constant velocity joints

[handy andy]

i have a clicking noise on left hand lock in my mark 1 mini
i realise its the constant velocity joint
but the big question is which side is worn
i read somewhere its the o.s but am not sure dont want to change the wrong one
no play evident in either joints
andy

[Lord Croker]

Normally, if the joint is worn it's the side in the direction you're turning, for example, if you're turning left on full lock, the left hand cv joint is working at a greater angle than the right, due to the ackerman angle, which ensures that the wheel on the outside of the turn goes through a larger radius than that on the inside. In short left lock=left joint, right lock=right joint. This may not be a totally foolproof theory, but it's never failed me yet!

[handy andy]

thanks for that
most helpful andy

[1071 S]

Guess the bad one, take it apart and check....not significantly difficult.

Cheers, Ian