevin

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Outside of what I said earlier, CV joint is what I would guess.

If you think it's the CV joint, why don't you inspect the boots? It's not a surefire way, but if they're torn, you'll have some issues.

I still don't think it's your CV joint though .

 

[flamingelephant]

could also be a tie rod end (likely outer, but could be inner). Check them for play. This would be a much easier fix than a CV shaft/joint. Could also be a suspension bushing (also a relatively cheap and easy repair), or a wheel hub/bearing.

 

[radioouman]

and while we are at it, let's add a bad ball joint to the possible list of problems

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Outside of what I said earlier, CV joint is what I would guess.

If you think it's the CV joint, why don't you inspect the boots? It's not a surefire way, but if they're torn, you'll have some issues.

I still don't think it's your CV joint though .

Why don't you think it is CV joint though- its textbook symptoms for the CV joint. It sounds like both joints (Inner and Outer) are worn for you by your description of symptoms. Its best to have it looked and possibly replaced if needed.

-Kevin

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
Here are the symptoms...

Vibration in the steering wheel that changes with speed.
Abnormal wear pattern on right front tire. (The side of the tread is worn at one point, 180 degrees from that, the tire is worn on the opposite side.)
A "clunking" noise is heard when making a hard left turn.

Sounds like a CV shaft/joint to me... anyone else have any ideas?

*EDIT* Forgot to mention, the car is a 2000 Mitsubishi Mirage DE, 1.8L automatic.

I had all the same problems on a toyota Camry (older 91) and it turned out to be a wheel out of balance. However, I think in your case it might be a combination of both. A clucking noise while turning is a sure sign of CV joint problem. Most likley the boots are split and grease has leaked from them for a while causing the couplings to go out of tolerance. But wheel vibration at high speed is most often caused by either wheel out of balance and/or bad wheel bearing. You can check this by the following.

1. Check for the presense of balance weights on the wheel if that one wheel is missing all of the weights (check inside and out). then it could be an indication that you threw a weight or lost it when you scraped the tire against a curb.

2. Jack up the car on each front wheel. When you have it up enough where you can grip the entire tire. Grip the tire and try to move it. If you can move it a little bit it's an indication of a bad wheel bearing or a loose axle nut.

3. Check the CV joint boots.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: flamingelephant
could also be a tie rod end (likely outer, but could be inner). Check them for play. This would be a much easier fix than a CV shaft/joint. Could also be a suspension bushing (also a relatively cheap and easy repair), or a wheel hub/bearing.

A tie rod wouldn't effect both tires?

 

[j00fek]

cv joint, and get a balance on those tires

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: flamingelephant
could also be a tie rod end (likely outer, but could be inner). Check them for play. This would be a much easier fix than a CV shaft/joint. Could also be a suspension bushing (also a relatively cheap and easy repair), or a wheel hub/bearing.

A tie rod wouldn't effect both tires?

If he had a bad tie rod he would hear a thump every time he turned the wheel.

 

[Analog]

Jack the car up on that side so the wheel is in the air. Grab the wheel horizontally and see if there is any play. If there is, then its likely an outer tie-rod end. Now grab the tire from top to bottom and see if there is any play. If there is, then it is likely to be a ball joint. If its neither of those, it is very possibly a CV axle. When you check for play, you have to put some muscle into it.

A wheel bearing will make a humming or 'drone' noise that varies with speed. It doesn't sound like that from your description.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Analog
Jack the car up on that side so the wheel is in the air. Grab the wheel horizontally and see if there is any play. If there is, then its likely an outer tie-rod end. Now grab the tire from top to bottom and see if there is any play. If there is, then it is likely to be a ball joint. If its neither of those, it is very possibly a CV axle. When you check for play, you have to put some muscle into it.

A wheel bearing will make a humming or 'drone' noise that varies with speed. It doesn't sound like that from your description.

Nope... no noise like that. I'll get it up on jack stands tomorrow and have a look at it.

Thanks everyone for the ideas.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Outside of what I said earlier, CV joint is what I would guess.

If you think it's the CV joint, why don't you inspect the boots? It's not a surefire way, but if they're torn, you'll have some issues.

I still don't think it's your CV joint though .

Why don't you think it is CV joint though- its textbook symptoms for the CV joint. It sounds like both joints (Inner and Outer) are worn for you by your description of symptoms. Its best to have it looked and possibly replaced if needed.

-Kevin

Yeah. CV joint is like gudugga guddugga gudugga guddugga when ever ya make a turn.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Outside of what I said earlier, CV joint is what I would guess.

If you think it's the CV joint, why don't you inspect the boots? It's not a surefire way, but if they're torn, you'll have some issues.

I still don't think it's your CV joint though .

Why don't you think it is CV joint though- its textbook symptoms for the CV joint. It sounds like both joints (Inner and Outer) are worn for you by your description of symptoms. Its best to have it looked and possibly replaced if needed.

-Kevin

Yeah. CV joint is like gudugga guddugga gudugga guddugga when ever ya make a turn.

I had a Celica that would go CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK on the sharp turns.

Of course, I put over 50,000 miles on that joint after it started making noise, and it still hadn't failed when I sold the car, so...