CV Joint
 

I'm kinda new to IFS front suspension but I think I have a problem with my drivers side front CV joint.

Today I put on some larger tires and I heard a small clicking sound at 10-20 MPH. After that it goes away and below that I can't hear it it all. I've only driven the truck 30 miles total so I haven't had much time to see if it was there before.

I thought something was rubbing at first but I got out and checked and nothing. Then I went feeling around and the CV shaft is loose and moves around a bit. On the other side it doesn't do that.

I guess the question is

#1: Could the larger tires brought to my attention this problem that the other tires were not. I'm thinking there is some more stress on them (now running some 32's just for fun for a week over the older 31's.

#2: How long can I go before needing to fix this before some major problems.

#3: How long a job is it and how much does it run if I do it myself.

Thanks you.

the larger tires probably addressed a problem that you weren't aware of. i would have a driveshaft shop look at it before i could give a period of time before it breaks or gets worse

Do you hear the clicking when going straight, or only turning?

ADD or manual locking hubs?

Turn the stereo up louder and that noise will go away. :banger:

No I do not have manual locking hubs. So I guess I have ADD.

I hear the clicking going straight and when turning. It doesn't seem to matter. But I only hear it between 10-20 MPH. Below and above that speed it is completly gone. But when I hear it, it makes is self very obvious with the window down.

I'm now running 32x11.5x15 rvt mud tires and before it was some old 31x10.5 TA tires. Definetly notice the extra weight and increased rolling resistance in these mud tires.

The tires could not have cause the problem as from the sounds of it, you haven't been in 4x4 yet- thus no torque transmitted to the CV.

32" tires are well within the safe range for CVs, I've heard of 35's being handled without to many breaks.

with the wheel on the ground, if you can grab the axle half-shaft and turn it, and see motion between the shaft and the outer CV joint, there MAY something wrong with the CV joint. strictly speaking though, there should be little to no play visible in the outer CV joint, but you may see some anyways because of the effects of the auto-locking hub.
installing the larger tires though should not have any affect on the CV joint though since they actually make the CV turn slower than normal (with auto-hubs/ADD).

any chance when the tires were installed that the shop used the stick on lead weights to balance the tire and they are in a different location that may be tapping against the upper control arm or brake caliper?

It is a possibility I guess that the weights are tapping. I looked behind and tried to see if anything could be hitting but it didn't appear so and nothing was rubbing.

I took the wheels with tires off of my Land Cruiser FJ40 so there could be a lot of things I guess. I just figured it was the CV since it wiggles back and forth a lot on the drivers side. I will check to see exactly where the movement is comming from. I'm only running these tires a week or two until i sell the FJ40, and am just doing it for the heck of it and the other tires that I got on the thing were bad.

I did put it in 4WD but with the other tires and heard nothing after putting it back in 2WD and driving a few miles. It was after that 3 mile drive that I put the other wheel tire combo on.

I guess I will see in a week when I put the stock tire wheel combo back on if I still have the same noise. Maybe I am just rubbing on something on that speed. Just wondering why it doesn't do it all the time if it is a rubbing issue.

You may have already tried this, but go to a parking lot, cut your wheels, and just move real slow. I've got a cv going bad and you can hear the clicks and feel them in the steering wheel if you're barely moving.

so it's not just an "I put new wheels on" but an "I put new rims and tires on."

these things are important when asking for people to help diagnose problems.
no offense to you intended, just something to think about.