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New CV Axle, Clunking sound, main drive shaft ?... PLEASE HELP

10K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  eagleeye 
#1 ·
I recently just replaced a front Driver side CV axle. With a Napa NMD 942043 basically a rebranded Cardone Select 637355HD, HD meaning Heavy Duty which is why I choose it. Almost identical looking to oem. After the previous cheap aftermarket from Advance Auto Started to go, causing vibrations in the steering wheel especially when turning. ( did last year and a half tho ...). After replacing it to test it I immediately noticed when i went from park to reverse there was a clunk sound, which genuinely scared as it never made this sound before, but I continued and put it In drive and it drove very smooth... gone the vibrations and drove incredible on the highway. But as soon as I take it down a side steet and turn around/ tight turn to put into reverse a clunk again or even into drive sometimes. I was furious as I thought maybe i installed it wrong but I double checked and everything looked solid. So I did some investigating and it looked like the sound was coming from the CV axle more like the inner cv axle. As Changing gears causes the cv axles to pulsate as it gets ready to change direction as from what I say . So maybe I thought it was defective so I took it out and got a replacement under warranty... triple checked my work, especially everything torque to spec. But to no avail as the new part also made the same sound plus even worse as no it makes clicks sometimes when I turn and even a clunk sound when stoping and going sometimes. Idk if it’s just a bad fit with the aftermarket part or it’s not seating properly ? As it’s very solid with no play after installing . I provided pictures Of what it looks like in the Diff and the other side with the OEM. Should have I gone with OEM? As I’m dredging if its the differential... As I’m only at 93,000 miles,
 

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#3 ·
Well Im pretty sure it’s OE because the previous owner had all the paper work since bought the car brand new, and I think that the paint just wore away and rusted. As there is no maintenance record for a CV Axle replacement. Could be wrong. Now onto if it’s seated properly, I think it is as I tapped it all the way until there was a metal on metal thud.... and couldn’t go any further. Plus I really dives great other then the noise. I think the gap difference is due to them being different axles As the dust cover seems to be at the same spot on either side.
 
#4 ·
The center diff on my gen 2 went out last year. I had replaced the CV axles thinking that was the original problem. A snap ring broke and the diff was out of place and only a matter of time before it blew up. One check you can do on the front diff is get both wheels of the ground and spin one tire, making sure the other spins the opposite direction. Then try to spin both axles the same direction. There should be no play. However, my car has the 5MT.
 
#7 ·
I tried what you said, and yes when you spin one side one direction, then the other wheel spined the other direction. And I’m questioning about when there should be no play? as to when I try to spin the wheels In both the same same direction they both stop but when I switch to the other direction while each hand on the wheels they both move a little but then stop when going the other direction. like you can hop back and forth either direction when spinning both ever so slightly Is that fine? As this seems quite minuscule like less than an inch turn either direction with either hand on each wheel.
 
#8 ·
I’ve tried a lot of things, I did forget to mention I also did replace the wheel bearing as well when I did the CV replacement as there was ever so slight of play in the bearing, which was probably caused by driving with the previous bad cv axle. But I tried tracking down the noise and I’m just convinced that its the cv axle. As there seems to be ever so slight play in the Cardone Axle..the Ball joints are solid so are the stabilizer links,. Ujoint are not off the table tho...
 
#6 ·
There are probably hundreds or maybe close to a thousand posts on this site about noisy aftermarket CV axles.

Do yourself a favour and by an OEM axle from Subaru as this is probably the answer to your problem. Even a second hand OEM axle from a parts dismantler is usually better than an aftermarket axle.

Seagrass
 
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#9 ·
Thanks for the recommendation! . That’s what I’m going to try, as I’m really at wits end. I’m going to buy a Used One, as crazy enough a new one is around $400. I’m also going to replace the Transmission mount, as noticed that the rubber has not separated but for sure worn out as there a lot of play when using a pry bar. If that doesn’t work, last place to check are the Ujoints...
 
#11 ·
Thank you @seagrass for the suggestion to get an OEM Axle, the clunking went away immediately. It’s a used one, but it’s in great condition. And the fitment was of course superb. Unfortunately not to long after I noticed the squeaking noise and sure enough my rear ujoint went in my driveshaft. Which I was in shock, with only being at 93k and all but @bike_reck really shame on me for not checking and trying to be more thorough as you can see the rear one the caps are completely cracked and busted, which was the slight vibration I always felt while driving not to mention dangerous. At this time still waiting for the CV Axle to come in, I thought maybe this was the clunking I was hearings And after reading all the horror stories or aftermarket driveshafts and the headache of trying to replace the staked Ujoints with Neapco 1-0430. And taking a gamble on a used one or one from a junkyard with questionable life left. I bit the bullet and a bought and genuine 27111AG15A. But even after replacing the driveshaft, the clunk persisted, then I knew no doubt that it was the NAPA CV axle. And sure enough it was. While I was down there I also changed the transmission mount With a Westar EM-9074 from Rockauto, as the mount wasn’t bad but certainly worn. Now the car drives better then ever, I still need to get an alignment after the CV axle Blunder but I’m waiting to replace my Balljoints with Mevotech TXK9513 and my front Stabilizer Links with Moog K750049. They are both greaseable which is great.
 

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#12 ·
Update. Idk if it was just bad timing or what but after replacing the driveshaft, the oil seal started to leak. I’m not sure if it’s common practice to change the seal when you do this sort of thing. As it never leaked before with the old driveshaft. But as you can see from the picture after taking the new shaft out the spring was off the old seal. I should have just replaced it anyway!, as It was only 10 bucks at the dealer (806735210) . I just used a seal puller to take it out, and used a 1 1/2” inch socket to tap into place flush. All good now!
 

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#14 ·
Update : Just 2 years later and less than 10k miles on my new genuine 27111AG15A. The carrier bearing Is totally shot and hollowing and loud as ever. It’s definitely left a bad taste in my Mouth … how could a dealer part with less than 10 k on it already be bad. But I guess bad luck. I haven’t removed it yet but it was easily diagnosed by spining the driveshaft via the rear wheels. The grinding noise coming from the bearing. When I take it out I’ll update with a video of the sound. I have ordered a Remanufactured CARDONE 657001 driveshaft from RockAuto. I figured if a dealer part only lasted that long why get another one.
was that napa one a remanfactured one ? or new/never used ?
 
#18 ·
I swear as well It had a date sticker of being made like Nov 2019. Originally I thought it was a bad wheel bearing or parking brakes grinding, never even considered it to be the carrier bearing but I guess as they say just cause it’s new doesn’t mean it’s good! Glad to hear about the CARDONE reman, I thought it was the next best choice for only about 400!
when we were typing about new ones for gen 2 in the past month.

Napa new HD came up at $187.00 (new /unused/ no core)

which his sticker shock for me, as the same new ones I bought in recent years were $90,

but ...better than $400.
 
#20 ·
I think you're talking about CV Axles , I’m talking about the Propeller Shaft that goes from the front to the rear
I was, ...I will update that thread title.
 
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