Driving with a CV joint that needs repairing? (Necro)

[BullyCanadian]

Im probably going to the gym, but I *think* my saturn needs it LEFT FRONT CV joint repaired/replaced (it makes a CLUNKING NOISE when turned to the right)

Is it safe to drive for a week (~roughly 300miles) or should I go to the mechanic immediately?

 

[Ornery]

...roughly 300miles...

That's a bit too much.

 

[hippy]

Sure it's safe... If it goes(breaks) you just will not be able to go anywhere... at least not in that car.

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: hippy
Sure it's safe... If it goes(breaks) you just will not be able to go anywhere... at least not in that car.

:S ok I wont drive it.

 

[m2kewl]

if you're going fast, and it happens you might be in a world of hurt

 

[PHiuR]

i had a cv joint prob with my old mx-6 and i drove it with the sound for a couple weeks.

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: PHiuR
i had a cv joint prob with my old mx-6 and i drove it with the sound for a couple weeks.

Well Im thinking its the CV joint cause it only happens when my wheel is turned fully right. Hmm, any idea how I can check it myself? I'll jack the car up, just how to do check to make sure its that CV joint and not like a ball bearing or anything?

 

[SuperPickle]

Both of my CVs were going out on my first car. Well, one went to hell fast so I replaced it but the other clunked around a bit when I accellerated while turning. I never did replace that part and drove it for over 40K miles.

That said, I was retarded and lucky - driving on a bad joint is not a great idea, if for no other reason than you may be stranded somewhere with a car that's broken.

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: BullyCanadian
Well Im thinking its the CV joint cause it only happens when my wheel is turned fully right. Hmm, any idea how I can check it myself? I'll jack the car up, just how to do check to make sure its that CV joint and not like a ball bearing or anything?

use google?

http://www.ehow.com/how_16426_check-constant-velocity.html
http://www.samarins.com/maintenance/simple.html

 

[Stojakapimp]

I think it should be fine...I had a CV joint problem and drove all the way from Sacramento to San Diego (roughly 500 or 600 miles) before I got it fixed. But then again, that's just straight driving...not a whole lot of turns

 

[hippy]

Well Im thinking its the CV joint cause it only happens when my wheel is turned fully right. Hmm, any idea how I can check it myself? I'll jack the car up, just how to do check to make sure its that CV joint and not like a ball bearing or anything?

Ball bearings don't CLUNK!

Ok, if you can swear to me that you know where your axles are and you can tell me how many CV- Joints and axles there are on the front of your car... I might be able to set you in the right direction.

 

[Drakkon]

I had a CV joint making noise...checked with mechanic and said it would cost something like $200 to fix...well i said I'd wait till friday when paycheck came...well on thurs (i had only driven it a couple miles MAYBE) it completely broke and ended up trashing other parts in the car as well...total cost around $700...

in other words get it fixed NOW

 

[jonnyGURU]

Originally posted by: m2kewl
if you're going fast, and it happens you might be in a world of hurt

Actually, if a CV completely breaks, the car just stops moving forward. The differential in the transmission makes sure the other wheel doesn't keep spinning.

If a garage charged you more for a completely busted CV axle as opposed to one that was just "worn out" the only reason I can think of is that the axle was so trashed they couldn't use it as a core (about $75 to $100 typically.)

 

[jonnyGURU]

Oh.. and if it does give it will scare the crap out of you because the car will rev way up until you take your foot off the gas. Sort of like someone just pushed the clutch all of the way in on you while you were accelerating (if the car was a stick, let's say.)

 

[geno]

I drove around on a bad CV for about a month, I just took it easy on it until I could afford to buy the axle. Just because they're clicking doesn't mean they're going to break immediately. On the other hand, I've had a CV break clean apart on me with no warning while I was pulling into a driveway @ 2mph, sometimes the weirdest things can happen.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

Originally posted by: m2kewl
if you're going fast, and it happens you might be in a world of hurt

Actually, if a CV completely breaks, the car just stops moving forward. The differential in the transmission makes sure the other wheel doesn't keep spinning.

If a garage charged you more for a completely busted CV axle as opposed to one that was just "worn out" the only reason I can think of is that the axle was so trashed they couldn't use it as a core (about $75 to $100 typically.)

if the joint seperates could the engine side flail around and bash things?

