Is play in the CV axle normal?
A small amount of axial play (in-and-out movement) is usually normal for a CV axle, but rotational play or loose joint movement often points to internal wear. Because there are no driving symptoms yet, checking for clicking sounds during turns or grease leaks is the best way to determine if replacement is actually necessary.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Replacing the CV joint or axle assembly entirely
- 2Testing for clunking sounds by performing max steering turns in an empty parking lot
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.