Joker

how do u know when to change these? what are the telling signs... is it a DIY has anyone replaces these at home themselves?

thanks

Joker

bump

stealth512

When to look into replacement...from my experience:
-the boots are torn
-cv joints clicking when turning left or right
-ball joints making squeaking noise when turning left or right
-ball joints have play

fingolfin

I just did mine on my car (CV joints), you will have to replace the front shafts.. wasn't too big of a job.


Took me 2 hours as I've never done it before.

chris_v2

Now this can trick most people. Balljoints that squeek (most of the time) do not have play. The only way to determine if its a bj is to use a stethoscope and have a listen. Also, if its the load carrying bj (the lower) once you jack the car up.. there will be NO noise when you turn the wheel, this is because there is no load on the vehicle. If there is still a squeek look at the outer tie rod then the upper bj.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

the LBJ replacement involves some very tricky maneuvering of a hammer... i recommend taking the whole steering knuckle and paying a machine shop to press in a new balljoint. upper BJs involves just R&R on the upper arm.

Joker

when i turn tightly..into parking spaces sometimes or sharp turns with the wheel all the way.. i hear clicclikclicklcilck both left and right

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

when you hear click click click, is the car moving (ie. is power being transferred to the wheels)? If so, then it could be a CV joint. use a pry bar, get the car up in the air, and pry in the ball joint area - there should be no play anywhere. also, check your brakes, I've heard brakes click before as well, for no apparent reason.

Joker

how much does it usually cost to replace the bjs? and are there upper and lower bjs? cvc?

BWek

i think that would be a cv joint a ball joint would make noise as the suspension cycles like going over speedbumps

Joker

would replacing my lCa's fix all the noise while turning?

chris_v2

no, usually lca bushing noises are a small clunk or rapid clunking over a bump

F8i

iTrader: (10)

CV shafts are very easy to change. One word of advise, when installing 'new' CV shafts, never pull on the arms, it may seperate your CV joint on the shaft. You can, however, pull with a little amount of power and 'hammer/tap' the CV shaft into place. If you have a Haft Shaft, or just a stubburn CV shaft that won't release, I highly recommend Pry Bar. A Large screw driver (flat) may help, but a small pry bar has a much better angle, and works a lot better.

I can't remember the price of CV shafts, Autosource does give you a 'core' return rebate. So return your old CV shaft for about $80 a side.

Though, I bought my CV Shaft from Lightning Motorsports - Home and got The Drive Shaft Shop.

briogio

When I noticed my ball joints were starting to make noise and I saw that one of the boots had split, puking the grease out, I bought a very sturdy blue rubber split-boot kit from Crappy tire, it included the good black moly grease. I cleaned out the joints as best as poss. with brake cleaner then repacked the ball joint's with LOTS of moly grease (had some on my shelf). The clamps they give you to put the boots back on are cheese so I used some proper ones, glued them together and problem solved! Done over 150,000kms on the repair, no probs.