dmanaenk Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Long story short: got occasional bad vibration/clicking/rubbing/grinding at highway speeds, split (for a while) CV boot, clicking in turns. Will it go 400 miles or I should pay to fix it? So, I have split CV boot on OEM axle (I think) since august (put maybe 6k miles on it). No clicking or any other symptoms for that matter until now. Today, halfway through 400 mile trip I first get some occasional jolts in the steering wheel (the car goes straight) then few minutes later, get mild vibration. Take first exit, inspect everything, have tires checked for balance. After checking it starts clicking in left turns. So I decide to go on HW, after like 10-20 miles with no vibration I decide not to turn back, and in another 50 miles it comes back with more vibration, clicking, rubbing,grinding while driving straight. I take exit to cool down for like 2-3 minutes and it goes away for another 20-30 miles and so on. I stopped doing cool down stops after I got within 100 mile range (so that AAA can tow me to my destination ), and vibration/rubbing/grinding would come on once in a while and go away. Now I'm away from home for a few days (Evanton, IL), only basic tools (few sockets, 1/2 breaker bar, torque wrench up to 120lbs-ft I thinkg, only stock jack), don't want to get cheap lifetime warranty type axles in local stores. There's a dealer here, so I can probably get an OEM reman axle installed around $300+. The question is - should I get it fixed here, or how it makes it 400 miles (ok 300 +100 on tow ) so I can get a MWE axle and put it in myself? Your advice, guys? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Yeah, it'll take you home. The joint is already done for, limp home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2X2KOB Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 I agree - it'll get you home. Good call on the MWE axles for a replacement, I have had good luck with them. Don't forget to check back in and let us know if you got stranded or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Yeah, I'm probably gonna try to limp home in few days, and buy one in autozone to have in the trunk during the trip, just in case mine blows up, so that I don't have to wait for some random shop to look around for a replacement. So what's the theory/practice on what happens if the joint blows up on the highway (I have a 50/50 split MT) apart from possible damage to the underbody/brake lines etc? I suppose first front looses all the torque, then as VC heats up it (the side that did not get blown up) might get some torque. I'm just wondering if it will try to put me into the ditch, or just loose power a lot but drive straight. What concerns me also is overheating my wheel bearing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 The concern would be the VC in the center. I have a feeling the car won't want to go at all until the VC heats up and sends power to the rear. The front axle on the other side won't get any torque, you'll be in RWD. I would not drive like that or you will cook you're VC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Been there done it from Chicago to Pittsburgh. Baby the car and dont push the speed. Be prepared to have to replace the wheel bearing, hub as well as the driveshaft. In my case we woulcdnt tell what failed first, but we think it was the CV joint. It took the wheel bearing due to vibrations, then the hub followed. It was really bad by the time i got it to a shop, the only thing holding the wheel on was the axle nut. Personally I would say try to fix it where you are. that drive was not only physicaly uncomfortable, but left a huge knot in my stomach for 8 hours. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 here's a tip - just stuff some grease in the broken boot all up into the joint as much as you can. you'll be amazed how much it reduces noise and vibration (at least it always has for me). yeah definitely will make it. i drove to the Gulf coast of GA from Maryland and back with boots that had been broken for a long time. they only clicked turning left....then when i got to driving in the sand in south georgia..WOW did that toast the axles. they were making serious racket and vibrations driving straight. got it home..packed some grease in there by hand and drove it a few hundred more miles until i found a good time to replace the axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 here's a tip - just stuff some grease in the broken boot all up into the joint as much as you can. you'll be amazed how much it reduces noise and vibration (at least it always has for me). +1 You'll be just fine if you grease it every 100 miles. Your vibration is the joint wanting grease - it will most likely hold together if you grease it. When/If it blows, you'll just lose power. They don't tear anything up or cause you to lose control. It will make some pretty ugly noises and you'll lose forward power. Just coast to the side. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Thanks guys. I'll call around tomorrow, to see if there are used oem axles on some local j/y and install quotes, if I don't like them, I'll just buy a spare axle, some grease and probably smth to put the grease onto the joint on the road (don't know yet, turkey baster maybe?). Does it make sense to duct-tape over the split boot with fresh grease, or not really cause it will fall off very soon anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Does it make sense to duct-tape over the split boot with fresh grease, or not really cause it will fall off very soon anyway? The real concern is if the duct tape should get involved with the joint parts inside the axle - grease isn't going to mix well with shredded duct tape. If you must cover it up, use saran wrap. It won't be a big deal of the joint decides to chew some up, and it will probably last far longer than you think it will. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 The real concern is if the duct tape should get involved with the joint parts inside the axle - grease isn't going to mix well with shredded duct tape. If you must cover it up, use saran wrap. It won't be a big deal of the joint decides to chew some up, and it will probably last far longer than you think it will. GD Er um, the axle is already wasted. Buy the time 400 miles of road grit and salt and god knows what else gets done with the ball and cage, there will be nothing worth rebuildung... (not to metion the direty that is already trapped in it). so DAMN THE TOPRPEDOS! FULL SPEED AHEAD! nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njdrsubaru Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 went to NC and back to NJ on a bad axle, thats 500 plus miles each way, no problems! i had the same symptoms as you are having... i just bought a new axle at advance auto parts for $43.. and oyu can def do the job yourself.. good luck Long story short: got occasional bad vibration/clicking/rubbing/grinding at highway speeds, split (for a while) CV boot, clicking in turns. Will it go 400 miles or I should pay to fix it? So, I have split CV boot on OEM axle (I think) since august (put maybe 6k miles on it). No clicking or any other symptoms for that matter until now. Today, halfway through 400 mile trip I first get some occasional jolts in the steering wheel (the car goes straight) then few minutes later, get mild vibration. Take first exit, inspect everything, have tires checked for balance. After checking it starts clicking in left turns. So I decide to go on HW, after like 10-20 miles with no vibration I decide not to turn back, and in another 50 miles it comes back with more vibration, clicking, rubbing,grinding while driving straight. I take exit to cool down for like 2-3 minutes and it goes away for another 20-30 miles and so on. I stopped doing cool down stops after I got within 100 mile range (so that AAA can tow me to my destination ), and vibration/rubbing/grinding would come on once in a while and go away. Now I'm away from home for a few days (Evanton, IL), only basic tools (few sockets, 1/2 breaker bar, torque wrench up to 120lbs-ft I thinkg, only stock jack), don't want to get cheap lifetime warranty type axles in local stores. There's a dealer here, so I can probably get an OEM reman axle installed around $300+. The question is - should I get it fixed here, or how it makes it 400 miles (ok 300 +100 on tow ) so I can get a MWE axle and put it in myself? Your advice, guys? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmanaenk Posted February 1, 2008 Author Share Posted February 1, 2008 Thought I should post back. Got back home on wednesday. I have thought about it (and looked at weather forecast for wed.: -20F ) and took nippers advice - paid to fix it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 lol this thread is funny to me. Because I hav been driving on 2 cv's both with broken boots for over 10,000km. Yet they still don't vibrate just knock sometimes and clack hard when I turn sometimes when its cold mainly. pretty damn good IMO nor do I grease them, except the odd dose of salt on the street that gets on them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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