Question:
how much of free play in outer cv joints is normal (if any
is normal at all)? The other day I noticed that I could
rotate my wheels/hubs for several degrees without rotating
the drive axles. To be more precise, there is about 5 mm
of free play measured at the perimeter of the brake disc.
Should I be concerned about this? I don’t hear any
clicking noise when turning but there is a slight clunk
when I go on or off the throttle at very low speeds. The
car in question is a 91 Golf, 1.8 8v, 194 kkm, with
original drive axles/cv joints, I suspect.
Answer:
-No free play is the correct amount.
-While your replacing the wheel bearing, remove both cv shafts and switch the
cv joints on the right to the left and left to the right, put on new boots
and grease with the proper grease and you should be good to go. I've used
this procedure to transfere the wearing surface to the other side of the
bearing and it works well. If you had a really bad one you would know it.
Some play is normal for used ones. The clunk you mention is most likely the
front or rear motor mount.
-It depends on where the actual play is coming from. There should be zero play
between the balls and the races in the rotational axis. However it is not
unusual to have some play between the splines of the shaft and the splines on
the inner race. If you are not having any noise from the joints when you turn,
then don't worry about it.
