# CV Joint Bad, what side?



## Johnny Octane (Feb 19, 2002)

Every time I let out the clutch, I hear a metalic clicking sound. This sounds like a CV joint ready to give way. Does anybody know how to tell which side is busted and needs replacing?
I feel no <or very little> shudder on acceleration. I feel no noticeable difference turing the car in either direction. When running overroad reflectors, the left front wheel seems to be a little louder than the right. It sounds a little too....clanky. It might be my imagination though.
So, other than the clicking I hear from a standstill and sometimes off of a shift, thats all I know.


----------



## Tjax (Feb 20, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Johnny Octane)*

Never had a CV goe on my VW, but on other cars I've had, the CV starts clicking when I make turns, progressively getting worse, one time the thing actually fell from the car in a turn. I've never heard of it happening just by engaging the clutch. You may have something else going on. Just my .02.


----------



## Johnny Octane (Feb 19, 2002)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Tjax)*

Anybody know what it could be?


----------



## ABA Scirocco (May 30, 2001)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Johnny Octane)*

Doesn't really sound like a CV joint, try checking your ball joints. Sometimes a bad joint can cause the symptons you describe.


----------



## Nash50 (Dec 25, 2001)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Johnny Octane)*

To check CV joints go to a large parking lot and turn the wheel all the way to the left and go round in a circle...If you hear noise from the CV then it is the right CV causing problems...Do the same thing in the opposite direction and if you hear noise than it is the left one....Outer that is...Harder to diagnose inner CV's and they do go bad...


----------



## Sarwat (Mar 15, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Johnny Octane)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Johnny Octane* »_Every time I let out the clutch, I hear a metalic clicking sound. This sounds like a CV joint ready to give way. Does anybody know how to tell which side is busted and needs replacing?

Funny, that's exactly what my car is doing and that's exactly what I think my problem is too since I know my CV joints on one side are bad. When I make a hard left I hear the clicking. I'll check it out one of these weekends.


----------



## Sarwat (Mar 15, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Nash50)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Nash50* »_To check CV joints go to a large parking lot and turn the wheel all the way to the left and go round in a circle...If you hear noise from the CV then it is the right CV causing problems...Do the same thing in the opposite direction and if you hear noise than it is the left one....Outer that is...Harder to diagnose inner CV's and they do go bad...

I could be wrong here but the diagnoses you mention applies to wheel bearings. On the CV joints, if they are clicking when turning left then the left CV joints are supposed to be bad...but again I could be wrong - I haven't had to replace any in years. Should be easy to check with car up on the lift or jack stands, just look for torn boots.


----------



## jetta2u (Jun 18, 2002)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Sarwat)*

i just had the same problem--after a month or more i broke down --going from 1st to 2nd let out the clutch in 2nd and that was all she wrote --i pop the hood put the car in gear and my axle was broken spinning at the tranny -get under there and my pass.axle was on its way so-i changed the both --noticed about 1/2 pint of tranny fluid in the cv -its time for new tranny seals and i still have some noise up front -wheel bearings are done the front end is a little loose--its now time for clutch, 4k tranny swap,rear main oil seal ,wheel bearings ,ball joints,and tie rods


----------



## Sarwat (Mar 15, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (jetta2u)*

OK so what size shafts do I need ? 90mm or 100mm ? its a bone stock 86 Jetta GL coupe.
Thx


----------



## jetta2u (Jun 18, 2002)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Sarwat)*

if it indeed is bone stock it is 90 or 3.75 inch ///but since it is a vw if you are not the original owner you should get under and measure them--i;ve had a car that had both on it 90 on 1 side and 100 on the other--too many swaps are done on these cars to assume anything


----------



## Sarwat (Mar 15, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (jetta2u)*

well the previous owner was a little ol lady so unless 100mm are drop-in replacement for 90mm shafts I doubt the mechanics would've done that








So to measure it, I just but a caliper around the metal rod between the boots ?
Thx


----------



## jetta2u (Jun 18, 2002)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Sarwat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Sarwat* »_well I doubt the mechanics would've done that










LOL can i use that quote ?? you measure the circumference of the inner cv joint that bolts to the tranny


----------



## Sarwat (Mar 15, 2003)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Johnny Octane)*

OK so I jacked up the car last night and checked all the boots and didn't find anything torn. What I did notice was that the passenger side axle/rod was much bigger than the driver's side.
Thx


----------



## jetta2u (Jun 18, 2002)

*Re: CV Joint Bad, what side? (Sarwat)*

just so you know i broke my axle --when i did i found 1 boot torn and grease slung all-over --so i bouight 1 ,, the other axle looked good no tears no grease lost i changed the passenger side started the car put in gear ---viola--the axle on the drivers side was broken the boots were fine and no grease around them -----if you can jack it up with both front wheels off the ground check for play in tie rod ends and ball joints and yes the drivers is much shorter than the passengers axle


----------

