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Possible bad CV joint - thumping/vibration from driver side wheel..


97oldscutlas

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Got some thumping and vibration coming from the driver side drive train.

Starts off as subtle rub and feel at slow speeds then progresses to a fairly fast symmetrical thumping progressing to a vibration at highway speeds. Probably like 6-10 beets a second. Does it on jack stands too.

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Can feel the thumping originating around the undercarriage on the driver side and continuing to gas pedal and steering wheel too. Ultimately all around vibration on the highway.

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Just about has to be a CV joint…

It’s not the rotor or tires. Just had the tires balanced to be sure.

Does seem to be a touch worse at coast/deceleration, but does it in just about any condition.

Don’t have any clicking or worse thumping in turns.

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Maintenance book suggests:

Clicking in turns: outer CV joint

Knock or clunk when accelerating after coasting: outer CV joint

Shudder/vibration during acceleration: excessive inner CV joint angle, bad CV jointS, sticking inboard

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So, the shudder, clunking, and vibration all hitting up..

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Any other suggestions than CV joints??? I didn’t really feel any play in them when turning manually.

Is there a way to check them other than replacing or tearing apart???

Would you say it’s worth trying repair the joints???

Might do it for fun since the whole new axle shaft w/ joints is only $69

Do you guys know of a way to narrow it down between the outer and inner???

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Also, do you think the wheels hanging down with the car on jack stands for about a week can cause the joint angle to mess up? She was on stands for a good week when I replaced the head gaskets…

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My thought was that if it was slightly dragging it could be making a thumping as it rotates. (What I think I may have just fixed on mine this evening actually). It was making a noise/thump with the rotation of the wheel, and it turned out it looks like the caliper was sticking. It was just a thought.

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Got some thumping and vibration coming from the driver side drive train.

Starts off as subtle rub and feel at slow speeds then progresses to a fairly fast symmetrical thumping progressing to a vibration at highway speeds. Probably like 6-10 beets a second. Does it on jack stands too.

.

Can feel the thumping originating around the undercarriage on the driver side and continuing to gas pedal and steering wheel too. Ultimately all around vibration on the highway.

.

Just about has to be a CV joint…

That symptom would NOT be a common issue with CV joints. Anything can happen, but CVs would not be my first guess.

 

It’s not the rotor or tires.

HOW do you know it's not the rotor?

 

Just had the tires balanced to be sure.

 

One would hope that whoever balanced the tires would inspect them for broken-belt problems. THAT would fit the symptoms exactly; and in fact I've had exactly that problem on both of my Luminas. Broken belts make terrible thumping noise and vibration. Broken belts do tend to make progressively worse noise/vibration as the belt shifts farther and farther out-of-position.

 

Does seem to be a touch worse at coast/deceleration, but does it in just about any condition.

Don’t have any clicking or worse thumping in turns.

.

Maintenance book suggests:

Clicking in turns: outer CV joint

Knock or clunk when accelerating after coasting: outer CV joint

Shudder/vibration during acceleration: excessive inner CV joint angle, bad CV jointS, sticking inboard

.

So, the shudder, clunking, and vibration all hitting up..

No, they aren't. You don't have the symptoms they describe. You have constant vibration/noise, not just on turns, not just on acceleration.

.

Also, do you think the wheels hanging down with the car on jack stands for about a week can cause the joint angle to mess up? She was on stands for a good week when I replaced the head gaskets…

Not a problem. The car could be on jack stands for three years and not cause the sort of joint angle problems that would make noise or cause vibration. Broken suspension springs might cause those CV-shaft angularity problems.

 

Any other suggestions than CV joints???

Look at the tires and the rotors again.

Edited by Schurkey
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Good points.. I appreciate the feedback.I ruled out the rotor due the fact I dont have any pulsation in the brake pedal. I'll pop the wheels off and and check for warp with the dial indicator and see if one pad is more worn than another. .Agreed. It does seem to feel mostly like a tire problem and I thought a good balance and assumed inspection would take care of that. I'll rotate the tires and see if I can feel a change in vibration and get back with you guys.Thx

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Get it up in the air, take the wheel off, and gently pry on everything, check for in and out, up and down play. Control arms, rotors, calipers, springs, everything.

 

most of the time when cv axles go, it will also split the boot. But unlock the wheel and shake, move and look.

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