Possible bad CV axles

Tiny
JGONZO2398
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 FORD TAURUS
  • 3.0L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 125,000 MILES
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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Wednesday, June 20th, 2018 AT 12:33 PM

36 Replies

Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Video.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Video
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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  • 395 POSTS
Any guesses?
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Correction; I just went under my car and cleaned the transmission pan, I have the AX4N metric.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,796 POSTS
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
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 15,233 POSTS
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

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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Here is the drivers side.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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  • 395 POSTS
Here is the passengers side.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
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
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
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
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Is this the bolt? This is right under the control arm bushing.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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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
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
  • MEMBER
  • 395 POSTS
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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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Here is me jumping from the outside: drivers side
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Passengers side.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM
Tiny
JGONZO2398
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Here is a view right under the front passenger side suspension.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2021 AT 1:52 PM

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