CV axle?

I think I have a CV axle going/wounded. I’m lifted just under 3 inches, what should I replace them with?

 

Symptoms?

OE CV axles are the best option, but only if you truly need to replace it.

 

OEM are the best quality. Most aftermarket replacements are inferior to OEM, unless you upgrade to RCV Performance ones which are $2K+.

 

Also, I can’t give you a source since this just a memory from reading a post somewhere, but I seem to recall that there’s a danger aftermarket CVs may bind at lower/shallower angles than OE CVs.

 

at about 90 to 95 turn, loud clunk on drivers side. Happens more frequently when on an incline.

 

vehicle under 45k miles, lift has been on about 14k.

 

Dont know about the quality of them BUT rock auto has a specific CV axle for lifted 4 runners.
More Information for TRAKMOTIVE TO8168XTT

 

What makes you think it a CV axle? did you climb under and see any boot damage or extensive play in it. 45k miles seems low for a new cv axle

 

thanks, I will consider. Id feel better going with aftermarket over OEM, if someone has had experience.

 

The loud clunk, visually nothing looks bad, but the violent clunk when turning (about 90 to 95% full) tells me something is very wrong. At this point its working thru different components and trying to figure out the cause.

 

Blowing a oem cv at 45k. Thats nuts. Your lift should not have much to do with that by the way.

 

I know, should get 100k from them, but this seems to be the most likely culprit.

 

Or, a million miles. I mean, good luck hope ya get it sorted. Something is odd. They should out live you, even under abuse. Not just tooling around in 2wd 99.99999 percent of the time.
EDIT- did you have the rig in 4wd, on pavement or something silly? The angle from the lift shouldnt have done any real damage. Id scratch that out. Millions of us run a 3" lift for multi hundreds of thousands of miles, and beat the hell out of our junk. With front installed locking carriers.

Seems odd.

Weird.

 

i asked the question and agree with you completely now, my bet would be the CV axle. what side is the noise coming from? But now i hesitate saying go with OEM bc yours failed at 45k miles. Did you check out that link I sent you from rock auto?

 

just found this. Have you tried the cutting the wheel hard in one direction and driving in reverse? If the noise gets louder it is 100% a worn CV axle

 

I saw many many many online reviews that say these CV axles are excellent Raxles, America's premier supplier of OE quality CV Axles and CV joints - Raxles Inc.

 

Do you have aftermarket upper control arms with zirk fittings? Watch this video FIXING A CLUNKING NOISE ON 2022 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. SpinningwrencheswithJ - YouTube

 

no 4wheel on dry pavement, in fact I don’t tend to drive in 4 wheel, I’m of the belief 4 wheel gets me out of where the 2 wheel drive gets me. That being said, I try to kick in 4 wheel every couple weeks or so for quarter/half mile to excessive the system.

I’m pretty sure drivers, I did look at the link, they say that one has more play, I need to compare but based on what most folks say the OEM is what I should stay with.

 

It happens in reverse or forward. It is not a continuous noise, just a loud pop, typically happens at about 90% full turn. I thought it might have been my suspension, but can not find any place that shows movement.

 

oh i 100% agree that OEM will be your best bet as long as it is actually the CV axle. Do you have aftermarket upper control arms? FIXING A CLUNKING NOISE ON 2022 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. SpinningwrencheswithJ - YouTube

 

sorry working my way through the posts and checking links. I have the Ironman set up, UCAs do not have zeros.

 

Could also be the lower control arm rubbing against the steering stop on the ball joint bracket, which would be normal (since it's metal on metal).

Is this a consistently repeating clunk if you hold the steering wheel at 90-95% and keep driving in a circle (i.e. something once per tire revolution)?

You can also try taking it to a dealer. CV axles are covered under the powertrain warranty if they are indeed found to be failing. You'll typically need to pay an hour's diagnostic fee if it's found to be something else not under warranty.

 

first, if the YouTube wanted folks to hear the noise, they shouldn’t have added music to the video. But anyways, not the same issue, the noise typically happens when turning to the left a lot.

 

I haven’t tried to drive a full circle, but it happens when when I back into my driveway and it does not continue.

 

^That's probably LCA bushing flex or just the steering stop rubbing.

 

Any suggestions on trouble shooting the LCA bushing, or identifying where the noise is coming from?

 

^If the bushings don't look torn under visual inspection, leave them.

The LCA cam bolts need to torqued at ride height with weight on the suspension, not on jacks. Did you do that when installing your Ironman lift?

The LCA cam bolts may also just need to be retorqued. The spec is fairly high, I seem to remember around 103 ft-lbs.

 

Yes, start with the most likely culprit. Anything related to parts or installation of the lift kit.

I recall you said it was recently installed? Who installed it?

Possible causes for noises like this is a bolt not quite up to torque specs. LCA bolts are a pain to tighten to spec when it’s sitting on the ground. A little movement in the LCA will be a pretty loud pop. Also, the UCA through bolt, lower shock bolt, or any other bolt touched during the install could make interesing sounds if not tightened. Also could be the LCA bushing was torn if it was tightened without weight on wheels.

The lift or install of lift is the most likely suspect, so you’ll just have to go through all that carefully before going a wild goose chase.

 

Couple of very experienced folks put it for me, so I don’t remember/know if the LCAs were torques that day.

Lift went on last spring, couple folks who I have great faith in. No noise for months after and lots of miles. I think the noise started late summer or early fall. They did torque most things on the ground.

 

Ok, that’s good, but the noise started very soon after the install. I’d be hesitant to eliminate the possibility that the new parts or the installation process are the source of the noise, on the basis that they do good work.

That shouldn’t be taken as an insult to them, so I wouldn’t hesitate to ask the installers for their thoughts on possible causes. Finding out the cause of a problem can be tricky and sometimes time consuming. But jumping ahead to the less likely causes can end up causing you unnecessary expense and trouble.