Clicking Axle

[ASUCIVIC]

Ok so i know that the noise is my axle, i just wanted to know if someone could tell me which one. It only really makes the noise when i turn left.

[ExplodingCake]

Probably your right one. Simple hearing can tell you.

[batever]

It probably is the right side that the sound is coming from, most likely the outer cv joint is worn. second choice might be the hub.

When you turn left, the right wheel has to counter more of the inertial force of the vehicle than the left side does. Which is why if you look at a picture of a vehicle in a left side turn, the right side of the vehicle will be down lower (the right side spring is being pressed down with more force than the left side spring) and the front right tire will be deformed more sideways than the left tire is. That puts more sideways stress on the right outer cv joint and the right hub bearings. It also increases the downward force on both the CV joint and the hub.

One other way to look at the issue is that when you are driving in a straight line, the left/right balance of the vehicle is even (or very nearly even), When you initiate a turn to the left, the weight of the vehicle "shifts" to the right and the contact patches of the right tires get larger than those of the left tires.

This is not a totally airtight way of looking at it from a theoretical perspective, but it does get the idea across that your right side, particularly the front, has more force acting upon it than the left side does in a left hand turn.

[angus67]

just change em both. that way you know they are 'even-steven'. i had a ripped boot on one , but it wasnt clikking or nothin, but a month later I ran over some road kill, and ripped out the othe , I figure ide just change em both now, so, in the middle of winter,im not layin in the driveway, getin rained on, when they finally go bad. plus, they kept flingin grease all over my wheels.

[Hondaisdashit]

its the left one trust me on it i had the same problem on my 1990 honda accord lx, do this and you should be able to see it and where its cracked and let me know if you do, park your car and turn the wheel all the way left and look under the car check it out tell me if u see it

[sideswipe]

Had the same exact problem about 8 months ago and it was the driver side that was bad. Check that one first and like angus said change 'em both if you have the time/money just to even the playing field.

[batever]

Ok. I said right joint and so did the guy after me, but some others say left cv joint. The debate got me thinking and i went of the google book search and pulled up a section of TechOne, a book for car mechanic training. It also agrees that if you listen to the car and compare the clicking sound on left and right turns, when you hear the sound loudest it will be the joint on the same side as the inside wheel on the turn, in this case the left one. I am wondering why that would be though, since more of the weight is on the right, not the left.

Can anyone clarify why the left joint, not the right joint, would click on a left hand turn if the CV joint is worn?