Understanding Your Toyota's CV Joint

Your Toyota contains an incredible number of components, all of which must work closely together in order to keep it moving. There's no denying that it would be difficult for the average car owner to understand the function of each and every one of these components. Yet the more you know, the better a job you can do of protecting against expensive breakdowns and repairs. If you would like to boost your knowledge of automotive components, read on. This article will discuss the component known as the CV joint.

The CV Joint

CV joint is the short name for the constant velocity joints. Most automobiles--with the exception of back wheel drive vehicles--contain four CV joints, all located on the front axle of the car. Each CV joint acts as a point of connection between a driveshaft and the transmission. One pair of joints is responsible for connecting the driveshaft to the wheel, while the other connects the wheel to the transmission.

The purpose of the CV joints is to transfer mechanical energy from the transmission to the wheels. Making things more difficult is the fact that the CV joints must be able to fulfill this purpose while also weathering the up and down movements created by your suspension. They must also be able to continue transferring power from the transmission even while your wheels are in motion. To do this, a CV joint is equipped with special internal bearings; these essentially allow the CV joint to move in two different directions at once.

Frequently Encountered Problems

The good news here is that a CV joint represents a basically indestructible component. It is not unlikely that the original CV joints will still be installed in your vehicle until the end of its life. This is due to the fact that the joint is safely protected by the secondary component known as the CV boot. The boot keeps dirt and rain and other environmental factors from negatively affecting the CV joint--or, for that matter, the grease used to lubricate it.

Problems tend to ensue when something goes wrong with the CV boot. When this component suffers a crack or a tear, contaminants are suddenly permitted a direct line of entry to the vulnerable CV joint. As the grease becomes choked with friction-causing debris, it will slowly begin to degrade the surfaces of the CV joint. Additionally, that grease will now be able to leak out of the CV joint through the damaged boot. This only acts to increase the rate of failure. Fortunately, you can keep your CV joint healthy and happy by having your automobile inspected regularly for any signs of damage to the boot. Talk to a local Toyota dealer like Milton Ruben Toyota for more information.