em96civicex

Hi,
I have been hearing noises, and been having steering problems, so I checked out everything trying to find the problem.

I was checking out the axles, and they move a bit on the transmission side. i can move them a few mm back and forth up and down with little effort. It is like this on both sides. Is that normal? I don't know a lot about cars.

thanks

B16B_coupe

yes they should have a little play, What type of noise are you hearing??

How are your ball joints, tie rod ends, axle boots?

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

Up and down play at the inner CV joint is a classic worn out axle symptom.

97Ej6mike

Time for some new axles.

em96civicex

I replaced the upper ball joints a couple months ago. I also replaced the brake calipers recently. This was happening before I replaced both.

The noise is a popping noise that occurs when I turn all the way left most often when I am backing out of a parking space. It also sometimes happens when I turn left, or when I brake. It has also happened moving into park. (this is an automatic)

I also have steering pull when I am turning left I have to use extra effort to keep the steering wheel from going left. This also happens sometimes when I am driving straight. when I brake to a stop the steering wheel turns left like a third of a turn.

My cv joints were replaced a couple years ago by a mechanic before I started doing work myself. Are the inner and outer joints called cv joints? I think the outer ones were replaced.

My lower right ball joint has grease leaking out of it that I can see when I pull up the boot, so I suspect it may be bad. I don't see any rips in the boot though.

I don't see any unusual play with the tie rods when I move them back and forth with my hand.

Thanks for your help! sorry to make the post so long.

em96civicex

Thanks for the help, but I am getting mixed answers here. Is it that some play is normal, but too much isn't?

B16B_coupe

If you grab the axle and shake it up and down, Does it just move a little? Or alot

Little play in the axle is normal.

Your turning is prob just your caster angle or thrust angle...fairly common on honda's

Jack up each side of your car and shake your front wheel. see if anything is loose

em96civicex

It just moves a little. ( I think but I don't know what is normal either)

I don't notice anything loose when I shake the wheel, but I am not strong at all (I'm a girl lol)

I had a mechanic friend look at it awhile back (can't get in contact with him now)
and he noticed play on the right wheel when I moved the steering wheel back and forth. He thought it was the upper ball joints, but I still get the noise since I replaced them and it is getting louder and more frequent.

So I guess it might not be the axles then. Thanks, its good to know that a little play is normal.

B16B_coupe

Little play in the axle is normal...

Didnt you say your lower ball joint was leaking grease? That may be the problem.

em96civicex

yes it is. I was thinking that could be the problem. Thanks

B16B_coupe

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by em96civicex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes it is. I was thinking that could be the problem. Thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

Its a possible.

em96civicex

I got a new ball joint and wheel bearing and I'm still having the problem.

I went back under the car to see if I missed anything, and I noticed that I can pull the left axle out of the transmission a little. I don't think that is normal because the other side doesn't do that. I can also see fluid, just a little around the gap between the axle and tranny. Do you think that is normal?

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

Nooooooo not normal. See if you can op the axle back into the tranny. It may be that who ever did the work on your car didn't install that axle correctly, if they took it out.

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

Just re-read your fist post you said:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by em96civicex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i can move them a few mm back and forth up and down with little effort.</TD></TR></TABLE>

How many mm would you say? B16B_coupe is right when he says a little play is normal, but I would say more than 5mm is a sign of a worn out CV joint.

B16B_coupe

Remove your left axle and re install it and make sure the axle nuts are tight and marked.

BryanM.

iTrader: (1)

I think she was talking about the right (tranny side) axle.

em96civicex

thanks for your help guys!

It is the left axle I am talking about. It moves OUT of the tranny. not just up and down. I can pull it out of the tranny, not much and push it back in. Maybe just a few mms, not too far. It doesn't stay in the tranny. Its enough so that it makes a noise when I turn the wheel. But that isn't the loud noise that has been bothering me. The loud noise I thought was coming from the right side of my car, but I wonder if it could be coming from the left inner cv joint.

The left axle nut hasn't been taken off in a couple years. I thought that even after you take the axle nut off the axle should be snug in the tranny. A friend helped with the ball joint and wheel bearing, so I was there when all the work done, we didn't touch the left side.

I am going to check it out again within the next couple days. I saw a bunch of grease everywhere, but couldn't find a rip in the boot. I think it probably was coming from the inner left cv joint though.