Worn spots in the roller surfaces of the inner cv joints cause those rollers to bind when they're trying to change the length and angle of the shaft as it rotates. That forces the shaft to push on the spindle which tugs on the lower control arm. That binding is most noticeable under load, (accelerating), and much less noticeable during cruising or coasting.
Replacing the entire half shaft is usually less expensive than buying just the inner cv joint housing from the dealer. There is always a chance though that you might get one with the same problem. That's because it's not common enough that the rebuilder checks for that wear. It can be easy to miss too.
The only other way to know for sure if that wear exists is to disassemble the joint and inspect the housing. If you can feel the slightest irregularity in the rolling surfaces, you REALLY got junk. If they feel perfectly smooth, then you have to shine a light in them and look at the reflection. The slightest imperfection will show up as a wave in the reflection, and that is enough to cause a problem.
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Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 AT 8:19 PM