CV joint check

[yellowchinaman]

How do I know if my CV joint has gone or on its way out? Rear ones especially?

I've changed my NS front a long time ago because the boot had split so did the job whilst I had the shaft out.

However recently I've noticed when driving on motorways, after about 10 mins at high speeds I get a clunking noise when I take off from stationary.

I've spent days trying to figure it out and settled on the theory that at high speed the grease in the CV boot moves to the outer casing of the boot hence why the joint clunks from lack of lube after a high speed drive.

On normal drive it never happens. Only when I've done about 80-90 mph+ for a while. The clunking is much louder when I accelerate and turn at the same time so I was suspecting it was the PS front. Classic symptoms of a front CV gone.

However the sound it more like from the prop shaft and maybe even rear of the car. I can never tell.

To put it short, without splitting all my CV joints, I can't tell which ones gone. Or even if it is a CV or could it be the prop?

What should I do cos I can't find no movement in any of the drive shafts when checking stationary apart from a small turn on the prop shaft which I heard is normal.

[princy]

I'd be more inclined to look at the rear diff mount and rear diff oil level, the cv's are pretty strong unless they've been run dry.

You could be right on the prop shaft joints but diff and mount would be the first place I'd look

[yellowchinaman]

My diff mounts are brand new and also oils had been changed in diffs in Jan this year to to correct level.

Main reason why I think its CV is the clunking occurs when turning but only after a hard run. Was told it could be becasue the diffs heat up which could be a good indication.

I just dont want to open every CV gater to check as it's a big messy job.

[leigh_boy]

I had drive shaft realated noise but was actually the drop links check them for play