When the cover breaks in adverse conditions (dirt, dust, snow) the hinge can become unusable for several tens of kilometers. A damaged protective boot can be replaced if the failure is discovered before the hinge fails. In this case, the hinge must be disassembled, washed and put in a new lubricant (see «Actuator Outer Hinge - Removing, Replacing Protective Boot, and Installing», With. 106 «Actuator Inner Hinge - Removing, Replacing Protective Boot, and Installing»).
The wear of the outer joint may be indicated by clicks in the area of the front wheel hub when driving in a sharp turn. As the hinge wears, the clicks will increase and quickly develop into a constant crunch, even when moving in a straight line. Untimely repair will lead to the destruction of the hinge.
Recommendation. The technical condition of the hinges should be checked every 10-15 thousand km. It is best to combine this procedure with an oil change when the car is on a flyover or inspection hole.
To perform the work, you will need an assistant, as well as a viewing hole or overpass.
Execution sequence
1. We prepare the car for work (see «Preparing for maintenance and repair»), hang the front wheels of the car on stands and turn on the neutral gear.
2. We inspect the protective covers of the drive hinges, make sure that they are intact and that there is no leakage of lubricant from them.
3. We install the wheels in the direction of rectilinear movement. By hand we move and rotate the drive shafts in different directions. Thus, we make sure that there are no backlashes between the parts of the drives.
4. Rotating the front wheels with your hands, we check the drive shafts for the absence of runout.
5. Alternately turning the front wheels in one direction or the other and rotating them, we make sure that there are no extraneous sounds (knock and crunch) in external and internal hinges.
Recommendations. In a serviceable hinge, the presence of extraneous sounds during operation or backlash between parts is unacceptable. Faulty hinge should be replaced (either separately or the entire drive assembly). A torn boot should only be replaced if the hinge is in good condition.