Mark J Bradakis wrote:
>
> This was sent to the wrong address, rather than @autox.team.net
> Nolan, this is the LAST post of yours I am forwarding.
>
> mjb.
> ----
>
> Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 09:41:10 -0800
> From: nolan penney <npenney@erols.com>
> Subject: Re: FW: TR6 Drive unit
>
> > If you check them one in spring (April) once in fall (Oct) and once
>mid
> >season (July) then is still not often enough to save you. If the
> >rubber crack 1-2 months after your last check that leaves you riding on a
> >busted boot for over a month. All the grease has been ejected and the CV
> >is now toast.
>
> I really disagree with that. Many folks and mechanics believe that if
> a cv joint is ever exposed, or starts to click, it must be instantly
> replaced. Reasons given are usually a mumbled "something is going to
> happen" sort of response. Rubish. While it is true that once a click
> starts, said click is not going to stop. This does not adversely
> affect the ability of the car to drive. Just as one can drive quite
> successfully a car that leaks a little oil, smokes a bit, uses a tad
> of coolant, have a tapping valve, low compression in a cylinder, and a
> click in a cv joint. When, and if, the click becomes more of a crunch
> bang you are approaching a degree that problems can happen. Such as a
> jammed joint or a broken joint. Neither of which are particularly
> dangerous. For you are going to jam or break that joint when you have
> the joint at maximum angle, with maximum thrust. Ie, making a hard
> turn from a standstill. Not while you are blasting down an
> interstate.
>
> My current fwd car, complete with cv joints, makes a good case
> example. Little car had a ripped cv joint boot when I bought it
> several years ago. Previous owner paid to have it replaced several
> years earlier (car came with complete records), but at the joint was
> clearly an original factory boot, I was confident that the garage had
> ripped her off. After driving the car for roughly 100 thousand miles
> with an exposed clicking joint, living back up a dirt road, the car
> gradually started to develop the crunch bang, and I finally replaced
> the joint. Upon inspection of the joint though after I had pulled the
> axle, I darn near put it back. For even using a micrometer to measure
> wear, I couldn't find any. There was no play, no scoring, and just a
> slight bit of bluing.
Nolan,
Your efforts are admireable and your logic is not bad. However it is
diffinitly flawed. The reason we mechanics recommend that you change the
cv after a clicking sound becomes appearant or inspection reveals a tear
in the boot is because the clicking noise indicates significant wear has
occured and the torn boot means that lubricant is now being ejected from
the joint by centrifugal force and contaminants(1e;salt,dirt,water) now
have gained access to the Joint. This doesn't mean the joint will fail
tomorrow, next month or next year but it will fail. It will often fail
at it time of most stress, when it is running down the highway in a
straight line(ever hear of centrifugal force,it keeps us from falling
into the sun). Belive me I have repaired many vehicles that have had
this misfortune. The damage from the flailing half shaft at 70mph is
incredible. Two examples: My own 78 Spit tossed the right joint
outboard. The damage required replacing every thing related to the
suspension including the seal and shaft at the differential. #2 I
recently work on a front wheel drive job that tossed a joint at 35mph.
Destroyed the tranny case, damaged the body, the block and most of the
running gear on that side. The bill was in the thousands of dollars.
MORALE: ck those joints regularly.
I ck mine when I change oil and lube. You're there and your already
dirty. yes you can keep driving but pay attention to the noises. When
they get worse do something. ie: sell the car, get it fixed, or buy the
biggest darn shamrock you can find and join a motor club.
Hope we can all be as lucky as our friend Nolan,
Bill
78Spit
80Wedge
|