If you used heavy oil as was the original lubricant used you can forget about the axles now usually. Personally I just do not believe this to be as true with grease. Grease demands periodic servicing.

One would think that the centrifical force would drive the heavy oil to the outside and it does. The boot being tapered may tend to collect the oil in the joint area. Enough oil and this enables the actual parts of the cv to get a probable constant supply. Yet at the same time I am far from certain this is what is happening.

The boot and axle angle are not parallel with the cv joint . This may introduce a flinging of the the oil into the working components of the joint. Centrifical force can do strange things when things are not concentric. All I am pretty sure of is the original joints are lasting on average far longer than ones just using grease as a lubricant on other cars. Constant heavy lubrication with any pressure resistant oil can mean almost no wear for all practical purposes.

Now I should perhaps mention my thoughts of why the joints start clicking and must be relubed as soon as possible. The initial clicking may not be from wear. As the joint heats up in low to no lubrication situations the parts expand. They are close tollearance originally. This induces wear at a very fast rate. The joint becomes partially seizing up initially and will work to remove enough metal to have some clearance. Play around too much and so much material is lost the joint will fail or still clunk when lubricant is re introduced.

I originally noticed many complaints of on longer drives the clicking started. After the car stopped for awhile in my opinion the the joint cooled down. They probably were able to drive a similar distance before the clicking remerged. Basically the joint had just reheated again.


Relubed at that time probably meant little to no damage had occurred. Now if a joint clicks very soon after the car is used There may be more wear present. If it clicks when the car first starts out in the morning or constantly the joint may be worn beyond reason. That is why I suggested not driving far on a clicking joint. Initially it is telling you that it is just dry. Or partially dry. Not worn out or having too much part clearances. To enable this scenario you have to catch the clicking early. Again just some random thoughts.