Clicking noise at diff shaft Options

[john77]

I pulled both my axles to replace the diff shaft seals on my transmission a couple of weeks ago and have noticed my diff is now making a loud clicking noise if I rock the car back and forth. Is this normal? I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid and it was there before I did the work.

There is play in the shaft, with the back wheels off the ground I can rotate the wheel a little either way before the diff engages. The video below is the car parked and me just rocking it back and forth. I torqued the trans flange bolt to 19ft/lbs.

https://youtu.be/_Fd0a1WgzHM

[ConeDodger]

Is this normal? No.

Check your torque on the bolts. Did you reuse the bolts?

[john77]

Is this normal? No.

Check your torque on the bolts. Did you reuse the bolts?

I reused all the bolts - the single bolt both sides on the trans flange and all the bolts for the CV joints. I'm guessing by your question that I wasn't supposed to...

[euro911]

Reusing the output hub flange bolts is fine, but it's recommended to use new bolts for the CV joints.

Does the clicking only emanate from one side of the trans? I wonder if you have a bad CV joint on your hands?

[ConeDodger]

Reusing the output hub flange bolts is fine, but it's recommended to use new bolts for the CV joints.

Does the clicking only emanate from one side of the trans? I wonder if you have a bad CV joint on your hands?

Yes. What he said is what I meant... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[john77]

Reusing the output hub flange bolts is fine, but it's recommended to use new bolts for the CV joints.

Does the clicking only emanate from one side of the trans? I wonder if you have a bad CV joint on your hands?

It seems to be coming from the passenger side. I was told by the PO that the CV joints are off a vanagon. The axles are welded onto one of the CV joints rather than using circlips, and the CV joint at the other end just slides off with nothing holding it to the axle.

Is there a right and a wrong orientation for the CV joint?

[TheCabinetmaker]

The cv is welded to the axle? I'd toss that axle and get a used one. The other CV that has no circlip is a disaster waiting to happen. The cvs are not reversible. You should return all that hacked up crap to original. I don't know about the van cv's, but the type I vw's will fit but lacks the machined lip that the gasket sits on.

[Chris H.]

Believe it or not Tangerine Racing's have a machined lip:

Type 1 CVs

These are the only ones I found that do. Chris must machine them or pay to have them done. Well worth the extra $20 or so to get the stock gasket to fit. Been researching CVs since I'm getting pretty good at breaking the old ones.

I agree with Curt, neither of the scenarios you describe sounds good. You don't want it welded on, and you don't want it to slip off with no circlip either. It will just slip out eventually.

BTW I got my new CVs and the difference between a new CV and an old rattly one is pretty surprising. The new one feels solid, very little movement, ready to work. The old one felt easy to move in and out, much more loose.

[john77]

Believe it or not Tangerine Racing's have a machined lip:

Type 1 CVs

These are the only ones I found that do. Chris must machine them or pay to have them done. Well worth the extra $20 or so to get the stock gasket to fit. Been researching CVs since I'm getting pretty good at breaking the old ones.

I agree with Curt, neither of the scenarios you describe sounds good. You don't want it welded on, and you don't want it to slip off with no circlip either. It will just slip out eventually.

BTW I got my new CVs and the difference between a new CV and an old rattly one is pretty surprising. The new one feels solid, very little movement, ready to work. The old one felt easy to move in and out, much more loose.

Ugh, thanks Curt/Chris, obviously not what i wanted to hear, but good to know. What is the life expectancy of a cv joint? I ax the car once a month and drive it daily - my commute's only about a 5 mile round trip though.

[ChrisFoley]

Chris must machine them or pay to have them done.

We do the work in-house, as well as drilling for the roll pins.
We also turn the inner race around for a better fit on the axle shaft.

I recently found a good source for Lobro CVs so that's what we're selling now instead of the EMPIs which occasionally have come apart in rough service.

I've never seen a CV welded to an axle before.

[whitetwinturbo]

Believe it or not Tangerine Racing's have a machined lip:

Type 1 CVs

These are the only ones I found that do. Chris must machine them or pay to have them done. Well worth the extra $20 or so to get the stock gasket to fit. Been researching CVs since I'm getting pretty good at breaking the old ones.

I agree with Curt, neither of the scenarios you describe sounds good. You don't want it welded on, and you don't want it to slip off with no circlip either. It will just slip out eventually.

BTW I got my new CVs and the difference between a new CV and an old rattly one is pretty surprising. The new one feels solid, very little movement, ready to work. The old one felt easy to move in and out, much more loose.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ....... so how much movement "in and out" is ok?

[ChrisFoley]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ....... so how much movement "in and out" is ok?

Its not so much how far they move, but how loose they feel when being moved.

[whitetwinturbo]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ....... so how much movement "in and out" is ok?

Its not so much how far they move, but how loose they feel when being moved.

Ok. So, do you mean "play" as in up and down when moving in and out?

[Chris H.]

I'm not the expert that Racer Chris is, but as he described, mine felt "loose". The inner race moved a lot more than it should when shaken back and forth holding just the outer part compared to the new one. There was "play", but it wasn't obvious until you compared it to a new one. With a V8 you'll find out right away if yours are OK or not (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif).

BTW Chris has a great solution to the 914 CV problem. I didn't find anything else out there like it. Well..except for NOS 914 CV's (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) .

[914_teener]

Believe it or not Tangerine Racing's have a machined lip:

Type 1 CVs

These are the only ones I found that do. Chris must machine them or pay to have them done. Well worth the extra $20 or so to get the stock gasket to fit. Been researching CVs since I'm getting pretty good at breaking the old ones.

I agree with Curt, neither of the scenarios you describe sounds good. You don't want it welded on, and you don't want it to slip off with no circlip either. It will just slip out eventually.

BTW I got my new CVs and the difference between a new CV and an old rattly one is pretty surprising. The new one feels solid, very little movement, ready to work. The old one felt easy to move in and out, much more loose.

Ugh, thanks Curt/Chris, obviously not what i wanted to hear, but good to know. What is the life expectancy of a cv joint? I ax the car once a month and drive it daily - my commute's only about a 5 mile round trip though.

I'd be more concerned about your life expectancy with the way you describe the set up that was put together.

Pull both your axles and assemble the CV's per spec. and stay off the freeway until then.

My .02.

[john77]

Believe it or not Tangerine Racing's have a machined lip:

Type 1 CVs

These are the only ones I found that do. Chris must machine them or pay to have them done. Well worth the extra $20 or so to get the stock gasket to fit. Been researching CVs since I'm getting pretty good at breaking the old ones.

I agree with Curt, neither of the scenarios you describe sounds good. You don't want it welded on, and you don't want it to slip off with no circlip either. It will just slip out eventually.

BTW I got my new CVs and the difference between a new CV and an old rattly one is pretty surprising. The new one feels solid, very little movement, ready to work. The old one felt easy to move in and out, much more loose.

Ugh, thanks Curt/Chris, obviously not what i wanted to hear, but good to know. What is the life expectancy of a cv joint? I ax the car once a month and drive it daily - my commute's only about a 5 mile round trip though.

I'd be more concerned about your life expectancy with the way you describe the set up that was put together.

Pull both your axles and assemble the CV's per spec. and stay off the freeway until then.

My .02.

I totally hear you. I've spoken to Chris, and his CV joints won't fit - mine are 6 bolt, as opposed to the 4 bolt/2pin lobro joints - but he's kindly offered to help me figure out what I do need.

The weird thing is I've ran this set up for 18 months and 12 AX events with no problems. The problem only started when I pulled it to replace the diff shaft seal.