CV axles going bad?
 

It looks like I am having problems with CV axles on 2011 Chevy HHR LT - 72,000 mi. The car started to make clicking noise on slow turns ONLY when I am going in REVERSE. The noise is not constant clicking. It happens when the wheel is turned half-way. If I turn it all the way I get little to almost no clicking. When I am going forward or straight out in reverse there is no noise at all. Also when I move the steering wheel there are clicks. I have also been getting strange vibrations in the front that can definitely be felt through the steering wheel.

Here are few videos:



The driver's side CV axle inner joint has the most play. Passenger's side is slowly getting there.

I did a bit of research and most of the people mention that they never replace their CV axles. If the boots are in good condition, they will last as long as the car. Why would a CV axle that has perfectly good boots on both sides make clicking noise?

How safe is it to drive like that? If the problem is CV axles, I will put an order for them and they should arrive in about 7 days.

Thanks.

The inner joint is a slip joint, not a CV. It is supposed to move in-out.

The outer should have virtually no up-down/front-back play. There is a spec I'm sure. If you can sense it it is probably gone.

Your description matches the traditional symptoms. But could be something else, like brake wear indicators.

If it was me I would get rebuilt rather than new; Be sure to match up the new and old boots. There are some that "fit" but the wrong boots are not long enough and break very quickly (voice of experience).

A few questions.

1. It looks like some transmission fluid is going to come out while replacing CV axles. How do I top it off after the installation is complete?
2. I will have to remove tie rod end in the process. Will the car have to be realigned afterwards? I just got it aligned a few weeks ago after replacing control arms.
3. The axles that I ordered do not have ABS plate on them. Is there a special process for removal of the plate from the stock CVs and installing them onto the new ones?
4. Do I need to replace axle seals?

Can I ask what might sound like a stupid question? You mention that you just replaced the control arms and had the car aligned a few weeks ago. Was it making the same noise then(pre-control arm replacement) as it is now? If not, then I would suggest looking there as your starting point.

And normally, any time you remove a tie rod, you need to have an alignment done.

1. No you won't.
2. No you remove the ball joint side. No alignment unless you do something to change the toe, since that is the only thing an alignment does.
3. I don't know what you could possibly mean, what ABS plate? The Wheel Speed Sensor is in the hub/bearing.
4. If they are bad.

Yes, check your control arm installation.

The main reason why I think that it is one of CV axles (pretty sure it is the one on the driver's side) is the vibration I get when I am driving. I can especially feel it when I am going at around 55-60 mph. It feels like I just entered tornado zone. The wheels are balanced. I also get clicks that I described earlier. The clicks were not there before.

At first I thought that there is no way my axles could be bad. The boots are fine, and there are no other symptoms. But after checking my suspension system (control arms were checked as well) for the forth time I am confident that the noise is caused by the Cv axle on the driver's side that has excessive play. I think the ticking that I have is very similar to what is shown here at 3m 47 sec:
I meant to say ABS ring, without knowing that the sensor is in the hub. Thanks for pointing that out!
Also, most of the videos on cv axle installation show unnecessary removal of suspension components. I found one that describes the method you are talking about. Thanks.

NOTE: If you are shopping for replacement Lower Control Arms you may find stamped steel ones being offered for the HHR - those may fit, but are actually for the Cobalt cars. The HHR's use cast ones, not stamped steel - the cast ones are definately recommended.
got this off a post from WHOPPER on replacing lower control arms. saw steel ones in your video.

People have used the steel ones before with great success. If Whooper can give a satisfactory justification why one should use one over the other, then I may consider it. But for now, the click on reverse was there before control arms were installed. It is still there now, and it is getting worse.

Control arms don't make clicking sound. If the bushing goes bad then your steering wheel begins to shake and your front wheels move when you stop.

Use the correct cast aluminum LCA, the Cobalt stamped steel arms are designed for the lighter car!! and the geometry is alittle different. The clicking noise could be your bearing hub also!

x2 - considering that the HHR weighs approx. 400 lbs more than the Cobalt, and since the cast ones are stronger............. well you pays your money and you take your chances. Me, if I was checking out a used HHR and spotted the stamped steel LCA's installed, I'd think to myself "well what else did the owner go cheap on".

Yes the HHR is built on the Cobalt platform, but there must be a reason GM upgraded to the more expensive LCAs.