Right front axle fell apart!
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: Plano, TX
Right front axle fell apart!
With the car back on the road less than 10 miles I get a loud CLUNK, then the car won't go anywhere, with some grinding noise when I try. A quick inspection under the car indicates the right front outer CV joint has either come apart or off the shaft.
I just had a local driveshaft shop clean, inspect, and repack all these axles, but the state it's in now is the same as it was when I got it, so I'm thinking I've got a defective unit that I shouldn't have bothered rebuilding.
I'm told the outer joints from my auto shafts will work, but I want to ensure the shaft itself is good and not loose, and the joint isn't just going to fall off like the current one has already done twice.
Is there some sort of litmus test I should use to decide how to proceed from here? Seems like my options are to reassemble the shaft and hope it holds this time, put an old but good joint on the failed shaft, or buy a whole new "known good" half shaft. Thoughts?
I just had a local driveshaft shop clean, inspect, and repack all these axles, but the state it's in now is the same as it was when I got it, so I'm thinking I've got a defective unit that I shouldn't have bothered rebuilding.
I'm told the outer joints from my auto shafts will work, but I want to ensure the shaft itself is good and not loose, and the joint isn't just going to fall off like the current one has already done twice.
Is there some sort of litmus test I should use to decide how to proceed from here? Seems like my options are to reassemble the shaft and hope it holds this time, put an old but good joint on the failed shaft, or buy a whole new "known good" half shaft. Thoughts?
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: Plano, TX
so you're saying the shaft itself is probably bad, or do you think if I put one of the outers from my old axles on there it might work? I'm tempted to weld the outers to the shafts to preclude this from happening again.
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Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: Plano, TX
This one didn't explode - the outer joint fell off the splines at full lock. Had nothing to do with power. Still, if you can give it power at full lock and that doesn't happen, that's good enough for me. I'd just as soon go oem but I suspect they are expensive. Raxles wants $174 plus a core, so you'd say not worth it?
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Thread Starter
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 2
From: Plano, TX
They appear to be oem axles, and I assumed the joints were too. The sheet metal to which the inner boot attaches at the flange looked shiny and new while the other ones had some surface rust, so I would not be surprised if it had been rebuilt at some point. How do I tell if the axle shaft is bad or if I can reuse it with another "known good" oem outer joint?
Tech Guru
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,009
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From: Olney, MD
Sounds (pun intended) like the C-clip wasn't on correctly or they used the old one. The CV joint is popped off the shaft using a forcing bolt/tool (usually the axle bolt) and the C-clip is supposed to be replaced. If they didn't (and why would they if they're using a generic boot kit...might have to order the c-clip separate!) replace the c-clip or bang the CV joint completely on, bang, it came off.
I'd try replacing the c-clip and reinstalling the boot/clamps...messy sure, but lot less $.
I'd try replacing the c-clip and reinstalling the boot/clamps...messy sure, but lot less $.