Need help quickly!

[jeredcollins]

Installed the TRD spring/Bistein lift last week which gave me 2.5" in the front and 3" in the rear.

Driving to work today I heard a pretty noticeable clunking noise followed by something that felt like it slipped. This occurred about 4-5 times until I got home. Strange part it happened while I was driving in a straight line.

After inspecting I noticed the cv axle grease was everywhere around the chassis. I know nearly zero about cv axles. Is there anything I should check in addition to the cv axle? I checked my torque on all the bolts and everything was good.

CVJ quoted me $748 with a core refund of $190. $550 seems super steep. Are Napa/O'Reilly's that much of a difference to justify paying $300+ more?

 

[jgue467]

So did the cv fail or just the cover over it? The price seems like the whole thing blew. Covers are far cheaper. :cowboy:

 

[pauldub]

Is the boot torn or is it just oozing out past the boot clamps?

 

[Mark_BC]

Get a junkyard one for $100

 

[jeredcollins]

Is the boot torn or is it just oozing out past the boot clamps?

It appears its oozing out at the clamps

 

[jeredcollins]

So did the cv fail or just the cover over it? The price seems like the whole thing blew. Covers are far cheaper. :cowboy:

I really don't know how to determined if it failed or not? I can't tell by looking at it alone. Is there another way to determine that?

 

[gamefreakgc]

If you can upload a photo using Imgur or whatever, it would help a lot. It's a known issue that lifts are not very kind to CV axles and tie rods.

 

[ColoRAD]

IIRC after lifting it is fairly common to have a CV boot tear and sling grease.

 

[nc-grayson]

Check out the CV Boot stretch mod. Very common for this to happen after a lift. Almost guaranteed.

But to answer your original question- get some Napa CVs with lifetime warranty. Keep and reboot/stretch your OEMs and use as trail spares

 

[jeredcollins]

Thanks for the help guys. Has anyone else experienced a clunking noise after they installed their lift? It almost feels like the transmission is slipping but I know it’s not that. Feels like the noise is coming around the wheel well area.

 

[Mgyver1]

[MENTION=201730]jeredcollins[/MENTION] I did but it was because the bolt that secured the UCA to the spindle backed out.

 

[MaineRunna]

Thanks for the help guys. Has anyone else experienced a clunking noise after they installed their lift? It almost feels like the transmission is slipping but I know it’s not that. Feels like the noise is coming around the wheel well area.

Yeah, it was my cv axle. If you jack it up by the frame and let the suspension droop and the wheel binds up when you try to turn it you need a new axle. Best to buy a reman I find, because they are at least partly OE. Be careful, if you open a reman axle box and every bit of it is shiny new metal it is a new Chinese part and not a remanfactured Toyota part.

 

[jeredcollins]

Yeah, it was my cv axle. If you jack it up by the frame and let the suspension droop and the wheel binds up when you try to turn it you need a new axle. Best to buy a reman I find, because they are at least partly OE. Be careful, if you open a reman axle box and every bit of it is shiny new metal it is a new Chinese part and not a remanfactured Toyota part.

Great advice. O’Reillys has a reman cv axle. Going to give it a shot

 

[Riceye]

My $0.02. Buy a NAPA reman and swap out. Then, when you can, rebuild your old (OE Toyota) one with fresh grease and new quality boots. Swap out rebuilt for the reman and then repeat on the other side. Keep the reman for a spare.

The OE Toyota axles and joints are definitely worth preserving.

 

[Joelzy]

late to this thread but when i bought mine it had a lift and hadn't been driven with the lift on. Once running, i noticed the CV boots had shat themselves just like you mentioned but they didnt rip at that point.

I noticed a clunk but only in 4hi for some reason and once i navigated some terrain that really flexed the CVs around it went away completely :shrug:

like other have said, rebuild the OEs and have spares, at least that is my plan

 

[Reinout]

Would it also make sense to do a dif drop in this case to decrease the angles the CV has to see?

 

[Wedgy]

Is it possible you pulled it out too far when you were working on it and it didn't seat back in correctly ?
I would also do the NAPA switch and rebuild your OEM as suggested.
Good luck !

 

[jeredcollins]

So an update to this thread...

1) Bought new CV axles from Napa
2) Bought MOOG inner and out tie rods

Mechanic installed everything and still have the occasional clunk noise only when I’m driving in a straight line. Happens once about ever 5-10 minutes. Sometimes when I slow down in a straight line it will happen too.

Mechanic didn’t see anything loose. I’m really scratching my head. I guess next item will be a new upper control arm (SPC) and LCA bushings. I already installed new end links and sway bar bushings.

This is crazy.