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73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2025 11:14 am
by 911hillclimber
My 73T had new CV joints about 5 or 6 years bck, not a good brand name like GKN, and the steel boot voer rings certainly did not fit well and needed some careful hammering to allow the cap head screws tighten down correctly.
Anyway, all was well and life carried on.
Recently though there has been a very noticeable click click noise when pushing the car backwards by hand out of the garage, so very slowly. It is totally quiet going forward at any speed.
The clicking is not following a set rhythm, and louder/more frequent over a 6 foot push back when hot after a good drive.
I guess there will be 5 or so clicks in that 6 foot push back.
There is no clicking moving slowly forward moving using the engine on hard steering lock.
I think this is one of the 4 CV joints giving up and I'm tempted to replace all 4 CV's and boots in the late autumn when the car comes off the road, but in prep of this anyone with some thoughts please?
Can't think of anything else that could make this light clicking noise.
I have just resealed the 4 callipers, same discs and same pads back on so just possibly this could be the pads moving in the callipers, but a bit far fetched I think. (?)
Thanks, Graham.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2025 11:17 am
by PeterK
Yes, most likely CV joints. The brakes might click as the pads settle back, but I would only expect 1 click.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2025 11:26 am
by 911hillclimber
Thank you Peter.
The pads are a slack fit, about 0.5mm clearance so click when reversed or forward motion.
I was never convinced about these CV's in the car...
Also, there does seems to feel a bit of vibration creeping into the car when at speed that is speed dependent.
Design911 here I come yet again.
Having spent almost zero on the car it seems to need a bit of TLC, but has had a few 'Italian Services' recently so maybe loosening things up a touch.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2025 1:57 pm
by neilbardsley
I have 2 unused CVs from my 914. Which had the wrong number of splines for my 914/4. If they are compatible with your car you are welcome to have them at half whatever I paid for them if it helps.
Also Alan Harding at AHS the chap that did the work ended up adapting some VW CVS so if you have a problem sourcing CV that's an alternative.
I'm my opinion it's a horrid job because sometimes the bolts on either side of the axle are quite challenging to remove.
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Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2025 9:00 pm
by 911hillclimber
Thank you for the offer Neil!
I won’t do anything until October at the earliest along with new discs and pads.
That should sort the 911 well for a few more years.
The shafts will come off easy after just a few years undisturbed.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2025 10:11 am
by neilbardsley
Ps I did this a few years ago on my 912 and it sorted a clicking noise
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Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 3:15 pm
by andytat
Hi Graham.
Before you condemn the CV joints take a look at the handbrake cables and the tubes that go from the end of the cables
into the brake back plate. They run very close to the outer drive shaft joint and if the plastic holders are broken and not
supporting the metal tubes they can catch the allen heads of the driveshaft bolts as they pass and make a clicking noise.
It can be tricky to diagnose because as soon as you jack up the car to take a look underneath there is usually about a 2"
gap between the cable and the drive shaft joint.
I hope that makes sense and is of some help.
Cheers.
Andy
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2025 5:48 pm
by 911hillclimber
Interesting!
Will take a look or perhaps a feel with the car on the ground.
Thank you!

Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2025 9:17 am
by 911hillclimber
Everything is clear by the CV's so I think the set will need doing this autumn.
Have found these CV's are getting rare, and Design911/Type 911 do not list them in stock.
Have found a local Drive Shaft supplier to me who have new ones(!) and all for £247 + vat with boots and clips for 4!!
Driveshaft UK in Willenhall and they will assemble the lot on my old shafts for free too. A deal.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2025 3:27 pm
by 911hillclimber
Actually got round to these CV joints today before the weather closes in.
The car gives a tick-tick irregularly when pushed back by hand (so slowly). It does not do it going forward.
I WAS convinced it was the CV joint(s) and was ready to have them replaced for about £350 the 4 locally at a drive shaft specialist.
Oddly, I decided to approach this issue slowly and 'methodically', not usual for me.
Took the driveshafts out of the car, both sides and replaced the wheels and back onto the ground.
Rolled the car back, and the 'ticking' was still there! It was clearly on one side though, driver's side.
Jack it up and remove the brake pads (which I am changing soon). Drop the car down.
Rolled the car back and NO ticking (anywhere). Rolled the car in/out of the garage and still no ticking.
Repeated this a 1,000,000 times like a mad man and all silent.
The one pad on the driver's side rear was 'tight' to the face of the dics compared to the other 3 pads, so maybe that piston is sticking.
Will be removing the callipers to change the rear discs soon, so can check it on the bench. I have 2 months ago re-sealed the 4 callipers.
Will pack more CV grease into each CV before re-fitting.
Thus, this saving has paid for the discs/pads on order now, good 'man-maths' there.
Wife happy.(!)
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2025 7:35 pm
by neilbardsley
You weren't tempted to have the driveshafts done still well you had them off? £350 for 4 seemed like a very good deal?
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Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:01 pm
by 911hillclimber
No, they feel good tbh, and we are trying to stop spending money on hobby cars!
The Boxster has swallowed a lot recently, try not to go down the same hole on the 911.
The 911 needs tyres in the spring etc.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2025 5:07 pm
by 911hillclimber
One of the jobs I detest on the car, Driveshaft re-fitting.
In hard sunlight (in my face of course) decided to re-fit the shafts. Added more CV grease and set to on the driver's side, the easy one.
'Glued' the fragile gasket to the CV face with gasket goo, set and put the shaft in the car, all ok oddly, came to do the gearbox side and the gasket slipped and broke, a familiar story for me.
Eventually got a new one in and all tightened up, damper lower bolt in and wheel back on.
Passenger side is always the fight. Is it me being left handed?
Got the hub side in and tight and after a lot of work got the 'box side on, but not quite.
When I plunge the shaft in and out there is a whistle sound! Should not do that so there must be a leak somewhere on the gearbox end.
I used soapy water all over the joint/boot expecting to see large bubbles forming when I plunged the shaft but nothing...
I'm suspecting it is the holes for one/both of the scroll pins letting air by under the boot steel pressing.
Tired and now wet as the rain came back put the wheel on. I'll look at it again when I change the brakes.
Dropped the car and rolled it several times in/out of the garage and no clicking noises (!)
Getting a bit old now for these games!
Design911 supply of brake parts delayed due to out-of-stock on the Brembo front brake discs but have 2 CV gaskets on the order form too.
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2025 8:30 pm
by hot66
Can’t deny, I dislike drive shafts … but actually dislike rebuilding cv’s more due to always getting covered in grease
Re: 73T clicking noise, think I know the answer, but...
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2025 10:32 pm
by 911hillclimber
CV moly grease has the magic property of getting simply EVERYWHERE.
It is really horrid stuff.
But so is brake fluid, another hate of mine.
Hypoid oil come close too.
I will have to sort this hissing noise as the boot performs as a bellows when plunging the shaft to and fro.
Gaskets arrive on Tuesday with all the new brake parts.
Next job after all this is to get the heater/fan control sliders to work as it is locked in one place at the moment and has been for 35 years....
You can tell I'm bored, but it will make the car nicer to use.
