Fixing a Clacking Car: A Step-by-Step Guide

When you're turning and your car starts making a clacking sound, it can be frustrating and unsettling. In most cases, this sound is caused by a worn-out CV joint. The boots that cover the joint contain metal balls, which rattle and clack when they leak grease and move around. Don't worry; fixing this issue is easier than you think.

To start, we'll Jack up your car and use a Jack stand to support it. This will give us the necessary clearance to work underneath the vehicle. As we lift the car, we can hear that the clacking sound comes from one side of the driver's tire but not on the other side. This tells us that there's an issue with the inner boot of the CV joint on the driver's side.

As we take off the tire, we're greeted with a scene of destruction. The inner boot is ripped, and grease has spilled all over the place. Now it's time to replace the axle. Normally, we would only need to replace the outer boot by the tire, but in this case, that one's okay. We'll go for the whole axle assembly, as years ago I used to rebuild the axis but found it more efficient and cost-effective to buy a new axle kit.

The first step is to remove the cotter pin on the axle nut. We use an air wrench or an electric impact wrench to make this process easier. The cotter pin comes off with a little bit of force, revealing the nut underneath. Next, we'll take off the tie rod, which also has a cotter pin holding it in place. This can be a bit tricky, but with some pliers and patience, we manage to remove it.

Once the tie rod is gone, we'll release the brake line from its bolts. These bolts are often stuck, so we use a hammer to pry them out. Next comes the fun part – removing the CV joint itself. We use a big pry bar to carefully pry the joint out of its socket. To avoid any damage, we make sure to target the correct spot – a small circle inside the joint.

Before we put in the new CV joint, there's one more thing to take care of. On the back of the new assembly, there's a little circlip that needs to be locked into place. We use some thick grease to help it slide into position and then tap it gently with a hammer until it clicks into place.

Now that everything is prepared, we'll put the new CV joint in its socket. We line up the bolts carefully, making sure they're secure before putting them back on. Next comes the axle nut, which holds the entire assembly together. It's essential to use a brand new cotter pin to ensure everything stays in place.

Finally, we put the little cover on top of the axle and make sure it's securely fastened. We then replace the tire, lower the car, and tighten all the bolts one last time. With our hands under the vehicle, we can feel that there's no more clacking sound coming from the joint. And with this, our car is good as new.

