Front CV play/wear

[edzeb]

I have a 2006 Liberty. 80K. 6 Speed manual. All Stock, not mods. The following have been replaced recently: Rear: Trailing Arms, Upper Diff Mount. Front: Upper A-arms, Lower Ball Joints, Tie Rods, Wheel Hubs. Also: Replaced rear drive-shaft (due to looking like OEM one lost a balancing weight). Now that all that is new/replaced, I'm still getting a growling noise with slight vibration coming through the steering wheel, especially during in gear-acceleration. I checked the play on the front driveshaft by itself, none to be found. But if I try to rotate the front driveshaft (car on ramps, in gear, 2WD mode, not running) I notice what I think is too much play in the inner CV joints on the front axle. If I hold the inner CV joint housing and then try to turn the front driveshaft I find no play in the diff. But from the inner CV housing to the front axles I find what seems to be too much play in the inner CV, on both left and right axles. Outer CV joints seem to have no play at all. All the axles boots are in good condition with no leakage.
Question: Are the inner CV joints known to wear on these Libertys? Or could be just a case of age and mileage? What are symptoms of the gearbox input shaft failure that I have read about?

Thanks, Ed.

 

[Overlander BC]

Before replacing a bunch of stuff- if you can, bolt on a different set of wheels that you know are good. If everything is smooth, then it might be a tire issue.
If you don't have a second set of wheels to try out, rotating front to back and back to front might do the same thing.
I've chased vibrations with a thousand parts before and then finally when I got new tires, everything was golden.
Another option that hurts nothing is to pull your valve stems out and put in the appropriate amount of balancing beads. In fact, balancing beads are all I use now when mounting tires. They work extremely well in all conditions.

 

[u2slow]

IME, CVs last really well... until the boots tear, all the grease flies out, dirt/grit gets inside - then they wear down fast.

I did a full bearing overhaul on our 6spd when it started making zinging/whirring noises in 3rd and 4th at around 2500rpm. I don't suspect that was the input bearing.

However, roller pilot bearings (end of crankshaft) are known for wrecking an input shaft when they expire.