This vehicle (2003 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7 FWD 201,000 km) belongs to a friend, a widow in her 80s without the resources to replace it.
Note the multi-region body deterioration - it's sunbaked like a Colorado car, and rusting out like a local car.
In May I found a bad ball joint and split boots on both front CV joints. I had too many things going on, and did not offer to do the work.
The R one was much worse, and I figured the CV joint on that side would fail within a few months.
She had the ball joint replaced by an indy mechanic, but declined to have the driveshafts done due to the expense.
Well, here we are ... a few days ago the front R started making a bad noise - clicking, rattling, thumping, banging, etc. I volunteered.
My wife dropped me off at the owner's place last night, and I drove home gingerly right across town. Made it!
I fired up the heater in the garage and started taking things apart.
Observations:
1. The castellated axle nut was missing its cotter pin.
2. The castellated nut for the outer tie-rod end was also missing its cotter pin.
3. The outer tie-rod end has a zerk - it must be aftermarket.
4. The tie-rod end popped out fairly easily with the little press
5. One of the strut-to-knuckle bolts came out easily. The other one was a beast. Lots of time hammering away with the impact wrench, but it eventually came out.
6. So now, the fun part ... as feared, the axle spline is seized in the knuckle. I have the press on it, and will leave it for a few hours. Will try to tighten it periodically. I'm hoping ...
Note the multi-region body deterioration - it's sunbaked like a Colorado car, and rusting out like a local car.
In May I found a bad ball joint and split boots on both front CV joints. I had too many things going on, and did not offer to do the work.
The R one was much worse, and I figured the CV joint on that side would fail within a few months.
She had the ball joint replaced by an indy mechanic, but declined to have the driveshafts done due to the expense.
Well, here we are ... a few days ago the front R started making a bad noise - clicking, rattling, thumping, banging, etc. I volunteered.
My wife dropped me off at the owner's place last night, and I drove home gingerly right across town. Made it!
I fired up the heater in the garage and started taking things apart.
Observations:
1. The castellated axle nut was missing its cotter pin.
2. The castellated nut for the outer tie-rod end was also missing its cotter pin.
3. The outer tie-rod end has a zerk - it must be aftermarket.
4. The tie-rod end popped out fairly easily with the little press
5. One of the strut-to-knuckle bolts came out easily. The other one was a beast. Lots of time hammering away with the impact wrench, but it eventually came out.
6. So now, the fun part ... as feared, the axle spline is seized in the knuckle. I have the press on it, and will leave it for a few hours. Will try to tighten it periodically. I'm hoping ...
.
