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Flipping CV joint
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rustyCamper
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 9:49 am    Post subject: Flipping CV joint Reply with quote

I just got into Yosemite valley when I started hearing clunking coming from the rear. I think it is the cv joint bc it is only making noise when I put my foot in the gas and when I put it into neutral the noise goes away. I have 200 miles to drive home. Would flipping the axels buy me enough time to get home or should I just tow it?
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67rustavenger
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:02 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

If you don't have AAA. It'll be cheaper to replace the axle than having the van towed home.
There's a NAPA fairly close to your current location.
559-683-7440.
Call um and see if they have a replacement axle in stock or in their local warehouse.
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DanHoug
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:39 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

rustyCamper wrote:
I just got into Yosemite valley when I started hearing clunking coming from the rear.


a clunk vs a click is indicative of loose CV joint bolts. take a check, you might just need to tighten things! also, check your lug nuts.
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the_benjamin_effect
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:32 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

I concur with Dan's assessment above, check the bolts to see if any are loose and tighten to "good-and-tight" until you are able to get a torque wrench if you don't have one.

If you hear/feel a click only on acceleration, in my experience this has been indicative of a worn CV, again in my experience.

Flipping the axel will not change what side of the face the CV sees torque. You need to swap axels from left ---> right (Driver ---> Passenger) to change the torque face of the CV. This may buy you some time to get home.

A grease gun and needle tip poked through the boot works well in a pinch if CV maintenance is in the near future, and you'll be replacing the boots anyhow.

Good Luck!

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?Waldo?
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:37 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

the_benjamin_effect wrote:
Flipping the axel will not change what side of the face the CV sees torque. You need to swap axels from left ---> right (Driver ---> Passenger) to change the torque face of the CV. This may buy you some time to get home.


If the van in question is the one in the OP's signature, then they cannot swap the driveshafts from side to side. The automatics have two different drive shaft lengths. You are correct that flipping the axle will not swap the drive faces, however, it will change where the balls ride on the joint due to gravity pulling the shaft downward (toward the tire).
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:51 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

If you drive with a clunking CV joint you risk breaking a ball-cage and then it gets really bad.
Ball-cage could be already cracked, but hasn't yet fallen apart.
Don't drive "clunking".

Here's something you can do out in the woods.
I did this once then drove from Colorado to Seattle (in a '72 Loaf).
Of course forgot about it until the CVs started clunking again a year later.
This was pre-Samba, back when you used to drive cross-country at moment's notice
and vans just ran and ran and ran
and you always felt VW mechanics were scattered everywhere along your route.

===== Van Yoga =====
Jack up the body until the rear wheel is off the ground.
This angles your CVs on that axle to the max.
Rotate the rear wheel by hand a few turns forward and backward.
If you are lucky, this action may find some grease in extended areas,
and spread it onto your dry balls,
relieving some of the sticking and discomfort.
You will know right away if this helped, the relief is instant.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 12:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

the_benjamin_effect wrote:
A grease gun and needle tip poked through the boot works well in a pinch if CV maintenance is in the near future, and you'll be replacing the boots anyhow.


You can get better boots with your new CVs too.

===== poking CV boots ======
However.....
I've poked CV boots with a hypodermic-style grease needle
and when you pull the needle out
the hole seals and no grease leaks out.
You can't even find the hole if your method is 'looking for a grease leak'.

I'd poke it in "the middle/flat" section.
Boots never fail in the flat section, they fail in the peaks or valleys of the pleats.
If you can find a grease needle and a greasegun,
there is zero consequence, only benefit, and it's a quick solution to your problem.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 1:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

With the van sitting grab the cv axle and move it in and out multiple times. Then grab the opposite side and do the same. This should get some grease in the dry areas. Iโ€™ve driven 600 miles home doing this every fill up.

You can also move the cv shaft to a new point by cutting the small end clamps and moving the shaft in the boots. Tie rap to replace the camp.

The last job I would do is pull an axle unless it was broken and I had no choice. Hope this works for you. It should be obvious when you drive off if you improved it. Good luck.
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 2:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Iโ€™ve driven good quality CVS clunking for a year before pulling them, greasing them, and running them another 60,000

Drive the 200 miles home, then post back for all the henny -pennys to see.

Pull them and pack them once home.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 2:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Yes I guess you can drive it clunking.
The crystal meth fellers do it,
and Abscate has made it home CVs a clunkin' too.
Towing is a huge hassle and driving home is preferred.

Simple methods to re-lube and stop the clunking is better though, if you can go under the van.

MarkWard wrote:
With the van sitting grab the cv axle and move it in and out multiple times. Then grab the opposite side and do the same. This should get some grease in the dry areas.


