CV Boot Replacement

[Sumotang]

After reading through a number of posts on the board I have decided to go ahead and replace the CV boots on my 83SC. I noticed one on them has a small tear and grease is starting to get sprayed up underneath the car.

This will be my first DIY job on the car. Most of the posts indicate that its not a very hard job, but is very messy. I will replace all the boots and repack the joints with new grease.

I think I need the following tools for the job

Torque Wrench (will torque bolts to 36 ft-lb)
6 mm hex to remove bolts

Some of the diagrams show a cir-clip. Will I need a cir-clip remover????

Please let me know if I have forgot anything. I will keep you posted on my progress.

[bigchillcar]

get some rubber surgical gloves, too..i can't remember the circlip, or if it was a problem or not, but i know that i don't have a 'circlip remover'..so if i did this i obviously didn;t a remover. think you will need the new thin paper gaskets. i think our host sells them too. good luck, damo.
ryan

[911Mac]

You will need a circlip remover. One holds each CV joint on the axle.

-Mac

[jdowty3]

several pairs of good surgical gloves
good hi-temp CV grease (like Sparco)
2 boots, 2 paper gaskets
cleaning solution if you are going to flush the CV bearings and repack
I used Brakecleen and hot water to clean. I repacked them by putting grease in a sandwich ziplock, cutting a corner off and using it like a pastry decorator. It worked well and not too messy.
A medium size cir-clip removal plier will make the job much faster. The circlips should be pretty tight and not easy to remove. If they come off easy, replace them.

[Fishcop]

Grab a circlip remover... they're a biach when greasy. Also, wear eye protection, the circlips (if in good condition) can unload off the pliers at a hell of a speed!

[RoninLB]

I've always had to whack the CV on the axle to install the circlip with a large socket. Tight coming off. Very tight going on.

[randywebb]

You don't need to remove the CV joints for most types of service to the joints/boots etc. If you do remove the CV joint assembly:

Wear glasses when you remove the circlip. A small flat blade screwdriver is good to help wedge it up. It CAN be done w/o circlip pliers but you will be a lot happier if you use them. As the clip comes up, put your hand over it to prevent from bouncing into a black hole somewhere in your garage... clean up first so it is easier to find it after it goes past your hand.

If you are really good, pluck it out of mid-air with a pair of chopsticks as it sails past your face. If you do that, no swordsman will challenge you...

[juanbenae]

here are some good posts.Is there a trick to CV joint assembly

[Superman]

It's messy but it's pretty easy. I STRONGLY suggest you get an old Bentley manual of nearly any kind where the car has CV joints. Or find Warren's post of the scanned pages from his. I have an older Rabbit Bentley. The pages I am talking about are the best description, complete with excellent photos, of how to disassemble a CV joint and reassemble. It's a snap, and if you have these images with you, it'll be very easy for you. Cleaning them without disassembling is difficult. Disassembling is easy, but there's a trick to it.

Also, you can reverse them. Keep track of where they were on the car and when you reinstall, put the passenger-side ones on the driver's side and vice versa. This will cause the joints to handle pressure on new race surfaces. You will probably find some wear on them, and maybe they need replacing, but reversing them can also help.

[no substitute]

Originally posted by randywebb
... As the clip comes up, put your hand over it to prevent from bouncing into a black hole somewhere in your garage... clean up first so it is easier to find it after it goes past your hand.

If you are really good, pluck it out of mid-air with a pair of chopsticks as it sails past your face. If you do that, no swordsman will challenge you...

And I thought I was the only one able to do this.

[randywebb]

You probably are ... in modern times.

(FWIW, the reference is to a man that legend has it was the greatest swordsman in all of Japan, Musashi. After a while, he stopped using a sword and just killed his opponents with a wooden sword.)

[Zeke]

That's me... I use a wooden wrench now.

[Sumotang]

Thanks for all the info guys. A couple of people have mentioned that I will need paper gaskets.

Where do these go?

Can seem to find them on Pelican?

[randywebb]

on the end of the CV joint, where it mounts - Pel definitely has them. use a couple dabs of grease to stick them on

[no substitute]

Originally posted by Zeke
That's me... I use a wooden wrench now.

Now that's comedy, LOL.


I'm actually familiar with Mushashi Miyamoto, from another hobby. The wooden sword thing was early on in his career, supposedly. He typically used two steel swords most of the time. Who knows where truth ends and legend begins.

Are the gaskets folks are using the slimline, no hole, stick on version or are there some with holes still available, which I find much easier to install.

[Sumotang]

Cant find the paper gaskets on Pel. Can anyone find them?

[jazzbass]

Originally posted by Sumotang
Thanks for all the info guys. A couple of people have mentioned that I will need paper gaskets.

Where do these go?

Can seem to find them on Pelican?

Clear up a couple peices of info - you'll need 4 gaskets per axel, not 2. There is a gasket between each boot and the CV joint and between each CV joint and the transmission/trailing arm flange. PP sells them, they are listed right with the CV joints in the Suspension and Bearings section as "911 CV Joint Gasket", I-332-297-00 $1.65.

No need to put grease on them to hold them in place, either. These gaskets have an adhesive back to them. Peel off the paper and stick the gasket either to the flance or the boot, depending on where its going.

[ckissick]

My 1970 car requires 2 gaskets per axle; I didn't know about the extra gaskets for the newer cars. Anyway, I was going to suggest buying extra gaskets. If you slip, they are easy to tear. Then you have to stop and wait for the mail again.

[randywebb]

yes some have the adhesive backing, but other do not. What controls which ones you get, I do not know.
and you do need 4 each time you pull both shafts off.

[randywebb]

yes some have the adhesive backing, but other do not. What controls which ones you get, I do not know.
and you do need 4 each time you pull both shafts off -- ie the 2 posts above are in disagreement - 2 per axle (1 for each attachment), 4 for both axles