On May 12, 3:34 pm, dalma...@advanceme.com wrote:

A CV joint?

Failing CV joint is a guess.

On May 12, 1:34 pm, dalma...@advanceme.com wrote:

dalma...@advanceme.com wrote:

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Read the Factory Service Manual:
http://www.turboninjas.com/camry/
========
I noticed the Maintenance section lists checking the ball joints as a
standard procedure, so it seems Toyota is telling you to check them
often. Fairly easy to do. Lift that side of the car, place a wood
block under the tire, lower halfway then use a pry bar and protective
rag, beneath the ball joint. Acceptable play is zero.
The Manual also shows how to replace them which I did, even though
only one was showing play.
Also found cracking in the control arm rear rubber and replaced them,
also had seepage at one CV joint cover and incipient cracking in the
other, so replaced the axles with Toyota remanufactured. The parts
counter had a display extolling the virtues of Toyota remanufactured
axles: right grease, remachined splines, fully balanced, parts subject
to wear replaced with new, and perfect fit. Think I paid around $115
each. Tie rod ends were OK, judging by the test in the Maintenance
section (steering wheel play).
Seems the new hard plastic CV joint covers are nearly impervious to
cracking now - some synthetic material.
Used to get some progressively more violent wheel thumping under full
acceleration over 90 mph, now completely gone.
The most basic check for looseness in the front end is lift the car,
support solidly on jack stands, put on a pair of gloves and yank on
the tire with hands at top and bottom, then on the sides, see if
anything is loose.
There was also a procedure in the Factory Service Manual showing how
to use a dial indicator to check wheel bearings for runout. I also
checked them, but they were fine.
Services were performed around 135,000 miles. That's fifty thousand
miles ago now, and all still flawless.
Since I plan on using the special tools only rarely, I purchased them
at Harbor Freight. Tie rod end puller was less than $10. Bench vise
for the ball joints around $35. Air gun around $50. Air compressor
from Kragen $99.
Write back if you get stuck. There are a few little tricks with the
axles. The rest is actually quite straightforward if you follow the
service manual step by step.