Off-roading causing CV knock...

[free5ty1e]

One or both of my CV joints have been acquiring some issues with all the driving I've been doing on unmaintained clay roads... I hear that CV knock whenever my control arms flex for differences in road level, although not really on level turning yet.

Unfortunately, I don't have a place to work on my cars yet. Does anyone nearby feel like letting me drop by one day and use your garage to jack up my white Legacy and check out the CV joints/boots? I'll bring some beer.

Jason, do you have a garage at your place in SLC?

[206er]

piece of plywood on the flatest spot you can find?
or you can come by my place, bring some PBR.

[free5ty1e]

Heh... did I mention I don't know all that much about suspension and these sorts of jobs? I do plan to jack up the car and take a look under there, get some photos of the general areas, and post them up here for opinions and such.

Thanks for the offer -- CO is quite a drive but I might take you up on it if I can't take care of it here or closer.

By the by - what's PBR? I'm familiar with PBJ, and PB blaster, but no PBR.

[206er]

pabst blue ribbon
I was semi kidding about you coming up here, that would be a crazy drive.

[free5ty1e]

Yeah, I was kinda hopin someone in Reno or SLC or Boise would have a garage I could borrow.

[free5ty1e]

I think I'm going to try and take a look under there tomorrow in the hotel's parking lot. If anything, I can get some photos and post em up here. Maybe I can avoid having to replace the entire CV assembly on either or both sides. It doesn't knock on straight turning yet.

[entirelyturbo]

I had a slit in my right outer CV boot when I went to a concert a few years ago. Turns out they made us park in a huge mudpit

I had lots of fun in there, and when I got out, my car seriously looked like it had been on a trail ride. It was awesome!

But as soon as I started driving it on the street, I heard my CV knocking, and loudly. I had damn near filled it with mud. I drove it another 1000 miles like that too, because I didn't exactly know how to change an axle back then

[free5ty1e]

OK - so I dug out a floor jack, bottle jack, jackstands, and creeper and went under the car to check out the CV joints today. It sure as hell looks like all the boots are intact and in place, no tears anywhere. The car is unbelievably filthy from all the driving I did in wet and dry clay. Very fun. Looks like I've got a white/clay two-tone Legacy:



Anyway, just in case someone sees something I missed, here's two representative photos I was able to get while under the car... you can't see the inner CV boots because of the angles, I couldn't get a good shot of those with my camera.

Driver's side:


Passenger's side:


My friend thinks it's the upper strut mounts making the knock noise on uneven roadways.

[Brat4by4]

I would say strut top mounts or sway bar endlinks.

In fact, disconnect your front endlinks and see if the noise goes away. Just don't get onto the pavement and try to go around a corner like its a formula car.