outter cv boot repair question...

[JRM]

ok, i have taken off the strut mounts, and the strut assiembly can move forward and back nearly a half a foot! odd.- Secondly I removed the axle from the hub, easy... here goes the fun part, takeing the CV off the axle???? The manuel says strike beavel washer to remove.... did that and even ended up missing and strikeing the plastic spacer as well- no fun.
The CV has some in and out play, but little forward and back (left and right if you twist it) play.
Should I just repace the entire shaft? I cannot see how to remove this beveled washer on the inner of the cv to save my life
Joe

[Fatmobile]

...so you are trying to remove the outter CV joint so you can replace a junk CV boot?
Just pound it off the end of the shaft. If the boot is junk you don't even have to worry about smashing the rubber.
Grab the shaft and hammer the CV end off, there is no clip holding it on.
There used to be a clip till around .....'82?
I was looking and looking for that clip, when working on a newer one, then found out there wasn't one and I was just supposed to hammer it off.
This is for the '85 Golf in your signature?

[JRM]

It worked! Thanks! yeah, just replaceing the boot.. there is a snap ring on the inner splined shaft that the CV just overrides- felt odd just hammering it off....
So.. can these be replaced? Mine had a tad of movement when i tired to twist the joing by haveing one hand on the outter spines and one hand on the inner axle. After removel The CV seems to be liveing in the spindel hub and its not real willing to come out and the cv doesnt move around very smoothly....

Onto another topic, Is it normal to be able to move the strut assiembley around 6+ inches front and back?
Thanks a million, Joe

[Fatmobile]

I thought you were talking about the outter CV joint.
I think there is a clip on the inside one that needs removed before you go hammering it off.

So.. can these be replaced

These what?

After removel The CV seems to be liveing in the spindel hub and its not real willing to come out and the cv doesnt move around very smoothly

I don't get it, after removal means you removed the ??? from the ??? but the CV isn't removed from the hub because it's stuck in there?
... and the outter CV is still on the shaft? ..because you are saying it doesn't move around too easily.

Onto another topic, Is it normal to be able to move the strut assiembley around 6+ inches front and back?

You mean the bottom of it right? Actually moving the hub (which is attached to the bottom) around 6 inches right?

[JRM]

I probably should not post so late at night... sorry for the random babble.
Yes, the outer drivers side CV, I hammered it off as you said, that worked great. Now I have the CV joint and its carrier that has the spline part attached to it removed from the drive axle, very simple indeed:) Can one pull the CV bearings out of the carrier to clean or replace them as There was some slop in them uppon removel when i twisted the axle?
The 6" of movement is on the strut assembly itself, with the bottom of the strut removed it is extremely loose and can move all over! Kinda scary.
Thanks, Joe

[jetta90]

I wouldn't think you would want to replace just the bearings (i don't think you can buy just the balls, someone can correct me on that one). i believe its a combination of the bearings and races that wear out.
If yours are worn they should be replaced as a unit.
What i did with mine when i puled them out was to NOT dissasemble them as i was concerned i wouldn't be able to get the proper ball in its proper race when it was time to re-assemble.
I used a plastic yogurt container filled with solvent and washed the joint in there. Not much scrubbing will be needed as the solvent will break down the grease.
I didn't have much of anything i could use at the time so i used gasoline (i know, i know).
Once done i let them completey dry out and then installed a new boot and repacked with CV grease.
Its not the most pleasant of things to do, especially with my yogurt container turned into parts washer......................but it worked.
A proper parts washer would have been nice.
The CV's are the originals out of this car - 1990 Jetta TD - 417,000 KMS.

[JRM]

mine is soaking in a coffie can filled with paint thinner. the entire houseing and cv is chillin in there- still cant figure out how to pull the race and berrings free from the houseing.
posted at 1:17am so hang with me

[Fatmobile]

I always wonder if the bearings should go back in the same spot.
They probably should but I don't always worry about it.

To get them out ... if I remember right...
Turn the cage till 2 of the bearings are free
then turn it back the other way and remove the bearings on the other side, 2 more to go and all the bearings are out.
Notice the bearing cage has 2 holes that are longer than the rest. Rotate these holes to fit around the high spots on the outer bearing race.

