Removal of cv joint

You have front wheel drive & CV Joints,
not U-Joints ,is that not correct

CV Drive Axles in front wheel drive vehicles
are just replaced as a complete axle assy

Either way. You can use a slide-hammer to pull the axle out of the transmission,or you could remove the CV boot, and remove the circlip from the CV joint./

One would have to remove the half shaft to service the cv joint properly.

CV-Joints Overhaul Check the CV-boot for wear

Removing the outer band from the CV-boot

Removing the inner band from the CV-boot

Removing the CV-boot from the joint housing

Clean the CV-joint housing prior to removing boot

Removing the CV-joint housing assembly

Removing the CV-joint

Inspecting the CV-joint housing

Removing the CV-joint outer snapring

Checking the CV-joint snapring for wear

CV-joint snapring (typical)

Removing the CV-joint assembly

Removing the CV-joint inner snapring

Installing the CV-joint assembly (typical)

remoce the out board cv joint from the steering knuckle.Remove the clamps from the boot, slide off the cv housing installation is opposite removal, you will need a special tool, to insatall the new clamps.

Rear Wheel Bearing
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

1. Remove the wheel knuckle.

Wheel Knuckle
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

CAUTION: Do not loosen the axle wheel hub retainer until the wheel and tire are removed from the vehicle. Wheel bearing damage will occur if the wheel bearing is unloaded with the weight of the vehicle applied.

1. Remove the wheel and tire assembly.

NOTE: Have an assistant press the brake pedal to keep the axle from turning.

2. Remove the nut and washer and discard the nut.

3. Remove the parking brake shoes.

CAUTION: Do not damage the boot while separating the toe link from the knuckle.

4. Remove the nut and bolt and separate the toe link from the wheel knuckle and discard the nut.

CAUTION: Do not damage the boot while separating the ball joint from the knuckle.

5. Remove the nut and bolt and separate the upper ball joint from the wheel knuckle and discard the nut.

CAUTION: Do not use a hammer to separate the outboard CV joint from the hub. Damage to the threads and internal CV joint components may result.

6. Using the special tool, press the outboard CV joint until it is loose from the hub.

7. Remove the nut and bolt and the wheel knuckle, hub and bearing as an assembly and discard the nut.

(Return to)
Rear Wheel Bearing
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION

2. Remove the three bolts.

CAUTION: Make sure that the press adapter outside diameter is slightly smaller than the hub outside diameter or damage to the knuckle will result.

3. Using a suitable press, remove the hub from the bearing and discard the hub.

NOTE: The retainer ring is tapered and must be installed flat side down.

4. Remove and Discard the retainer ring.

5. Using a suitable press, remove the bearing from the wheel knuckle and discard the bearing.

CAUTION: The hub and bearing cannot be reused after disassembly.
To install, reverse the removal procedure.

I presume you mean a cv joint boot/gator. if not replaced the cv will run dry, can pick up dirt from the road ,etc, leadind to failure of the cv joint.

cv joints click when turning corners. usually turning left means right joint is bad , turning right means left is bad... hard to tell with out looking at it , but sounds like a bad axle,

Yes you can, If you have taken the front drive shaft off, you can even still drive with the CV joint in place till you want to remove it. You may get some vibration around corners till you replace the CV joint or remove it totally.
But if your going to remove it, might as well wait till you have the replacement so you only do the job once. I had a Bad CV joint on a AWD Chevy van and did the same thing so i could still use it, and then replaced the CV joint when the weather got better.
Good luck and hope this helps.

Dana or Ford axle?

Ford here:
SECTION 205-05: Rear Drive Halfshafts 2002 Explorer/Mountaineer Workshop Manual
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION Halfshaft
Special Tool(s) Protector, Differential Seal
205-506 Remover, Front Wheel Hub
205-D070 (D93P-1175-B) or equivalent Remover, Halfshaft
205-502
Removal and Installation
NOTE: This procedure applies to both rear halfshaft assemblies.

1. CAUTION: Do not loosen the rear axle wheel hub retainer until after the wheel and tire assembly are removed from the vehicle. Wheel bearing damage will occur if the wheel bearing is unloaded with the weight of the vehicle applied.
   With the vehicle in NEUTRAL, raise and support the vehicle. For additional information, refer to Section 100-02 .

1. Remove the rear wheel and tire assembly. For additional information, refer to Section 204-04 .

1. NOTE: Have an assistant press the brake pedal to keep the axle from rotating.
   Remove and discard the rear axle wheel hub retainer and the washer.

1. CAUTION: To prevent damage to the brake hose, do not allow the disc brake caliper to hang suspended from the hose.
   Remove the brake disc.
   1. Remove the two bolts and lift the disc brake caliper and brake pads off the brake disc.
      • Using mechanics wire, position the disc brake caliper out of the way.
   1. Remove the brake disc.

1. Remove the bolt retaining the parking brake cable bracket to the frame.

1. CAUTION: Cover the stabilizer link bolt threads and the nut to prevent boot damage when removing the halfshaft assembly from the vehicle.
   Using a rubber hose approximately 37.5 mm (1.5 in) long, cover the stabilizer link bolt threads and nut.

1. WARNING: The bolt that retains the upper ball joint to the knuckle is longer and it has fewer threads than the bolt that retains the toe link to the knuckle. Switching these bolts during installation will prevent the pinch arms on the knuckle from correctly retaining the toe link to the knuckle. This may cause the toe link to separate from the knuckle during vehicle operation. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury.
   Remove the pinch bolts and disconnect the toe link and upper ball joint from the knuckle.

1. CAUTION: Support the rear suspension upper arm to prevent boot damage when removing the halfshaft assembly from the vehicle.
   Using a wood stick, approximately 450 mm (18 in) long and 25 mm (1 in) wide, support the rear suspension upper arm.

1. CAUTION: Do not use a hammer to separate the outboard CV joint from the hub. Damage to the threads and internal CV joint components may result.
   CAUTION: Once the outboard CV joint separates from the hub the knuckle will continue to pivot until the brake backing plate presses against the suspension lower arm. To prevent damage to the brake backing plate, immediately after separating the outboard CV joint from the hub, rest the knuckle on a cushioned support that is tall enough to keep the backing plate from pressing against the suspension lower arm.
   Separate the outboard CV joint from the hub and rest the knuckle on a cushioned support.
   1. Using the special tool, press the outboard CV joint until it is loose in the hub.
   1. Remove the special tool.
   1. Separate the outboard CV joint from the hub.
   1. Rest the knuckle on a cushioned support.

1. CAUTION: Do not damage the axle shaft oil seal or the machined sealing surface on the inboard CV joint housing.
   CAUTION: Do not allow the splines on inboard CV joint housing to touch the axle shaft oil seal.
   NOTE: A circlip retains the inboard CV joint housing to the differential side gear in the axle.
   Using the special tool, disengage the inboard CV joint housing from the differential side gear.

1. CAUTION: To prevent damage to the axle shaft oil seal, install the special tool before removing the inboard CV joint housing from the axle.
   Install the special tool.

1. Remove the halfshaft assembly from the vehicle.

1. CAUTION: To prevent damage to the axle shaft oil seal, install the Differential Seal Protector before positioning the inboard CV joint housing in the axle.
   CAUTION: Always install the halfshaft with a new retainer circlip and a new rear axle wheel hub retainer.
   CAUTION: Never use power tools to tighten the rear axle wheel hub retainer.
   To install, reverse the removal procedure.

the axle just pulls or snaps out of the trans, it is held in by an internal round spring clip, they are a real bear to remove the 1st time, u must pull straight out with a sharp jerking motion to get them to release, be patient it will come out.