Tail shaft CV joint diagnosis?

Hi all,

First post and just wanted to say thanks to everyone on here, particularly for the excellent death wobble thread – it really helped me out a lot

Our 2006 VVT automatic developed a sort of squeeky (a bit like a slightly slipping belt) but also almost rattling noise coming from under the car, noticeable in all gears at all speeds but only on the overun and particularly when going down hill.

Our mechanic diagnosed it as a CV joint in the tail shaft but said Suzuki don’t do just a CV joint you have to replace the whole tail shaft. We’ve been waiting weeks for Suzuki to get one in (we’re at the end of the world in Tasmania, Australia) during which time the noise has totally stopped – it stopped about 2 weeks after it began and has been gone for over a month. It started on a long run on a hot day and seemed to stop when the weather got cooler, we have only driven it around town since the diagnosis.

So my question is, did our mechanic get this right do you think? Can I easily check the CV joint myself? I know worn parts go through a cycle as they start to fail and broken things don’t fix themselves but I don’t want to shell out for new tail shaft if the noise was something else.

Thanks in advance - any and all thoughts would be gratefully received!

should be fairly easy just by giving is a wobble/twist or similar to see if there is any wear in this..

there is a grease nipple too so maybe worth seeing if this needs topping up as it could just be dry - might also explain the noise coming and going too

this might be the bit you are looking for but check first..

www.bigjimny.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=140

Hi Yellow,

Thanks very much for the thoughts. The mechanic did say it's dry and you can't grease it - I haven't had a chance to get under the car yet but I'll have a look. It seem from your link that older models used to have greasable CV joints even if you can only now get sealed for life replacements now.

Cheers!

Squilookal wrote: Hi Yellow,

Thanks very much for the thoughts. The mechanic did say it's dry and you can't grease it - I haven't had a chance to get under the car yet but I'll have a look. It seem from your link that older models used to have greasable CV joints even if you can only now get sealed for life replacements now.

Cheers!

They're actually called universal joints, a much simpler design than CV joints

CV joints are the ones in the front axle knuckles.

I agree with Yellowstreak. Get under the car, have a look yourself. The joint is a standard component, so should be able to repair it with new parts instead of a complete new axle. You should be able the take apart the joint it-self by removing 4 locking rings, if I remember correctly

I think there's a How To Guide on changing UJ's on this site but I'm away on my phone only so can't link it. I'll be home later so will look and link it then if I remember and no one has done it for me.

Kirkynut

Thanks very much for that guys

Yup, we're talking about a UJ not a CV joint - sorry!

I had a look in the "how to" section but couldn't find one on the UJ - I'll have a look in the manual I've got though, it's no doubt in there.

Just one question - Suzuki say they won't supply the part and you need to replace the whole tail shaft but Tom mentioned it's a standard component so can you get hold of a UJ from a 3rd party manufacturer? I'd happily buy one from the Big Jimny shop here but I imagine getting this down to Tasmania would be a slow and expensive process.

Thanks again!