Axle Joint - imminent Failure? (86 Carrera)

[nene]

I purchased a cv joint kit (here) to replace a pitted joint and to my surprise, the material
has me concerned, or should I be?

After cleaning the rust and smoothing it down with a Scotch-bright pad, the surface is smooth, but I can still feel the roughness with my fingers. Should I replace it or is this even a concern?

BTW, the brand is Lobro.

For comparison, the first one is the original that was on the car.



Serge

[Flat6pac]

Once packed with balls and grease, just drive it.
The failure noise is the ball wearing into the trough front to rear, not left to right.
On reassembly, if it goes together too easily, assembly is incorrect.
Bruce

[nene]

Thanks Bruce,

I am finding that it is a very tight fit when putting all the components together.

Serge

[Steve Marshall]

When they're tight like that it's because you put them together backwards. Easy to do. Easy to correct.

[nene]

Steve,

I have tried both ways and indeed one way is much easier and more flexibility. I have seen several videos on this and sorta confused on which way is the correct.

[Flat6pac]

Assembled, they need to move in and out as the trailing arms move up and down
If they don’t move in and out you’re tying your suspension up and wind up destroying the bearing cage.
Bruce,

[faapgar]

On the area between where the balls pivot is a flange.On the inner race where the balls pivot there is a flange When assembling align the narrow portion of the inner to the wider portion of the outer then install.It is stiff when new like Rawknees until it gets worked in.Ciao

[yelcab1]

Show a picture of your assembled joint straight face on and I can tell you whether it's right or wrong in 3 seconds.

[nene]

Ok,

I can assemble the old setup in 5 minutes and when I attempt to do the new one, it is tight as hell and almost impossible to get the 5th ball in. I do recall that when I received the joint in one piece, it was tight as well.



Pic #1 is the old setup

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Flat6pac

Once packed with balls and grease, just drive it.
The failure noise is the ball wearing into the trough front to rear, not left to right.
On reassembly, if it goes together too easily, assembly is incorrect.
Bruce

Agree. I -have- seen VW people polish the damn things but they are crazy...



re: last pics see the "Reconstructing" thread for some info

[nene]

Thanks RWebb, I did go through that bible! Lot's of info.
In regards to my last pic, do you see something that sticks out?


Serg

[RWebb]

I'd just try to re-assemble them and see where it is binding.

[pete3799]

The CV's in your pictures are assembled correctly. Small face of the inner race mates to the large face of the outer.

[nene]

Thanks everyone for pitching in, I am going to grease it up a bit and massage it to
loosen the tolerances.

[Walt Fricke]

The unworn parts of the grooves of used CVs from 25-30 years ago seem to have had a much smoother finish. And the joints had some kind of black finish, which I suppose hid the color changes from the surface hardening. But these new ones seem to work OK, though I don't recall getting ones which looked as ugly as these.

[yelcab1]

Assembled correctly. You just need grease in it.

[nene]

Greased, closed up and ready to be part of the car again!!! It's been 3 weeks of NOT driving
it, so it needs some revvvving!

I can't wait until I attempt to put all of 340lbs of torque on the hub nut!

Serge

[911obgyn]

The last set of lobro cv joints I got a year ago were rough finished like that, I greased them and installed they are ok so far.