I hear a clicking sound near the front right wheel (only when I turn right) in my 2003 Subaru Outback wagon. A mechanic said the boot is not torn so the CV is good. Can the CV joint be bad with the boot intact or what else could it be? Thanks for all of you that answer questions!
Absolutely, it is not uncommon for cv joints to wear and begin to start making noise. Try going to a different shop. The cv joints are easy to diagnose.
I suggest replacing both cv axleshafts
Do not get new chinese axleshafts. More trouble than they’re worth
I recommend bringing your axleshafts to a shop that rebuilds them. I have better experience with those shops versus the ones that sell new chinese garbage
thanks guys
Clicking during slow speed turns, especially when accelerating from a stop, that’s a classic CV joint symptom. Agree with the other posters here, CV joints can go bad even when the boot remains intact. The grease can evaporate and dry out or get pushed aside from where it is supposed to be, and the ball bearings and races wear out. Also, hitting a pothole can damage a CV joint and cause this symptom. The specific sound it makes is the clincher. Experienced mechanics would usually have no trouble differentiating a CV joint noise from another noise, like a brake problem. No harm done to ask another mechanic either at the same shop or a different shop for their opinion before embarking on an axel-shaft job.
Make mine another vote for a bad CV joint, and another confirmation that a CV joint can very well be bad without the boot being torn.
I’ll chime in here with my vote for bad CV joint as well. BTW…stay away from any mechanic who simply checks CV joints by looking at the rubber boot. That “mechanic” needs to be flipping burgers for a living.