kevin@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Wing) (02/26/86)
I have an 83 Honda Accord that has been exihibiting unusual behavior. When turning, the car sometimes makes this clunking sound that comes from somewhere around the front wheels. It occurs mostly when beginning a turn from a dead stop. I don't accelerate real fast or anything. It is also more evident turning right than turning left, or when turning to go up a hill. Someone said to me that it sounds like a CV joint, whatever that is, and that it is not serious yet (but that it would be serious if the car was clunking while going straight), and that the only solution is to replace the front axle. Does this sound reasonable? I can't even tell from the service manual where this CV joint is. Any opinions or suggestions will be appreciated. kevin@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
janeann@ut-ngp.UUCP (Carlotta Lamour) (02/26/86)
>I have an 83 Honda Accord that has been exihibiting unusual >behavior. When turning, the car sometimes makes this clunking sound >that comes from somewhere around the front wheels. It occurs >mostly when beginning a turn from a dead stop. I don't accelerate >real fast or anything. It is also more evident turning right than >turning left, or when turning to go up a hill. Someone said to me >that it sounds like a CV joint, whatever that is, and that it is >not serious yet (but that it would be serious if the car was clunking >while going straight), and that the only solution is to replace the >front axle. Does this sound reasonable? I can't even tell from >the service manual where this CV joint is. > >Any opinions or suggestions will be appreciated. >kevin@ucbvax.berkeley.edu Yes, indeed, it *does* sound like your CV joint. The CV (constant velocity) joint is located between your axle and your wheel. There is a "boot" (rubber cone-shaped object, easily found behind your wheel) which surrounds the CV joint; this boot is very susceptible to getting a crack in it (a major design flaw in Hondas, I believe), in which case dirt and shit gets into the joint and lubrication gets out. The result is a bad CV joint, which apparently cannot be fixed without replacing the axle. I have a 1976 Honda Civic, and this noise had been going on for SIX years before I finally decided to fix it. The reason I waited this long is that someone told me that it was safe as long as the noise only occurred when turning; if the noise persists when going straight, this is a bad sign. (Actually, the noise never persisted when going straight for me; I just finally had the money to fix it.) Now, I have heard that there is a way to replace the CV joint without changing the axle out too. You may want to contact a Honda mechanic out there (not the dealer!) and find out if they have heard of this. Of course, if you wait as long as I did, you'll want to replace the axle too because it's been without lubrication too for a while. Finally, in Austin a year and a half ago it cost me $180.00 to get this fixed. How much do they want for the job in California? charles s. cgeiger economics (send e-mail to cgeiger, not janeann)
tim@ur-cvsvax.UUCP (Tim Takahashi) (03/02/86)
> > >I have an 83 Honda Accord that has been exihibiting unusual > >behavior. When turning, the car sometimes makes this clunking sound > >that comes from somewhere around the front wheels. It occurs > >mostly when beginning a turn from a dead stop. I don't accelerate > >real fast or anything. It is also more evident turning right than > >turning left, or when turning to go up a hill. Someone said to me > >that it sounds like a CV joint, whatever that is, and that it is > >not serious yet (but that it would be serious if the car was clunking > >while going straight), and that the only solution is to replace the > >front axle. Does this sound reasonable? I can't even tell from > >the service manual where this CV joint is. > > > >Any opinions or suggestions will be appreciated If you hear a single "clunk," and either your front end has been abused or you just have more than ~45000 miles on your car, your MacPherson struts lower ball joints/and or bushings may be worn. Ball joint bushings tend to get cracked and then the whole strut/wheel assembly can rock fore and aft. My Volvo made a single "clunk" under braking (it rear wheel drive) as a result of worn bushings. They cost ~$175 to be replaced. Tim Takahashi (Mr. Volvo) Center for Vis.Sci Univ. of Rochester Rochester,NY 14627 .