CV joint rotation

valenciacarrera · 05-29-2005, 08:41 PM

I did my usual search on PP and I haven't come a cross an answer so here it goes.

Are those inner and outer CV joints interchangeable? If so, is there a benefit to rotate CV joints? i.e inner and outer swap or left to right swap? I just think it may reverse the wears on the contact surfaces.

2.7RACER · 05-29-2005, 09:14 PM

Left to right swap puts the forward load onto the typically unworn part of the ball bearing track.

Fishcop · Fishcop's Garage

Yep, definitely interchangeable - and possibly like rotating your tyres, you'll get longer life out of the CV's.

RoninLB · 05-30-2005, 12:36 AM

if a CV has to much twist, like 1/4", I'd replace it.

valenciacarrera · 05-30-2005, 06:50 AM

Thank you for everyone's input. Maybe it's a personal preference, but what would be a rotation interval for left to right CV swap? For example, every 25,000 miles or 50,000 miles, etc?

IROC · IROC's Garage

IMHO, it's too much trouble to rotate them at some random interval just for the heck of it. If you've got 'em apart, though, it doesn't hurt.

I rotated them once on a 944 when they started making noise and caught it just in time to keep from having to replace them. That was 9 years ago and they're still hanging in there.

Mike

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

If you have a pre-1986 911, chances arre you have this version of rear axle. Note the cap screws on both ends which allows disconnecting it from the axle stub.

From what I've gathered recently, the inner and outer CV joints are the same part number, so can be easily interchanged or rotated.

In mid-1986, they switched to another axle which has the stub axle incorporated into the unit itself:
.

If the outer CV joint goes bad, you're looking at replacing the whole axle.

This drawing provided by Grady Clay shows the particulars:

Randy

valenciacarrera · 05-30-2005, 08:15 AM

I'm not trying to make up a project just because I'm bored with the car. The rotation idea up because of CV joint lube schedule. From the reading, it is my understanding that CV joints have to be taken apart and cleaned before lubed. Well, since you have the CV joint apart at this point, why not go ahead and rotate the joints? Or, I could be just lazy and leave the joints alone until it breaks.

randywebb · 05-30-2005, 09:01 AM

search for: long + term + maintenance + my name + grady

- I don't think there is any hard & fast answer for when you should relube the jonts. The shelf life of grease is about 5 years - that might be a useful guide.

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by IROC
IMHO, it's too much trouble to rotate them at some random interval just for the heck of it. If you've got 'em apart, though, it doesn't hurt.

I rotated them once on a 944 when they started making noise and caught it just in time to keep from having to replace them. That was 9 years ago and they're still hanging in there.

Mike

Mike,

When you rotated your CVs, did you actually disassemble them from the axle and flip them over? Or did you just flip axles from side to side?

Randy