Posted on 1/30/2026
It feels unfair when you’re told you might need a whole axle because one joint is making noise. You hear clicking on turns, or you feel a shudder under acceleration, and you think, can’t we just fix the one side that’s worn? Sometimes you can. Often, replacing the entire axle is the smarter, more reliable option. The right answer depends on what failed, how long it has been failing, and how the axle is built on your specific vehicle. Why CV Joints And Axles Are Usually Treated As A Package CV joints are not separate little parts bolted onto a shaft in a way that’s always easy to service. On many vehicles, the joints are built into a complete axle assembly. They come pre-greased, sealed, and balanced as a unit. When one joint wears out, the axle has usually lived the same miles on both ends. That does not mean both joints are bad today. It does mean the other joint is not new either. If you replace only one joint, you may fix the current symp ... read more