> Robert Bigham wrote: > I wrote that CV joints in my experience last forever if the > boot is good, or words to that effect. My experience is just > that. I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in CV joint > equipped cars, mostly Volkswagens.
> A couple of people said that they have had CV joint > failure without boot failure, that is, a joint or joints > failed while packed in grease in intact boots. At least > I got that from what they wrote. They didn't say about > water or gritters. I was one of them. Details of two of the more dramatic failures follows. > I find that really strange. Do others experience CV joint > failure without warning with intact boots, like the two seem > to have experienced? Does VW have a joint/boot design that is > much superior to that on Benzes? Why the difference? How old were those VWs you were driving? I have axles that are now over 30 years old. I find it truly amazing that any of them are still functioning. I have had plenty of joints that leaked. The oil spoor is a clear indication of the problem. When there is not oil trail, it's harder to diagnose the problem. I had one joint fail (factory boot, so far as I can tell) that made enough noise it reminded me of a dragging tailpipe. Except the pattern and rhythm were wrong and the tail pipe wasn't dragging. I was about 200 miles into a 800 mile trip with my family in the car and a BIG business deadline to hit. Within 50 miles of the noise starting I used a gas station lot (11PM) to remove the wheel and disconnected the axle shaft to be sure the problem was not the wheel bearing. I did _not_ want the wheel falling of while on the interstate! Once the business event was over, I took a close look at the axle. I could not feel play in either joint. There was no oil trail. I decided to do the axle shaft first, but was worried it was really the differential. I recall I opened that joint and there was still lots of oil inside and I had to look close to even see any evidence of the wear that was causing the noise. Another car, another day, I had one split one of the steel balls. No, I don't know how. On that one, the boot was also intact and when I opened it up, the oil and the the two ball halfs came out. Again, the newest of these is 25 years old. I'm not at all surprised that a few of them fail. -- Philip _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
