If your CV joint has noise like clicking or popping, you’ll want to inspect the axle and replace it if there’s damage. In this video, our mechanic Andy diagnoses a popping or clicking sound that’s heard when accelerating while turning. Find out the common symptoms of a bad CV axle and how to replace one yourself with these tips.
Video: Clicking Noise on Turns When Accelerating
How to Diagnose Clicking or Popping Noise from the CV Joint
What Are CV Axles?
Vehicles with front wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and four-wheel drive all have CV axles at the front of the vehicle.
Axles transfer power from the engine to the transmission to the wheels. They have a u-joint on one side with grease and ball bearings covered by a boot. On the other side is a tripod joint covered by a boot to help the axle telescope in and out as the suspension moves up and down. It’s less common to have a problem with the tripod joint, but if the boot rips that will cause the same problems as a ripped boot over the u-joint.
Bad CV Axle Symptoms
If there’s a problem with the CV axle, you may experience the following symptoms
- Noise from the CV joint like popping or clicking
- Vibrations while driving
- Binding
- Torn axle boot
- Grease leaking onto parts near the CV axle
More on the symptoms of a bad CV axle
How to Diagnose the CV Axle
Steps to inspect the CV axle
- Jack Up the Vehicle, Spin the Wheel, and Listen for Clicking
Jack the vehicle up into the air, spin the wheel and listen for clicking noises. You likely won’t hear any since there’s no load on the wheels to bind it up, but the internals of the CV joint can bind and make a clicking noise. Shake the wheel from side to side and see if any parts are loose.
- Check the Lug Nut Torque
See if the lug nuts have the proper torque. Sometimes the lug nuts can loosen and could cause a clicking or popping sound.
- Check the Brake Caliper, Struts, and Behind the Wheel for Grease
Most of the time you’ll hear clicking on the side nearest the wheel because there’s a lot of movement involved with the u-joint. You want to check if grease is flying out and landing on surrounding parts. You may see grease on the brake caliper, back of the wheel or the bottom of the shock, and that means the boot probably has a hole or is ripped.
- Check the CV Joint Boot for Looseness, Tearing, or Rips
The boot over the CV joint might also pop off or loosen. If the boot separates, road debris like sand and dirt might collect inside over time and wear it out. These parts should last for a long time as long as the boot doesn’t rip and they aren’t damaged.
Even a small nick and damage to the boot can cause grease to leak out and out elements to get in.
A clamp should keep boot in place, but it could loosen up and let the boot slide, which should not happen.
If the boot has minor damage and there’s no noise, you might be able to fix this problem by replacing only the boot as long as too much grease didn’t leak out or elements got inside and caused damage. If so, you’ll need to replace the whole axle.
You could rebuild the CV joint, with a kit for the joint, but usually it’s easier to just replace the entire CV axle.
- Check the Axle on the Other Side and Compare
Check the axle on each side of the vehicle. You may hear noise or not, but you’ll have to replace the axle if you notice it’s binding.
How to Replace the CV Axle
While the repair will be different depending on the vehicle, here are some general steps for replacing a CV axle
Steps to Replace the CV Axle
- Loosen the lug nuts with the wheel on the ground, raise and secure the vehicle, and remove the lug nuts and the wheel
- Move or remove any brake parts if needed to access the axle
- Remove the axle nut cover, cotter pin, and axle nut
- Remove any steering and suspension parts to remove the axle
- Hammer or tap the axle out of the hub
- Remove the axle from the transmission after loosening the clip or bolts
- Reverse the steps to install the CV axle
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