Peter (Remove one i and theRemove) said:
When I turn to the left my '99 XC makes a clacking or clunking noise up
front. Any thoughts? Dumped $5g into this car this year alone. (This car
has been a piece of sh*t). So is my wife's '98. As soon as we can afford
it we will push them off a cliff.
Pete
A classic symptom of a failing CV joint. It is easy enough to diagnose: look
at the front drive axles near the wheels. You should see a rubber bellows
between the axle and the hub. I bet on one side (possibly both) you will see
a bellows with a tear in one of the folds and black grease slung all around.
Repair is typically done by replacing the whole drive axle - it's usually
the most economical way. I recommend doing both sides if you can afford it
since the other is probably going to do the same within a year or so. Not
familiar with the prices for your car, but $300 to $400 US parts and labor
is typical per side.
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Pretty much every car that has front wheel
drive or AWD goes through this every 5-10 years, depending mostly on
climate. It can be driven a while (a couple/few months) in this condition,
but it is possible for the CV joint to wear so much that the axle falls
apart. You don't want that to happen.
Mike
