What the heck is a CV Joint and why is mine cracked?

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aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
91
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?

 
warcrow

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...

This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
CV boot, which is a rubber thing filled with grease and sits over your CV joint - if that thing cracks, then the grease gets away, and your CV joint thusly loses lubricant and dies. It's one of the pivot points connecting the car to the wheel.

Anybody can correct me if I'm spouting rubbish :)
 
aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
91
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...

This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
Click to expand...

My car is 2 years old (2002 model).

I just had a flat tire on the same wheel no less than 5 days ago... Think its related?
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...

This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
Click to expand...

My car is 2 years old (2002 model).

I just had a flat tire on the same wheel no less than 5 days ago... Think its related?
Click to expand...
Related is the fact it's a VW right? :(

A CV boot shouldn't crack that early...

 
Bulk Beef

Bulk Beef

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2001
5,466
0
76
The CV joint is sort of like a u-joint, but different. Used in the driveline on front wheel drive cars. Like Skoorb said, it's probably the boot that's cracked, and replacing it is kind of labor intensive. Lots of disassembly.
 
warcrow

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
CV boot, which is a rubber thing filled with grease and sits over your CV joint - if that thing cracks, then the grease gets away, and your CV joint thusly loses lubricant and dies. It's one of the pivot points connecting the car to the wheel.

Anybody can correct me if I'm spouting rubbish :)
Click to expand...

ooOOOooo 1 second after me! I win :p
 
warcrow

warcrow

Lifer
Jan 12, 2004
11,078
11
81
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...

This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
Click to expand...

My car is 2 years old (2002 model).

I just had a flat tire on the same wheel no less than 5 days ago... Think its related?
Click to expand...


no, I wouldnt think so.
 
K

KEV1N

Platinum Member
Jan 15, 2000
2,932
1
0
Yup, the boot is cracked. The boot covers the actual CV joint. CV stands for "Constant velocity"... in FWD cars the CV joint allows power to be applied to the wheels even when they're turned. The cracked boot just holds the grease.

It's very common to split the boot.. anything can cause it. Wear, road debris, etc.

Since it's so much labor to do work on this area, people usually just replace the entire half axle rather than just trying to repack the joint and put a new boot on it. The only safety issue is the joint may seize if it gets too hot... which is very rare. You should just wait until the joint starts clicking when you turn, and then replace the entire half axle. Go to an empty parking lot,roll yer windows down, and do some tight circles. If it's not clicking then you still have some grease down there and you should be good for a while.

If you don't believe them you can get down and look under the car at the half axles and see the split boot yourself.
 
Zenmervolt

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
41
91
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...
This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
Click to expand...

My car is 2 years old (2002 model).

I just had a flat tire on the same wheel no less than 5 days ago... Think its related?
Click to expand...
Related is the fact it's a VW right? :(

A CV boot shouldn't crack that early...
Click to expand...
Depends on what happened with the flat tire. If it was a blowout or if he hit something in the road it is very possible that debris cracked the CV boot.

ZV
 
NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,136
622
126
Man, that's pretty sh!tty if it just tore after 2 years. Like others have suggested its more likely something hit it. I mean, the ones on my car lasted a good 10 years.
 
aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
91
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: warcrow
Originally posted by: aphex
Brought my car into VW to get my A/C checked on wednesday, was supposed to be 1 - 2 hours to get it all taken care of. Anywhere so here i am on friday, still driving a rental. Granted it took them awhile to look at my car but thats what i get when i go to a VW/Audi/Porsche (the porsches go first).

Anyway, i get a call today saying my CV Joint was 'cracked wide open' and that it would have to be replaced for $270.

What is a CV Joint?
Click to expand...
This happened to me a few years back. I had to get them replaced. Cost me about $400 if I remember correctly. I think they're the joints between the wheels and the chasis. What happened with me was the seals were cracked and the lube (oil) was pretty much gone. If you're car is 8-10 years old, I think this is normal?
Click to expand...

My car is 2 years old (2002 model).

I just had a flat tire on the same wheel no less than 5 days ago... Think its related?
Click to expand...
Related is the fact it's a VW right? :(

A CV boot shouldn't crack that early...
Click to expand...
Depends on what happened with the flat tire. If it was a blowout or if he hit something in the road it is very possible that debris cracked the CV boot.

ZV
Click to expand...

I had a screw in the tire. I was more referring to them puttin my car up and changing ig.
 
I

IshmaelLeaver

Golden Member
Feb 19, 2001
1,519
0
0
Sometimes the axles are not the right length and when the steering wheel is turned full tilt, the strain on the cv boot causes it to crack.
 
aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
91
Originally posted by: Mill
Should have bought an Audi or Porsche.
Click to expand...

Believe me, i sure as hell wont buy another VW.
 
V

vegetation

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2001
4,270
2
0
Lay easy on the throttle in parking lots and the problem will go away. I had to replace mine all the time until it finally hit me that it was those low speed turns with too much power that accelerated the tearing.
 
radioouman

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
8,632
0
0
Like a few people have said, the boot that protects the actual joint has split.
This is very common. Typically road debris will puncture them, or if they are old, they may split by themselves.

Even replacing the half shaft on a front wheel drive car is fairly labor intensive. Generally they will have to remove at least a ball joint to remove it.
On the average car, the half shaft (from an auto parts store) is $100 or so, and I would estimate an hour of labor per side.
 
ElFenix

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,395
8,558
126
constant velocity joints are what let you have independent suspension, though there are other ways of doing it.
 
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