Possible bad CV axles

2002 FORD TAURUS
125,000 MILES • 3.0L • V6 • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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JGONZO2398
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I recently noticed a clicking/clunk sound when turning my steering wheel left. It is very clear, and I am pretty sure it is the CV axles. However, I am looking online for the pair of these, and there is two different sets of them. One is for the AX4N automatic transmission, the other pair I am guessing is for the 4F50N automatic transmission. I believe I have the 4F50N transmission in my car, but the CV axle pair for that type of transmission does not look like the stock CV axles on my car. One of them seems to have a bushing on one end instead of just rubber boots on each end. I took screenshots of both CV axles pairs that I found on 1A Auto, and I also took video of both the axles on my vehicle. All images are posted below.
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Jun 20, 2018 at 12:33 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Video.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Video
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Any guesses?
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Correction; I just went under my car and cleaned the transmission pan, I have the AX4N metric.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Good afternoon.

Are you looking to replace both axles? I see the pictures you sent and I am wondering what or where you see a problem?

Found these at rockauto.

Roy

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/ford,2002,taurus,3.0l+v6+ohv,1385771,drivetrain,cv+half+shaft+assembly,2288

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-cv-axle
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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STEVE W.
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Clicking while turning is a good symptom of a bad outer CV joint. The AX4N and 4F50N are the same basic transmission, just a new name for the newer cars and the 4F50N has a couple extra sensors. The item you see on those is the ABS tone ring. You do not appear to have that on your car, as the sensors and tone rings are not in your videos.
I did not see the normal cracked boot or damage on the boots that causes the grease to escape and destroy the inner bearings but it may have been hidden.

This shows the process on a similar vehicle, you just do not have the intermediate bearings.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-cv-axle




Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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ASEMASTER, yes I am looking to replace both CV axles. I found a pair on Amazon with solid reviews for $80.00. I will be going with that. As far as seeing anything wrong with them, I cannot really notice much, but there is a clear clicking noise whenever I turn the steering wheel to the left so it has to be these.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Yep, that is a good indication of a failing CV joint. If one is failing the other will be close behind.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Yup, so I will be replacing both and I have a new set of ball joints that I will be replacing as well, would not hurt.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Here is the drivers side.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Here is the passengers side.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, it looks all new.

The next area is the cradle bolts and mount bushings. They are 18mm bolts. See if they are good and tight.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The lower control arms and bolted to the cradle. Look around the cradle and you will find two bolts in the front and two in the rear.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Is this the bolt? This is right under the control arm bushing.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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No, that is a nut, not a bolt. It has an 18mm bolt head. They are at the four corners of the frame.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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I’m back with a discovery! So I went ahead and starting pushing down on the car, next to each tire, bouncing it up and down with only my hands, there was no noise produced. So I went ahead and opened the front doors, put my feet onto the floor next to the drivers seat, and jumped up and down, no noise (surprisingly, due to the fact that the clunk noise produced when going over bumps and turning the steering wheel left, comes from the drivers side specifically). I did the same procedure on the front passengers side, and voila! Clunking clear as day, hear for yourself, what is this??
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Here is me jumping from the outside: drivers side
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Passengers side.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Here is a view right under the front passenger side suspension.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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And just as a reminder, in the past year, I have replaced front sway bar links, front lower control arms (with new bushings), all four shocks and struts (with springs pre-installed), rear stabilizer bars, inner and outer tie rods, and just last week had the ball joints and both inner and outer CV axles replaced. All new parts. I just checked for any play in the sway bar links or tie rods, they are as tight as can be, no movement at all.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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I know "new" does not really mean much as new parts can not fix the problems sometimes and be faulty as well, but this clunk sound started about a month ago. The most recent repair prior to the CV axles and ball joints was about six months ago, and that was the struts, control arms and the rear stabilizer links.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Check the upper strut mount on the strut. See if you can feel the noise there.

Also, check the link kit from the strut to the frame. Two common points of noise like this.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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So I pushed the car back and forth with my hands, and the noise is coming directly from the upper portion of the strut. But the mounts look okay, they do not move when I shake the car, and the noise is clear from both the drivers and passengers side. Here is a video of the drivers:
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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These are brand new struts. Why would it be making that noise?
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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These are the front struts I bought. If that helps.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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I went ahead and tried to tighten the nuts on the upper strut mount, but they are as tight as they can be.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, then check the link that is bolted to the strut. That is the other part I was talking about.

Roy
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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The sway bar, yeah. It does not seem like it is coming from that. I tried moving that part with my hand, shaking it and pulling on it, it does not budge whatsoever.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Have someone bounce that side up and down and see where you can feel the noise.

It has to be pretty obvious.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Here is one more time from the drivers side.
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Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, still the same answer.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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So just the strut mounts, not the whole part itself?
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The part is new so it should be covered under warranty. Just send it back and get a new strut.

Roy
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM
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JGONZO2398
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Turned out to be the front sway bar links, had my mechanic check it.
Jun 8, 2021 at 1:52 PM