2018 LEAF SL - Right side CV joint is done

[denwood]

I'm in the process of ordering up parts (dealer only, no aftermarket options!!) to replace the CV axle assembly on our 2018 LEAF SL. It has just under 100K km (60K miles). The boot was in good shape, other than the outside boot inner clamp (the smaller one) on both axles being loose enough to slide the boot around. This seems a bit premature for a CV joint failure where the boot and grease are ok. The joint is not available, you need to purchase the entire axle. List is $928 CAD. I'm going to replace the boot on the left side and service the joint by cleaning/regreasing it.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen this on the gen2?

This is not a single click/clunk which is a TSB issue. It's a repeated clicking/knocking with the steering at full left lock. With the car on the hoist (and with traction control off) I spun it up to about 30km/h and could reproduce the knocking/vibration it at full left steering lock. The right outside CV joint is 100% done. I did check the axle bolt torque previously and inspected everything before running more tests.

 

[Chad E. Mo]

Ouch, that's steep.
It is not surprising to me that the loose inboard clamp could cause this. Water can run down the axle to the boot and the boot acts like a bellows sucking in moisture. CV joints are brilliant, but the slightest infiltration of water or debris will kill them.

I'd do a WTB on the forums here... a couple of members have recently acquired wrecks.

 

[denwood]

SO

Ouch, that's steep.
It is not surprising to me that the loose inboard clamp could cause this. Water can run down the axle to the boot and the boot acts like a bellows sucking in moisture. CV joints are brilliant, but the slightest infiltration of water or debris will kill them.

I'd do a WTB on the forums here... a couple of members have recently acquired wrecks.

I'll just go new with the new drive shaft assembly. The local Nissan dealer is working on a discount for me. We do a camp run (260km return) most weekends so highway reliability is a concern with used parts...

 

[denwood]

So, the joint is very much done. The outboard CV boot clamp (the smaller one on axle) was loose enough to allow the boot to be slid around a bit on the axle. There was about a cup of water in the joint. The same OEM clamp on the left side is loose too. I hope that CV joint can be rescued.

Getting the right side axle out was not fun as the intermediate bearing (sits next to the inside CV joint) was partially seized in the bearing housing. Lower ball joint was done as well. Seems a bit premature at 100K kms to be fixing this stuff.

 

[denwood]

Check your CV clamps! If the boot moves at all under the clamp, see below!

Cleaned up the metal bits and disassembled the joint for a post mortem. Boot was intact, but the smaller of the two clamps was a bit loose. Apparently a cup of water (and some salt likely) in a CV joint is not a good thing. Likely some grit got in there too. This joint btw was super noisy and very obviously going to fail soon.

The joint had a cup or so of water in it when I split the boot.



Ball wear in cage..



Bearing tracks pitted/worn.



These are supposed to be shiny and smooth...



This gives an idea of the conditions under the boot, despite being full of grease.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

My 2013 had both it's front cv joints go at 5 years and 30K miles/50K KM.

Hopefong for better with my 2019s.

That said, I have a very bad record with cars and cv joints including my prior Honda accord at well under 100K miles also going very early.

 

[denwood]

My 2013 had both it's front cv joints go at 5 years and 30K miles/50K KM.

Hopefong for better with my 2019s.

That said, I have a very bad record with cars and cv joints including my prior Honda accord at well under 100K miles also going very early.

These joints should last a lot longer...but not with loose clamps.

The driver's side joint was in much better shape. I removed the axle (way easier than the passenger side as there is no intermediate bearing to deal with) by just giving a good yank to remove. There is a spring clip on the inboard axle stub holding it in place...so a good yank is all you need.

I slid the outboard boot back, cleaned in my parts washer and re-greased with new clamps. Neither of these outboard joints wanted to come off. They are just held in place by a spring clip but it's super stubborn to overcome. For the pics above I removed it with a steel hammer and serious (as in damaging) blows to remove. In any case, you'd be better off using complete axle assemblies rather than even replacing a CV boot, providing you can find non-dealer alternates.

 

[denwood]

Right side factory axle in place. Despite needing a slide hammer and some serious aggression to remove (intermediate bearing stuck in housing), it went back with no drama. Just a light tap was required to set it back in place, this time with some anti-seize on the aluminum bearing carrier.



The intermediate bearing just slid right back in nicely into the bearing carrier. The old one did have quite a bit of play. That intermediate shaft/bearing on the right (passenger) side is there so that the axle angle down to the wheels is the same left and right. This is done to address torqure steer on most FWD vehicles these days. The right side axle does not have a spring clip on the splines as there is a plate on the intermediate bearing that you bolt up after to retain it.



The left side (drivers) shaft popped back in as well, cleaned up and regreased with new clamps. Note the absensce of the intermediate bearing. This axle is held in the transaxle by a round spring clip on the spline so just goes back in with a good shove.




I'll finish the transaxle part of this job with a drain/fill of RedLine D6 fluid. I've been running D6 in there for about four years now with no issues.

 

[denwood]

Back in business. Test drive went perfectly.

The $30 Amazon ABS wheel sensors were an exact OEM match and worked perfectly too. Aside from the new right side axle, I also cleaned and repacked the left outer CV joint, replaced both wheel/bearing hub assemblies (Timken), replaced both lower ball joints, new ABS wheel sensors on both sides..and did a drain/fill of Redline D6 ATF for the transaxle.