4wd disengagement issue

My first idea was CV joint as well, but what puzzles me is that it clicks only in 4WD mode, not in 2WD. Anyway I am taking the car tomorrow to a mechanic, but I always like to come prepared (in terms if being informed).

That's right 4x4 only. In 2x4 the drive is disconnected in the transfer box and the hubs meaning that the front prop, diff, half shafts, cv's and stub shafts do not move. No power from either the transfer box or the wheels means that the cv joints will not click as they are stationary unless they are sufficiently damaged to be affected by the action of the steering.

I removed the both front hubs yesterday and inspected them, as a few people told me that the clicking might be due to worn out hubs. I focused on the hubs first, as they are much easier and cheaper to inspect and replace than CV joints.

When I removed the hubs, I saw that the outer teeth in the inner rings in the hubs are apparently worn out - they have conical wear on the edges (see the attached photo). The wear is similar on both hubs, but a bit more on the left hub (the left wheel clicks).
However, I am not certain if that is normal service wear, or a true damage which could cause this clicking.
Any opinions? I suppose that the hubs on my car have never been replaced, and the car's current mileage is 150 000 km (approx 85 000 miles).



I've been told, if it's not the hubs, the only other thing could be a CV joint.

I read Martin's guide about replacing a CV joint. I am not certain about one thing - is the special "wheel nut ringlock tool" needed for replacing a CV joint? Martin does not mention it in the guide, but I know it is needed for replacing a wheel bearing.


However, two local "4x4" mechanics told me that it is not possible to visually or mechanically inspect a CV joint in this car, not even if you dismantle the entire wheel/axle assembly and take it out together with a halfshaft (unless the joint is quite severely damaged, but then it would be obvious without dismantling anything - so they say).
So, what is correct? Does it make sense to dismantle everything just to see if the CV joint is the cause? Can it be seen or tested "on the bench" when the damage it not so severe?


Also, where do you get replacement CV joints? What brands? Suzuki appears to be selling them only together with the halfshafts. I asked for a price at a local Suzuki dealer, and I swallowed my saliva twice and pi$$ed in my pants a bit when they told me the price. It has four digits. The first one is even. :sick:


However, I found an aftermarket CV joint made by Herth+Buss Jakoparts, art. number J2828040. The cheapest price for it online is 55 EUR, here:
www.mister-auto.ie/en/cv-joints/herth-bu...g5_a055J2828040.html

Appears super uber cheap compared to OEM. Just too good to be true, or good quality?
Are there any other ones to buy? Do I have to get a complete CV+halfshaft kit, or is a CV joint available separately?

Hi,
you don't need to touch the round hub nut, so you don't need the tool.
The splined end of the driveshaft has a circlip and rectangular washer to take off, and it will pull through (once you've taken the other bits off of course! kingpins etc.)

Troggy is right, you take the big seal off the inside of the swivel hub, remove the black outer hub to access and remove the circlip and washer, take off the brake calliper, disconnect the steering knuckles and then if you remove the kingpins the swivel hub will pull off, either drawing the halfshaft out, or leaving it behind.

(What actually happens is you don't have enough hands to push the end of the cv back inside, whilst supporting the swivel hub and trying to catch the bottom swivel bearing, so the halfshaft takes its chances. )


The Suzuki manual says to try pulling the halfshaft in & out of the joint, and the axial play limit is 1.5mm.

In The Olden Days we used to knock the joint off with a mallet, and then you could get the ball bearings out by rotating the cage fully one way and the inner spider fully the other. (Most likely you still can, as the joint was put together somehow- if it hasn't been staked it will come apart the same way)
Then you wash out all the grease, and inspect for wear. If it looks like the balls can't jump out of the grooves, it all goes back together with CV grease.

Now I get it. So the hub nut has to be taken off only when replacing the wheel bearing.

Now about the CVs. Which aftermarket manufacturers make them? Apparently there are two types of CVs, with 19 internal splines and 6 balls (older) and with 29 internal splines and 8 balls (newer).

Blue Print makes the older type CV. Herth+Buss makes a "semi-newer" type of CV (it has 29 internal splines, but only 6 balls). That one is supposedly compatible with the newer original type CV.
That is all I could find. Does anyone know anything more?