cv boot, cv joint, cv skank the same to me!

i got me a civic, i’ve just had the brake discs and pads replaced, but
mechanic noticed cv boot was cracked. that’s fair enough! i choose not
to replace been tight at the time. now i’m up for motorways this
weekend and decide to get it replaced. i’m shopping around for prices,
and noticing that this is a minefield.

my problem; sometimes the wheel makes a rattling sound when i turn a
corner tightly.

this mechanic reckons its the cv joint "110 percent sure it is".
didn’t even look at the car but knew that. but a well known garage
service did not pick this up when they replaced brakes last week, just
the cv boot.

fair do’s, i know mechs need the money, but i thought i’d be looking
at about 35 pound, and as usual the cost has spiralled.

i’d like to know what the panel think, please

 

Your CV joints are a version of the old universal joint, but better. They
are bathed in grease and keep their grease from being slung off and are
shilede from dirt penetration by a flexible rubber boot that fits over the
joint. They are mounted to both ends of the driveshaft or as they are known
with this arrangment, a half-shaft. One end attaches to the tranny the
other end to the wheel hub. If a boot tears, dirt gets into the cv joint
and begins to chew it up. So if a torn boot is run too long there is no
reason to repace the boot, the joint must go as well. The cheapest way to
do that is with a rebuilt half-shaft (~$75?). So if you replaced a boot
and you are hearing a thunking noise when you make a sharp turn, you've
trashed the CV joint anyway. The CV joint will eventully break.

 

We don't need to look at it to be 110% sure it's the cv joint, either. The
torn boot can be put off a while (as you did) but the cv joint will
eventually get chewed up and make noise. The clicking/clacking noise when
making tight turns is the classic sign of cv joint failure.

Normally it doesn't make any difference. Most pros won't replace only a
boot, since the "split boot" that is used is an inferior design and if the
joint gives trouble, guess who gets raked over the coals.

Replacement of the axle is in order now - but probably was your best bet
from the beginning. It isn't cheap but it isn't a heart-stopper. Parts and
labor should run $200 to $300 US (shop around - the $300 price is the dealer
price with new OEM parts). Go with the low price on this job, assuming the
place is competent. (Don't go to the incompetent places!)
;-)

Mike