CV axle feels like it popped out of the diff?

[repo]

The steering feels slightly off or loose, like bump steer. I felt like it was coming from the back end but everything is ok there. I ran over a curb hidden by snow with rear passenger wheel making a turn quite hard and heard what sounded like an endlink snap in the back but they are fine. I cant remember if I was in 4hi at the time.

In the front I found a small bit of play with the driver side UBJ when I pry up on it. But the driver side CV axle comes in and out as if the ring clip on the end unseated itself?? The tulip wont go all the way in to the diff like with the normal couple mm of in/out the other side has, and it has 360 degree wobble not just in and I can see the inner edge of the dust shield when I pull tulip out.

How would this happen? It's always a MFer to get those rings seated when I do a new axle, and dont see how the axle nut could come loose either. This axle is about 3 years old. Would it be the needle bearings?

Edit: I noticed the front diff breather has blown out some oil so I think something happened in there. I'll have to take out the axle I suppose.

 

[TheDurk]

The steering feels slightly off or loose, like bump steer. I felt like it was coming from the back end but everything is ok there. I ran over a curb hidden by snow with rear passenger wheel making a turn quite hard and heard what sounded like an endlink snap in the back but they are fine. I cant remember if I was in 4hi at the time.

In the front I found a small bit of play with the driver side UBJ when I pry up on it. But the driver side CV axle comes in and out as if the ring clip on the end unseated itself?? The tulip wont go all the way in to the diff like with the normal couple mm of in/out the other side has, and it has 360 degree wobble not just in and I can see the inner edge of the dust shield when I pull tulip out.

How would this happen? It's always a MFer to get those rings seated when I do a new axle, and dont see how the axle nut could come loose either. This axle is about 3 years old. Would it be the needle bearings?

Edit: I noticed the front diff breather has blown out some oil so I think something happened in there. I'll have to take out the axle I suppose.

Well my guess is the CV was never completely seated and worked itself out. That, with time, trashed the needle bearing, and that caused the wobble. Or, the needle bearing went on its own, and the off center forces caused the CV to pop free, or break at the point where the ring clip goes. If it is just the needle bearing, you can swap it without pulling the diff. I recommend the ECGS front diff bushing fix.

ECGS Clamshell CV Axle Bushing Install

My guess is the CV end is knackered if not broken at the point where the ring clip goes. Of course, if the spider gear engagement is damaged, that's a whole different story. It'll need a flush or two and some magnet fishing in the drain plug hole to get out the needle bearing pieces. Good luck. My bearing went and the CV end broke off like that. I was able to pull out the small CV end piece beyond the ring from inside the spider gear with a magnet and luckily the spider gear engagement was fine. Having the end break off like that is probably what saved my spider gear, so take that as good news if that happened to you.

First thing is pull the CV and see exactly what is going on in there. The UBJ is likely unrelated or possibly a contributory cause and needs to be addressed, too.

 

[repo]

Well my guess is the CV was never completely seated and worked itself out. That, with time, trashed the needle bearing, and that caused the wobble. Or, the needle bearing went on its own, and the off center forces caused the CV to pop free, or break at the point where the ring clip goes. If it is just the needle bearing, you can swap it without pulling the diff. I recommend the ECGS front diff bushing fix.

ECGS Clamshell CV Axle Bushing Install

My guess is the CV end is knackered if not broken at the point where the ring clip goes. Of course, if the spider gear engagement is damaged, that's a whole different story. It'll need a flush or two and some magnet fishing in the drain plug hole to get out the needle bearing pieces. Good luck. My bearing went and the CV end broke off like that. I was able to pull out the small CV end piece beyond the ring from inside the spider gear with a magnet and luckily the spider gear engagement was fine. Having the end break off like that is probably what saved my spider gear, so take that as good news if that happened to you.

First thing is pull the CV and see exactly what is going on in there. The UBJ is likely unrelated or possibly a contributory cause and needs to be addressed, too.

Well the axle is thankfully intact and was in there good, but the needle bearings feel "crunchy" (from dirt getting in I think) and have a bunch of slop so I'm replacing them with that ECGS bushing. And of course the oil seal. Going to order some SPC UCAs to replace UBJs and replacing the LBJs which are about due, to hopefully rule out those with bump steer thing. Oh yeah and a front diff drop which I was still on the fence about.

 

[TheDurk]

Well the axle is thankfully intact and was in there good, but the needle bearings feel "crunchy" (from dirt getting in I think) and have a bunch of slop so I'm replacing them with that ECGS bushing. And of course the oil seal. Going to order some SPC UCAs to replace UBJs and replacing the LBJs which are about due, to hopefully rule out those with bump steer thing. Oh yeah and a front diff drop which I was still on the fence about.

Ok, I misunderstood your description of how far the CV was out from the diff. Anyway, that's good luck. Getting that busted bearing out was not fun. I hope you have better luck there, too.