clex418

I have a 2005 RX330 with 163,000 miles (AWD) that has a shake / vibration at highway speeds at front end...most noticeable between 70-80 mph. I have replaced struts, mounts, wheel bearings, control arms, ball joints, tires. The tires are balanced, and brakes are good.

As another piece of the puzzle, I feel metal to metal play through the steering wheel at times.

A shop suggested it's drivetrain related and at this point I tend to agree. So this morning I checked the cv axle shafts and noticed play. The play at first appeared to be at the inner CV, but as I looked further it appears the shaft going into the trans is moving. So I'm wondering...could this be a worn output shaft bearing / bushing inside the trans?

The play I felt seemed identical to what I feel in the steering wheel.

If it's really just the CV axle, that's an easy fix. But if it's inside the trans, I'm a little concerned on what that repair may look like!

HtownBlue

Sounds like a CV AXLE. And no, the passenger side is NOT an easy fix. The driver's side one is fairly straight forward. The passenger side has a carrier bearing with a keeper ring. The shaft gets stuck in the carrier bearing. Some have taken off the entire housing, and others used some kind of wedge to separate the shaft from the carrier bearing housing.

clex418

Thanks HtownBlue. I appreciate what you shared. This is helpful. I have the left axle on order and will install later this week, Lord willing. For the right side, do you recommend I go ahead and just order the bearing and/or keeper ring to have on hand in case I run into this same scenario?

HtownBlue

The new axle will come with the new bearing already on it. You will simply press or push it into the housing when you install it. Getting the old one out is the tough part. Once the keepers ring (reusable) is out which is done by pinching the two ends together, you should then in theory be able to remove old axle from tranny and bearing housing. This is tough cause the bearing on the axle shaft gets caught in the housing. One guy here used a wedge of some kind to hammer between the axle universal joint and the bearing housing to separate the bearing and then pull it out.

Replace your left side first and see if that solves the issue. It didn't in mine, until I replaced the right side.