Rear axle movement and clacking-Help

[Syncro Jael]

I have new Lobro CV joints installed all (4)four rear. I am getting a clacking sound from the axles shifting out towards the axle stub and hitting under acceleration only. I can slide the axle back centered but in no time they will move back out in the boots and start banging on the stub axles.

What can cause this?

I checked and the CV's look oriented correctly.

Any ideas?
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[Jon_slider]

I don't know if my situation has any similarity to yours, so extrapolate as needed.

I recently developed ticking in my left rear axle. It then increased to occasional clacking, at which point I installed a used stock axle. The clicking and clacking stopped.

So I replaced the CV joints on the noisy axle. Ticking and Clacking are gone, and upon inspection the removed noisy joints were loose, I could see daylight between the outer ring and the innards. The joints I replaced had maybe 5000 miles on them, not sure.

I suspect in my case the issue may be related to axle length. There can be differences in left and right centering of the motor installation, and hence the transaxle flange to stub axle distance… I also run much larger and heavier tires than stock, which may increase the forces applied to the CVs. And for a time, I ran very high inflation and shock damping settings, again possibly increasing the forces on the CV's.

I think one of the variables in play is called plunge, basically how far the joint is capable of extending. I believe the wear I saw is due to plunge forces that created wear in the joint.

I would be curious to know how many miles your clacking joints have on them. In any case, I think you will find that replacing the joints is the way to stop the clacking. Unless the problem is INSIDE the transaxle (for your sake I hope not).

I have a friend that will not be bringing his Syncro to Fest because it developed a clicking sound that was not cured by installing new axles. Hence the unfortunate news that in his case the transaxle needs rebuilding.
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My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco

[Syncro Jael]

Transaxle has less than 3k miles on it. Same with the cvs. I took a couple zip ties, centered the axle in the boots, and tied them tight. Noises are gone. But I did the before and the axles want to move towards the axle stubs. I'm really stumped? I am also in Duvall WA to meet Matt at AA. Maybe he has some insight?
Thanks for the reply, when I get back to Utah I will be tearing down the new Lobros, they were really tight when I installed them.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[Wildthings]

Pictures showing how your joints are installed would help.

You can always slide the small ends of the boots so they force the boot more towards the tranny. Gravity in a main factor in why the axles want to move towards the wheels.

[dhaavers]

[Syncro Jael]

Since I slid the axles in the boots, no more noises from the rear. No clicking or clacking. And that is with another 976 miles on them, nothing but SILENCE.


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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)

[luVWagn]

[insyncro]

The first thing I do with new axles is remove the metal band clamps from the small ends of the boots, push the boot past the rumbles in the halfshafts and cinch down with a zip tie.

This also will allow the boots to stretch and not split at full droop.

On my personal halfshafts, new and greased CVs are cleaned and regreased with Swepco.

[MarkWard]

This in anecdotal, but the previous time I did my CV's, I replaced one that was pitted with a new lobro, cleaned and packed the others. Compared to the used ones, the Lobro was extremely tight.

Fast forward 10K miles on our last trip, I could hear a CV starting to knock. Just like you moving the axles in and out quieted it up. I nursed it home, by moving the axles in and out each time we stopped for fuel on the way home.

When, I removed the axles, the one that had failed was the Lobro. It was as if all the wear was on one point of the ball ramp. I expect the other used joint was handling all the plunge and allowed the lobro to run in one spot.

This time, I replaced all 4 joints with new Lobros. I am not impressed with the finish of these. Rather than force the grease through from the back side. I disassembled each joint and worked grease into all the ramp faces and then reassembled. There is "moli" graphite in the grease that remains on the steel. I expect also that the rough finish is leaving shavings in the grease which is also not helpful. After our next trip, I'll pull the CV's and inspect them. I have always left the small end of the CV boot unsecured. Interesting suggestion to use the CV boots to center the joint. I uploaded this picture last time I did the CV's notice the rough finish. mark

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[Syncro Jael]

[insyncro]

If the axle is moving that much, zip ties will not keep it in place.
Adding another groove for a second c clip on the other side of the CV will.

Send them to Burley to have the proper machining done.

[Howesight]