Emergency CV axle repair

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89Suburban

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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.
 
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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...
 
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lkrasner

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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

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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.
 

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