If you've never taken on a car repair project before, don't worry – fixing a clacking CV joint is easier than you think. Just remember to stay patient and follow these steps carefully. With practice, you'll become more confident in your ability to fix your own car.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines today I'm going to show you how to fix a car that Clacks when you're turning now clacking when you're turning is an off and bad CV joint the boots cover the joint there's metal balls inside and when the grease leaks out and you turn they clap so we'll Jack this car up in the air up it goes and stick a jack stand under it now when you wiggle the driver-sized tire you can hear a little clacking the wiggle on this side you really don't hear anything so we're taking off a tire and as we can see in here the inner boot is ripped there's grease thrown all over the place so we're going to replace the axles now normally it's the outer boot by the tire but in this case that one's okay the inside's gone but we're going to replace the whole axle now years ago I used to rebuild the axis but the CV joints themselves cost so much money and then the boot kits it's actually cheaper now and it has been for years to buy the whole axle assembly where all the parts are new and it's a lot easier neater job too saves everybody time and money in the long run no the first thing to take off is the answer you got a little cotter pin on them you make them flat and you pull them out the opposite side here it comes give me a pain in the butt when they're old and Rusty like this will barely rusted in there pocket comes I use an air wrench if you don't have an air wrench get an electric impact wrench because doing that by hand can be almost impossible now we have to remove the tie rod it's got a cotter pin just like the other one did you grab it with some pliers and pull it out the opposite side you gotta push it in a little then you remove the nut thing in a big hammer and whack it off there it goes off it comes and there's another bolt that holds the brake line on yeah there it goes then we can get the brake line out of the way then there's two bolts that hold the assembly to the strut you take them off everyone there's two now the Excellence here often sticking so you hit him with a hammer there it goes you pop it right out you gotta wiggle all right there it is and now comes the real fun I got a big pry bar the inner joint often sticks in there's a little circle up inside so you got to pry it out with a pry bar and with a little prying out it comes now here's a trick before you put the new excellent you can see there's a little circlip on here you want it in the middle because if it's on the edge and you hammer it in it'll Bend and it won't stick so you get some thick grease like this then you slide it in the hole so it's snug and tap it with a hammer now the clip is locked in place then you wiggle the axle here pull on stuff treat them get it in the hole and then wiggle it there it goes and get these to line up the quick stick of bolts in here before it all comes apart then put the two bolts back on but the very cause bolt back on and the new nut that holds the axle in place and don't forget to put the little cover on you gotta line it up so it lines up and then to put the cotter pin in it's always best to use a brand new one you just sneak it through the hole comes out the other side then you get your pliers and pin it back then do the same thing with a tie rod put it in the hole put the nut on and then put the little cotter pin inside and there's the pan dying just get the tire put it back on that's cause the hood let the Jack down so the next time your car is making a clack and sound why not fix it yourself so if you never want to miss another one of my new car repair videos remember to ring that Bell foreignrev up your engines today I'm going to show you how to fix a car that Clacks when you're turning now clacking when you're turning is an off and bad CV joint the boots cover the joint there's metal balls inside and when the grease leaks out and you turn they clap so we'll Jack this car up in the air up it goes and stick a jack stand under it now when you wiggle the driver-sized tire you can hear a little clacking the wiggle on this side you really don't hear anything so we're taking off a tire and as we can see in here the inner boot is ripped there's grease thrown all over the place so we're going to replace the axles now normally it's the outer boot by the tire but in this case that one's okay the inside's gone but we're going to replace the whole axle now years ago I used to rebuild the axis but the CV joints themselves cost so much money and then the boot kits it's actually cheaper now and it has been for years to buy the whole axle assembly where all the parts are new and it's a lot easier neater job too saves everybody time and money in the long run no the first thing to take off is the answer you got a little cotter pin on them you make them flat and you pull them out the opposite side here it comes give me a pain in the butt when they're old and Rusty like this will barely rusted in there pocket comes I use an air wrench if you don't have an air wrench get an electric impact wrench because doing that by hand can be almost impossible now we have to remove the tie rod it's got a cotter pin just like the other one did you grab it with some pliers and pull it out the opposite side you gotta push it in a little then you remove the nut thing in a big hammer and whack it off there it goes off it comes and there's another bolt that holds the brake line on yeah there it goes then we can get the brake line out of the way then there's two bolts that hold the assembly to the strut you take them off everyone there's two now the Excellence here often sticking so you hit him with a hammer there it goes you pop it right out you gotta wiggle all right there it is and now comes the real fun I got a big pry bar the inner joint often sticks in there's a little circle up inside so you got to pry it out with a pry bar and with a little prying out it comes now here's a trick before you put the new excellent you can see there's a little circlip on here you want it in the middle because if it's on the edge and you hammer it in it'll Bend and it won't stick so you get some thick grease like this then you slide it in the hole so it's snug and tap it with a hammer now the clip is locked in place then you wiggle the axle here pull on stuff treat them get it in the hole and then wiggle it there it goes and get these to line up the quick stick of bolts in here before it all comes apart then put the two bolts back on but the very cause bolt back on and the new nut that holds the axle in place and don't forget to put the little cover on you gotta line it up so it lines up and then to put the cotter pin in it's always best to use a brand new one you just sneak it through the hole comes out the other side then you get your pliers and pin it back then do the same thing with a tie rod put it in the hole put the nut on and then put the little cotter pin inside and there's the pan dying just get the tire put it back on that's cause the hood let the Jack down so the next time your car is making a clack and sound why not fix it yourself so if you never want to miss another one of my new car repair videos remember to ring that Bell foreignrev up your engines today I'm going to show you how to fix a car that Clacks when you're turning now clacking when you're turning is an off and bad CV joint the boots cover the joint there's metal balls inside and when the grease leaks out and you turn they clap so we'll Jack this car up in the air up it goes and stick a jack stand under it now when you wiggle the driver-sized tire you can hear a little clacking the wiggle on this side you really don't hear anything so we're taking off a tire and as we can see in here the inner boot is ripped there's grease thrown all over the place so we're going to replace the axles now normally it's the outer boot by the tire but in this case that one's okay the inside's gone but we're going to replace the whole axle now years ago I used to rebuild the axis but the CV joints themselves cost so much money and then the boot kits it's actually cheaper now and it has been for years to buy the whole axle assembly where all the parts are new and it's a lot easier neater job too saves everybody time and money in the long run no the first thing to take off is the answer you got a little cotter pin on them you make them flat and you pull them out the opposite side here it comes give me a pain in the butt when they're old and Rusty like this will barely rusted in there pocket comes I use an air wrench if you don't have an air wrench get an electric impact wrench because doing that by hand can be almost impossible now we have to remove the tie rod it's got a cotter pin just like the other one did you grab it with some pliers and pull it out the opposite side you gotta push it in a little then you remove the nut thing in a big hammer and whack it off there it goes off it comes and there's another bolt that holds the brake line on yeah there it goes then we can get the brake line out of the way then there's two bolts that hold the assembly to the strut you take them off everyone there's two now the Excellence here often sticking so you hit him with a hammer there it goes you pop it right out you gotta wiggle all right there it is and now comes the real fun I got a big pry bar the inner joint often sticks in there's a little circle up inside so you got to pry it out with a pry bar and with a little prying out it comes now here's a trick before you put the new excellent you can see there's a little circlip on here you want it in the middle because if it's on the edge and you hammer it in it'll Bend and it won't stick so you get some thick grease like this then you slide it in the hole so it's snug and tap it with a hammer now the clip is locked in place then you wiggle the axle here pull on stuff treat them get it in the hole and then wiggle it there it goes and get these to line up the quick stick of bolts in here before it all comes apart then put the two bolts back on but the very cause bolt back on and the new nut that holds the axle in place and don't forget to put the little cover on you gotta line it up so it lines up and then to put the cotter pin in it's always best to use a brand new one you just sneak it through the hole comes out the other side then you get your pliers and pin it back then do the same thing with a tie rod put it in the hole put the nut on and then put the little cotter pin inside and there's the pan dying just get the tire put it back on that's cause the hood let the Jack down so the next time your car is making a clack and sound why not fix it yourself so if you never want to miss another one of my new car repair videos remember to ring that Bell foreign\n"