2002 corolla Half shaft Q

Can anyone tell me if it is normal for the inner section of the
half-shaft to move about quite a bit where shaft goes into the trans?
I am assuming that what the shaft goes into, in the trans. is movable.
It is this way on both sides.

Also, how does one tell if the joints in the half-shaft are getting
bad, when the whole thing moves around so much? Do you just wait for a
noise?

Thanks,
John

"jhald" <j.hald@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1145477991.140453.166830@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Can anyone tell me if it is normal for the inner section of the
> half-shaft to move about quite a bit where shaft goes into the trans?[/color]

Yes, thats how it allows your hubs to move with the suspension geometry. If
it didnt the two halfshafts would try to squash the box and the wheels would
have to move outwards, which would be silly :)
[color=blue]
> Also, how does one tell if the joints in the half-shaft are getting
> bad, when the whole thing moves around so much? Do you just wait for a
> noise?[/color]

If they arent making a noise (straight line acceleration noise usually inner
CVs, corner noise usually outer CVs)and dont have much radial play they are
just fine and dandy.

J