Ooops..... this is probably easier than jacking one wheel off the ground.
If the axles don't "plunge" left and right (about 1/2 inch) try putting the gearbox in neutral,
and wheels chocked or something, be sure the van doesn't roll when you're under it.
And if the axles still don't plunge left/right then jack the wheels and try that method.

If you go to the trouble of jacking the wheels, then do the plunge thing too, as they axles should plunge MORE, accessing MORE grease.... the higher its raised.

Here's a video of what 'CV axle Plunge" refers to:
https://youtube.com/shorts/rbKv2fhxuw4?si=qAzbghKkHaYx_kDv
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Sliding the boots on the axle to force the shaft either towards or away from the vehicle's centerline may make the noise go away, as may getting a needle fitting for a grease gun and forcing grease between the balls of the CV. Yes flipping the CV end for end may help.
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rustyCamper
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 10:17 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Thank you all for the recommendations!! I tried the van yoga per Sodoโ€™s recommendation since that was the simplest thing to try. After working the joint around the clunking went away! I do have AAA but I will try to drive it home since there is no noise right now. Fingers crossed it goes wellโ€ฆ

Now I need to do some yoga like the van after all the climbing.
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AndyBees
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

In 1986, driving down the Cassiar Highway in western British Columbia, one or more CV Joints began talking to me. That was my first experience with CVs and had no clue what it was. I drove on for 150 miles or farther. Some nice guys at a service station in Hazelton shot some grease under the boots and worked it in... noise gone.

I had the same thing happen with new CV Joints in 2014 in Dawson City, Yukon. I removed them in the Campground for inspection and greasing... no more noise.
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khughes
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 1:32 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

rustyCamper wrote:
Thank you all for the recommendations!! I tried the van yoga per Sodoโ€™s recommendation since that was the simplest thing to try. After working the joint around the clunking went away! I do have AAA but I will try to drive it home since there is no noise right now. Fingers crossed it goes wellโ€ฆ

Now I need to do some yoga like the van after all the climbing.


The other thing to check is whether the axle is centered between the CV boots. If it's not, or the boots get bad, the CV axle can clunk against the stub axle. Had that before in the middle of a trip home from San Diego, over the mountains. Clunked under load when turning one direction and not the other. Centered the shaft and clamped the boots down and it quit. For years now (so tomorrow it'll start up I guess...).
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 4:18 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

These joints are grossly over engineered for our piddle tw*T small HP engines and stiff suspensions that resist big changes in CV articulation. A refresh8ng change from stuff today done to razor thin margins.

If you keep suspension stock, CVs run a lifetime in the PM schedule.

If you insist on trying to look kewl, youโ€™ll kill them , then replace them with silver cheese junk, then start a thread on bad parts
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 8:56 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

The van made it home without anymore noise. My boots are not torn but show signs of wear so I tires itโ€™s time to get new boots and repack the joints with fresh grease.
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xflyer
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 9:33 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

RustyCamper, For best CV maintenance, remove and clean them. Inspect thoroughly.
I had the clunk(ing) some years ago so removed and cleaned the CVs, expecting to find at least one with a wear mark and galling/pitting. All of them looked OK on that basis, but one was clearly not contacting evenly in all the ball grooves. Put in a new joint and boots and all was fine.
Watch out for poorly made CVs. BTW these were the GKN brand.
Quality of parts has gone way down...
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 9:54 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
If you insist on trying to look kewl, youโ€™ll kill them , then replace them with silver cheese junk, then start a thread on bad parts


In my case in 2014, all four CV Joints were NOS (new old stock) GKN, made in Germany.

Three things come to mind, 1. Initially, I probably never packed in enough grease. 2. I had been pulling the popup camper for close to 8k miles over about 20 days. and, 3. As I learned later, when I installed the TDI engine in my Van, it was not properly oriented. The rear of the engine was "centered" when, in fact, it should have been slightly to the left.

I'm not sure how much #3 affected the wear and noise on the CV Joints. However, I did replace them later. The new replacement CV Joints made that same trip in 2016 as well as many miles since with no issues. But, during my bumper to bumper maintenance last summer, I did replace them with new GKN joints. I now have an accumulation of used CV Joints > Very Happy <

I do agree with xflyer, the quality of parts now days has taken a nose dive!
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harvgwen
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 10:08 am    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

Andy, you obviously like that trip. Weโ€™re planning to do it later this summer.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Flipping cv joint Reply with quote

harvgwen wrote:
Andy, you obviously like that trip. Weโ€™re planning to do it later this summer.


Yes sir! We love the north country.

I've been working on my Van as I find the time. I need to update my Bumper to Bumper Maintenance thread that I started last June.

We are hoping to do one more trip north. Father time has been closing in on us.
An alternate trip would be to the east coast on up to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia ............and, maybe ferry over to Labrador/Newfoundland.

Due to personal circumstances, we'll not be heading anywhere until July 9th.
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