A few weeks ago, Ollie started making a rhythmic clicking noise when turning left at low speed in intersections and parking lots. Now I think it’s clicking while turning either direction.

The other day, I jacked up the front end and checked it out. No torn boots. No loose joints. Wheels spin freely and no clicking with the steering wheel turned fully in either direction.

I re-booted the passenger side CV joints about 18 months ago when I replaced the front wheel bearings. So the left side is more suspect. But like I said, no torn boots on either side.

I was hoping for a smoking gun, but can’t find one. Don’t want to just throw parts at it... anything else it could be, or do I just need to suck it up and replace the axle(s)? Any definitive way to diagnose which one is failing?

Thanks,

Dave

 

The clicking to me points toward the CV, will see what others chime in with.

 

Thanks.

I drove it around town some today with the windows down. It only clicks at low speed, on sharp corners, and only when there's torque on the wheels (gas pedal down). I can coast through turns silently. So I'm thinking CV. Had my dad walk alongside in a parking lot and it sounds to both of us like it's coming more from the right side, even though it clacks when turning either direction.

So all signs are pointing toward the CV. The right side surprises me, since that's the one I repacked and the boots are in the best shape of the two.

I've never had a CV go all the way to failure on me... at this point, how close is it to letting go? I'm contemplating taking it 100 miles each way to New York City (my usual weekly commute) one more time, but I'm wondering if maybe I should take the train this week until I can get it fixed...

 

Curious if you ever figured this out. I have a similar thing, clicking primarily slow hard left turns from right front mostly.

 

Have this as well. No torn boots either.

I'm really not happy about the design for getting this out. The driveshaft is held into the diff with a compressible C-clip. Mine will not budge. Therefore getting the driveshaft out has been a totally failure so far. And I don't want to break anything. Not sure what to do at this point, so I put it all back together and reinstalled on the car. Of note, it looked as if one of the bearings in the CV joint closest to the diff was seized up and not sitting properly. Fixing this helped a bit, but the noise is still there but not as bad as before. Stupid thing is IF that c-clip does not release, I think it means you have to drop the front diff out. FML. Would love to hear how others have successfully taken this apart..

 

 

I have a camaro and a common complaint with the same clicking noise is caused by dirty surfaces between the hub and wheel, and making sure the bolts are torqued well (its 140ft-lbs on the camaro zl1 !! - not sure what the mini is off the top of my head but I think its 80-100ft-lbs). Some of the wheels were not torqued to spec from the factory and were off by 20% or so. Its worth a shot to check that before replacing parts.