I just recently had a new axle put on my 94 camry Now, i just got it back and im hearing clicking as im turning? what is that? should the mechanic have caught that before/while he was fixing my axle? ty
If it's clicking when you turn, it's the cv shaft. Maybe both sides were clicking before and they only changed one side. If you hear it on the same side he or she replaced, simply take it back and have them check it out. I have seen defective re-man axles.
The axle does not cause the clicking sound you're hearing while turning. At each end of both front axles are constant velocity joints. Same general idea as a universal joint but much better. Mechanically inside is an outer shell with grooves for round ball bearings. The axle comes inside a smaller hub sleeve with grooves. The ball bearings follow both sets of grooves to transfer motion forward, up, down, right, left and backward. Usually a perforated outer boot leaks out the very specialized grease inside these inner hubs causing the clicking sound you hear. Either the new complete axle with either of the joints is bad or the other side (opposite wheel) of the one that was replaced is bad also. It's too bad the mechanic didn't explain exactly what he replaced as a new axle all by itself corrects nothing unless it was broken! Most likely he replaced the axle complete with a re-manufactured pair of inner and outer CV joints. This unit is called a CVU axle assembly. The possibility does exist that one of the front wheel bearing hubs is bad. However that is remote as a bad wheel bearing makes a constant moan or grinding sound while going forward all the time.
