Curious, is this normal behavior? I'm able to grab each of my cv axles and move them in and out. Doing so causes a sizeable clunk at the outer joint when the shaft moves back toward the outside of the car. I know the inner joint is only held on by the boot and is expected to have some play, but should the outer joint move and clunk this much?

I don't experience any typical cv clicking sounds when turning. I just get a clunk when going over bumps and after a turn once you straighten out and your weight shifts back. The cv was the only thing i could find that had any play. Within the last year it's received new control arms, sway bushings, linkage and inner+outer tie rods, and struts.

Sorry for the crummy quality. My headlamp was causing some weird strobe effect with the camera, and well, it was dark under there.

 

That CV axle is held tightly by the outer axle nut. Check that out.

 

The axle nuts are still torqued. The play is entirely the shaft moving into and out of the outer joint. The outermost portion of that outer joint is fully stationary and the sound happens from within the outer joint's boot.

My understanding is the inner portion of the outer joint should have the shaft be fully secured by lock rings or c clips and that there should be no play at all in the joint - though i'm not 100% confident on that.

 

Are you sure you have the inner joint part all the way in so the retaining ring gets into it's home slot ?

 

I haven't pulled the axels on this car to know for sure, but there's no trans leak. The movement is entirely on the outer shaft between the two joints.

Anyone happen to have experience with how much shaft movement there should be at that outer cv joint?

 

None !!