Emergency CV axle repair

[lkrasner]

So I think I have a CV that is blown. It was making some skipping clunking noise around corners, and a pulsing grinding noise with each wheel rotation. It is worst when turning hard right, and especially bad if I engage 4x4 and make it bind up. Even without jacking the car up, there is noticeable play in the left CV axle. I didn't have time to fix it before I drove it to the airport on Saturday. As I pulled into the airport, it got way worse, grinding bad enough to feel the steering wheel shake with each rotation of the wheel. SO, what are my options for getting the damn thing home??

I foolishly brought no tools with me, but if needed I could have someone make a supply drop before I return. I'd like to minimize the work I have to do in the airport parking lot in freezing temps for obvious reasons. The drive home is about 75 miles, the first 40ish of which are interstate, the rest 2 lane country highway. I could avoid freeway, with about 20 miles of city streets and the rest country highway.

Could I possibly nurse it home? I feel like the best course of action will be somehow removing the axle and driving it home. I understand I would have to leave the outer part of it bolted into the hub to prevent a catastrophic failure. How hard is it to disassemble the axle? Would I be better off just replacing it entirely while I'm at it or will that be much more work.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CountryBoy19]

So I think I have a CV that is blown. It was making some skipping clunking noise around corners, and a pulsing grinding noise with each wheel rotation. It is worst when turning hard right, and especially bad if I engage 4x4 and make it bind up. Even without jacking the car up, there is noticeable play in the left CV axle. I didn't have time to fix it before I drove it to the airport on Saturday. As I pulled into the airport, it got way worse, grinding bad enough to feel the steering wheel shake with each rotation of the wheel. SO, what are my options for getting the damn thing home??

I foolishly brought no tools with me, but if needed I could have someone make a supply drop before I return. I'd like to minimize the work I have to do in the airport parking lot in freezing temps for obvious reasons. The drive home is about 75 miles, the first 40ish of which are interstate, the rest 2 lane country highway. I could avoid freeway, with about 20 miles of city streets and the rest country highway.

Could I possibly nurse it home? I feel like the best course of action will be somehow removing the axle and driving it home. I understand I would have to leave the outer part of it bolted into the hub to prevent a catastrophic failure. How hard is it to disassemble the axle? Would I be better off just replacing it entirely while I'm at it or will that be much more work.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Not that this is really all that applicable, but my dad has a Polaris Ranger he uses heavily for his farm and construction business. Rangers are notorious for blowing CV joints. He's been running on a blown cv-joint for about 4 years now; loud clicking and popping all the time and terrible grinding noises when turning. He's waiting for it totally go before replacing. Shockingly it's still going.

I would say your judgement will dictate your course of action but those things make a ton of noise when they're self-destructing and the risk of them harming other components is low. Even a completely toasted CV-joint shouldn't come apart.

 

[lkrasner]

Not that this is really all that applicable, but my dad has a Polaris Ranger he uses heavily for his farm and construction business. Rangers are notorious for blowing CV joints. He's been running on a blown u-joint for about 4 years now; loud clicking and popping and terrible grinding noises when turning. He's waiting for it totally go before replacing. Shockingly it's still going.

Interesting. I'm worried about it completely blowing, I can take a ****** drive home, but I don't want to cause more damage. what happens if it blows up on the highway?

 

[Doubeleive]

that's a hard call, with the right tools it's not hard at all but-that's if you have the right tools on hand and nothing goes south on you like a rusted or stripped bolt.
I don't know your situation but some idea's are order or get another axle dropped off and maybe arrange for it to be replaced locally at a shop with a appointment made ahead of time,
mobile mechanic?, AAA tow? or some other roadside assistance for a tow (mine covers up to 200 miles I think).
just a couple idea's to toss out there
maybe a good friend or family member? has AAA and can meet you there and get it towed? all they have to do is be present with there AAA card when the tow truck arrives and they will whatever vehicle needs to be towed.

 

[swathdiver]

Hard to say and also sounds like bad hubs. I like the idea of a mobile mechanic. Where do you live? Maybe someone can get a dolly and tow you home?

 

[lkrasner]

Hard to say and also sounds like bad hubs. I like the idea of a mobile mechanic. Where do you live? Maybe someone can get a dolly and tow you home?

I'll check it out, but I'd be very surpirsed if it's a hub. when they've gone out before it was more a whirring at high speed, and would get worse when turning at speed to shift weight. both hubs are timken units replaced less than 50k ago.

 

[cmc76]

I was wondering the same Swathdiver. I would be ok risking the CV. But if a hub lets go its a very different scenario.
If you have a jack you can check the play in the hub, same idea as checking ball joints.

 

[lkrasner]

I was wondering the same Swathdiver. I would be ok risking the CV. But if a hub lets go its a very different scenario.
If you have a jack you can check the play in the hub, same idea as checking ball joints.

definitely will. Like I said, I've done hubs before. This definitely is not the same as they failed before

 

[SnowDrifter]

Are you certain it's CV and not something else? They typically don't exhibit a grinding noise when they go.

If you need something to limp home, un bolt the inner axle flange, cut the outer boot, then rip the axle towards the center of the vehicle until it pops out. Clean up the balls and grease.
Essentially what you're doing is running only the axle stub so you still have something holding your wheel bearings together

 

[lkrasner]

Are you certain it's CV and not something else? They typically don't exhibit a grinding noise when they go.

If you need something to limp home, un bolt the inner axle flange, cut the outer boot, then rip the axle towards the center of the vehicle until it pops out. Clean up the balls and grease.
Essentially what you're doing is running only the axle stub so you still have something holding your wheel bearings together

Thanks, this is likely what I will do. I'm not sure, but I don't know what else it would be if not the hubs?

 

[SnowDrifter]

Could you re-hash the issue for me?

If possible, provide a video

 

[89Suburban]

Not sure how much room is in there maybe wrap some rubber or plastic or a wash towel around the joint and zip tie the shit out of it, maybe also stuff/pack a rag in there to keep things from rattling around? Just to get you home? Keep sharp turning to a minimum, top speed sensible. Let us know how you make out.

 

[Avalanchediver]

Mad a huge mistake a few years back leaving my Burb in 4WD on the dry highway for many miles. Burned the boots right off the cv joints. Moved it back into 2WD and limped at around 50mph another 200 miles home. They never came apart. Made a lot of noise, but no other issues. I say drive her home and fix it. Call AAA if you don't make it. FYI, Im a AAA insurance agent...

 

[lkrasner]

Sorry for the late update, but here goes...
Well, it was the wheel bearing and not the CV. Super strange failure mode for one. Not sure if there was some kind of manufacturing defect or if I was just ******* them, but it was GONE when I jacked the wheel up and felt it. Used my girlfriends AAA to get it home (covers up to 100 mile tow thank god). I'm asking for a membership for Christmas...

Replacement went far better than last time when they were seized as all hell. Borrowed a puller kit with a slide hammer from autozone and sprayed down with some PB, slid right off with a few good whacks. Put another Timken bearing in that hopefully lasts longer.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Glad you got it figured out!


As far as the wheel bearing: Yeah that's not common, but not unheard of. Wheel bearings typically present as a whining noise getting progressively worse, with increasing freeplay until failure. But, they are a bearing internally. If a piece of the cage chips off, or if one of the balls stops rotating for short time, grinds itself, and develops a flat spot - you'll see a failure just like yours.