Also can anyone recommend a good mechanic in the Valencia California area? I'm real close to British Pacific s well.

Best,
et.

 

Could well be a CV, especially if the car came with a spare one. Maybe the previous owner knoew it needed doing but never got round to fitting it.

 

Well I took it into a mechanic that was recommended by British Pacific -- Universal Auto in Valencia.

The gentlemen there had me pull slowly in a sharp turn to hear the clicking/gear noise, and immediately identified it as a "ring" in the wheel assembly where the axle ends.

Can someone here explain what in the world htat is exactly? I'm assuming since it would be a bit of labor, might as well have both front wheels done?

Best,
et.

 

I think he would be referring to the CV. I do not know how expensive CVs are in the states, but I would either replace both while you are at it or but the good one in the clicking side and put the new one where the good one came from. Swapping the CVs from side to side will extend their life considerably as it wears the opposite side of the internals.

 

He said specifically it wasnt the CV joint, but it was a "ring" where the axle meets the wheel assembly??

 

Not aware of any ring that would make a noise.

 

I have never had one of these apart but having looked at the diagram in the manual there is a spacer one one side of the CV and a thrust washer on the other side. These are the only things i can see that could really be described as a ring. However having never seen any of these parts i don't have a clue what they look like or how easy they would break/wear out.

I tend to agree with P76 that if nothing is obviously broken/worn then change the CV(s), not quite sure how this chap could be quite so sure it wasn't the CV but maybre he knows something we don't...