 

[hippy]

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

Originally posted by: m2kewl
if you're going fast, and it happens you might be in a world of hurt

Actually, if a CV completely breaks, the car just stops moving forward. The differential in the transmission makes sure the other wheel doesn't keep spinning.

If a garage charged you more for a completely busted CV axle as opposed to one that was just "worn out" the only reason I can think of is that the axle was so trashed they couldn't use it as a core (about $75 to $100 typically.)

Actually Jonny, I have seen a few axles tear engine compartments to shreads when they break off from the outer joint shell at highway speeds.

Also, Replacing a joint alone is usually more expensive than replacing the the whole axle with a reman

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: hippy

Originally posted by: jonnyGURU

Originally posted by: m2kewl
if you're going fast, and it happens you might be in a world of hurt

Actually, if a CV completely breaks, the car just stops moving forward. The differential in the transmission makes sure the other wheel doesn't keep spinning.

If a garage charged you more for a completely busted CV axle as opposed to one that was just "worn out" the only reason I can think of is that the axle was so trashed they couldn't use it as a core (about $75 to $100 typically.)

Actually Jonny, I have seen a few axles tear engine compartments to shreads when they break off from the outer joint shell at highway speeds.

Also, Replacing a joint alone is usually more expensive than replacing the the whole axle with a reman

I once saw someone blow half of their transaxle apart, the axle broke right at the half shaft (intermediate shaft) and it became wedged between the frame and the motor, it acted like a lever and popped half of the tranny apart This was an aggressive launch at a dragstrip, not your average driving

 

[PolarNorth]

I wouldn't worry. I drove on a bad passenger side axle for over a year and a half (15k miles) and just replaced it last weekend on a whim (didn't get much worse other than a little more noise). The main culprit is going to be just how much grease can be kept inside and how much dirt and dryness is going to wear it out.

Highway driving on a rainy day is a sure way to dry it out as I found out on the driver's side axel. That went 'out' a few days after a heavy shower, and the whole axel starting siezing up. Forturnatly for me, my dealership happend to be on the next exit and it was able to hobble its way there.

 

[Accipiter22]

if it's making a noise when the wheel's turned all the way to the left or right it's not neccesarily the cv joint....unless I'm misreading what you're saying

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
if it's making a noise when the wheel's turned all the way to the left or right it's not neccesarily the cv joint....unless I'm misreading what you're saying

uh, why not?

 

[JustinGoodie]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
if it's making a noise when the wheel's turned all the way to the left or right it's not neccesarily the cv joint....unless I'm misreading what you're saying

uh, why not?

If it's only when the wheels are turned all the way to one side, it could also be the lower ball joint (i've recently had to replace the ball joint and CV's on my car, but in a random order)

side note: about 2 months ago, after i had been driving around with the CV clicking for about 2 months, I had planned and made arrangements to take my car in for the CV, I turned out of my driveway and made it about 100 feet before the CV finally went, and fortunately i wasn't going very fast and it just clicked a whole hell of a lot more, and the car wouldn't move. The worst part about it was that the place i was taking it is less than a mile away, and i had to get a tow truck to get my car there. but luckily my mom has AAA so the tow was free. but the 2 hours i spent waiting around for the tow when i had to get to class sucked.

 

[Subbaculcha]

Bad cv joints usually click during turning not clunk, but could still be bad. Look at the cv boot, if it's cracked and grease flung all over it's probably bad or going to be. If the boot is sound, it's probably fine. Emphasis on probably.
Most cv joints die of lost grease and dirt from boot rupture.

 

[Rastus]

Originally posted by: Subbaculcha
Bad cv joints usually click during turning not clunk, but could still be bad. Look at the cv boot, if it's cracked and grease flung all over it's probably bad or going to be. If the boot is sound, it's probably fine. Emphasis on probably.
Most cv joints die of lost grease and dirt from boot rupture.

True.

Also, when a CV goes bad, it could cause fluid leakage from your transmission too.

 

[BullyCanadian]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
if it's making a noise when the wheel's turned all the way to the left or right it's not neccesarily the cv joint....unless I'm misreading what you're saying

ya it basically ONLY Makes the noise when its turn all the way to the right only... maybe it would be easier if I just took it to the mechanic