From the MORE THAN YOU ASKED FOR department
The front, outer CVs can be swapped to make them run smoother ... except now they may feel loose in reverse.
If you do take them apart and they are worn, you will probably notice wear on one side where each bearing rides in the outer race.
Swap them over to the other side of the car and the bearing will start riding on the smooth side while going forward.
If they are shot and you are going to replace them ... save the old axle end.
If you ever have to tow a car or even push it around the yard, there needs to be axles in the hub or the front wheel bearings can seperate.
I bolt a couple of these axle ends into the front bearing on any car that doesn't have an engine in it and might get rolled around.

[racer_x]

It is possible to pull the balls out one at a time and clean them, then put them back in their proper slots before removing the next ball. That's usually what I try to do. In theory, the balls on one CV joint should all wear about the same, and they should interchange without too much problems, but why take a chance if you don't have to.

And swapping them from one side of the car to the other will get a little extra life out of them.

If there's excessive wear and play, it's best to replace the whole CV joint with a new CV joint. I avoid "remanufactured" drive axles. The places that do those generally mill out the grooves and fit larger ball bearings. In the process, they remove the hardenned, heat treated surface of the races and expose softer base metal, and then put new, larger hardened balls in the soft slots. Those remanufactured joints never last very long at all. Even with free replacements for the "lifetime waranty," it gets old taking them out and putting new ones in every year or two.

One final tip on the topic of CV joints and CV boots. Put some nylon cable ties in the folds of the boots. Just snug them down against the rubber, don't pull them down and bind the joint and bunch the rubber up. At higher speeds (even at diesel speeds), there's a fair amount of centrifugal force and the rubber folds tend to balloon outward. At really high speeds, the folds can turn inside out and the rubber snags on anything nearby. Most of the time, that's what happens when a boot fails. We used to have 2 or 3 boot failures every race weekend when we raced Rabbits back in the 1980's, until I learned the zip tie trick. With the tie-wraps in the folds, the rubber can't balloon and the folds don't turn inside out, so the rubber doesn't snag and tear.

[JRM]

I am haveing a hard time finding just the joint. Everyone only stocks the entire reman axle, and the one place that does have just the Joint is asking $40 for only the outter!
Do the Inner Joints wear as much? SHould I replace both while im in here?
Thanks, Joe


If there's excessive wear and play, it's best to replace the whole CV joint with a new CV joint. I avoid "remanufactured" drive axles

[racer_x]

I am haveing a hard time finding just the joint. Everyone only stocks the enticre reman axle, and the one place that does have just the Joint is asking $40 for only the outter!

$40 sounds a little high, but not outrageous. I seem to remember them being $25-$35 for the joint itself, and $50-$75 for a kit that includes everything (new joint, new boot, axle nut, clamps, grease, etc.) I usually get the kits.

I think the VW part number for just the joint is 171 407 311, and the kit is VW part number 171 498 099C. Try emailing jack@vwdieselparts.com and see what he can do for those part numbers.

Do the Inner Joints wear as much? SHould I replace both while im in here?

In my experience, the joints pretty much last until the boot rips (or the puck seal fails on the drive flange on the inner). When the boot rips, they tear up in a hurry as the lube leaks out and dirt (or transmission lube) leaks in. So I generally only replace the ones that have actually failed. YMMV

[86gnxturbo]

I'm having trouble finding the cirlclip that the bently manual says is just above the thrust washer and conical shaped washer on the outer cv. This is on a 82' caddy so I'm not sure if maybe I should pound it off with a soft hammer any help would be apppreciated. Thanks Glen

[JRM]

great job findin this old thread, I ended up just hammering the joint off and cleaned it up with thinner, greased it all back up- hammered it back on found a new boot and bought the boot band tool- worked great, im 30,000 miles into the new boot without ever buying a new CV!
I drive 105 miles a day, its good times

[Fatmobile]

I'm having trouble finding the cirlclip that the bently manual says is just above the thrust washer and conical shaped washer on the outer cv.

I spent some time digging around in grease looking for a clip... before i found out that somewhere/somewhen they got rid of the clip and you could just hammer them off.

[86gnxturbo]

Just as you said JRM and Fatmobile no clip problem solved! Just one more a leak from the drive flange spline seal but looks like i might need a special puller either made or purchased more reasearch required. Looking at the Bently but hard to understand about the dust cover mentioned any help or advice would be appricate Thanks Glen