San Jose CA - I'm doing cv joints - need some tips/tools

hcoles · 04-14-2008, 03:17 PM

Hi guys,
I live near San Jose and over the weekend looked and noticed a cracked cv boot. I got a "spare" half shaft assembly from a friend and will fix that out board cv and boot and use it to swap out the ones on my car and redo at a slowish pace. My neighbor has air and a pretty good impact wrench.. where has anyone picked up the socket needed? I guess since impact wrench tools are stronger I won't need to get a 3/4" drive impact wrench and socket. Is there an English size that works well? The other threads are somewhat long on this but I want to disassemble the outboard cv's and clean/inspect/grease/reboot. Can this really be done? How did you reseal the "cap"? What tool did you use to tap off the outboard cap? So far I ordered 4 boot kits and 1 boot kit with cv mechanism. Also what sort of press did you have to use for the outside cv's? Is there something I can rig up at home to press these off? Thanks and sorry for bringing up the old subject.
Maybe on the outboard cv's I should just shove some new grease in there and reboot and leave well enough alone...

rusnak · 04-14-2008, 08:30 PM

There are lots of good threads already on this subject.

I hope you ordered the right parts. What year is the 911?

No need for a press. You'll need a good pair of circlip pliers - I can't remember the correct name for them, but Orchard Supply has a good pair that is reversable for both outside and inside clip removal. I also recommend getting a good set of allen sockets. Sears has the Lisle brand which is what I use. I think Pep Boys also carries them. Be sure to clean out ALL old grease and dirt from the cv joint that had the torn boot and look for ANY signs of galling or wear on the balls and cages.

Also you will probably have a ball fall out. I will post a picture of the correct orientation of the balls/cages for you as a guide.

Buy new lockwashers or use some sort of locking agent on the threads. Loose cv bolts can ruin your day or week.

Do a search for the other threads under cv joint boot. Oh yeah, what the heck are you doing using sae tools on your 911? Buy pro quality metric tools only.

slodave · slodave's Garage

Searching for 'cv joint' won't work. The PP search engine will reject it. Try 'constant velocity joints' instead.

Dave

BlueSideUp · 04-14-2008, 09:42 PM

CV Thread

Another Carrera CV Thread

I just did mine on an early car, get ready to get messy. If you need new Schnoor washers (the lock washers) I have a set for the later cars I couldn't use. The early cars use 10mm bolts and the later ones use 8mm bolts.

hcoles · 04-15-2008, 04:44 AM

thanks very much guys - yes I hope I ordered the right boot kits.

is it real tricky to disassemble the outboard cv? and then get it all back together? on the outboard cv did you take off the thin metal flange.. how did you do that and what, if any, goop did you use to help reseal?

re. tools, I always use metric tools but sometimes I run into a situation where a SAE tool fits very close or tighter and if I don't have the metric I will use that... I have the needed allen socket and long extension.
I think I will need the new Schnoor type washers, I've used the existing ones a couple of times. I I must have the later type - 1989 3.2 . will also inspect the bolts ... they have seemed good to reuse in the past.

BlueSideUp · 04-15-2008, 05:05 AM

Here is the part number for the Schnoor washers, even if you don't buy mine at least you'll have the number. There is some discussion in those threads regarding the disassembly of your outer joint. The flange comes off pretty easily with a drift punch.

Here is what the washers look like fresh out of the bag.

And here is the FS thread....

hcoles · 04-15-2008, 05:19 AM

BlueSideUp - thanks... when I get mine out and confirm the size/etc. then I don't see why I wouldn't get these (washers) from you.

Gunter · Gunter's Garage

If this is a '89, how are you getting at the CV joint wheel-side without removing the half-shaft?
Is it possible to replace the boot, clean and service the CV while the stub axle is in situ?
I thought that the Carrera needs to have the stub axle removed meaning: The big nut on the outside of the stub axle has to be opened to be able to slide the half-shaft out?

That big nut has an enormous torque: Something like ~250 ft-lbs. ??

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

for the record, i've been through this job twice already, second time w/ all the tools in the world at my disposal, including a super duper needle-nose for the mother of all spring clips, as well as a 2ton press for separating and assembling the cage onto the axles...

...and i'll never do this again. much easier to simply buy new axles and replace them. they're what... $200-$250 each? well worth it in light of wasting 4 hours of your life. once replaced, you can take your sweet time (when you have some free) and rebuild the old one, to put away on the shelf and keep as a spare.

rusnak · 04-15-2008, 10:11 AM

This job is messy. I've done it about a half dozen times now, and I go through a lot of blue gloves and about 2 rolls of paper towels for both axles. It will take an experienced person about 4 hours start to finish.

Also, be very sure to clean out the allen bolt heads before attempting to remove the bolts. Tap them firmly into the bolt head before applying torque. It helps to have wobble extensions and a flex head rachet.

Make sure the flange is clean and dry before applying the paper gasket.

I also thought that the '89 outer cv joint was not serviceable, that it necessitated replacement of the entire axle assembly..... your parts guy should have caught that for you when you placed your order.

hcoles · 04-15-2008, 11:01 AM

if you read other threads the outside joint is serviceable but it is not easy... I will likely just put some new grease in there to some extent and reboot the outside cv's

I'll need to take off the "huge" nut to get the axle out... I need to see if I or my neighbor has the right socket... he has an air wrench and air... so I'm thinking it will be doable.

I have one spare axle asm. so I'll rebuild and replace as I go.. and keep the car uptime hopefully to a higher level.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

maybe so; maybe no

you seem to be talking about a late 1980s CV... he has never posted what car he has -- I assume he has a 911 of some sort...

Gunter · Gunter's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by hcoles

if you read other threads the outside joint is serviceable but it is not easy... I will likely just put some new grease in there to some extent and reboot the outside cv's

I'll need to take off the "huge" nut to get the axle out... I need to see if I or my neighbor has the right socket... he has an air wrench and air... so I'm thinking it will be doable.

I have one spare axle asm. so I'll rebuild and replace as I go.. and keep the car uptime hopefully to a higher level.

Even with an Air Impact Gun, the nut is tight!
If you end up doing it the old fashion way, you'll need a 3/4" drive breaker-bar with a 4-foot pipe, a short 3/4" extention, and a 32?mm socket.
The car stays on the ground; the center cap is removed; short 3/4" extention with socket through the wheel center, in reverse gear with hand brake on, put your weight on the bar/extention and rock. (Right-hand thread)
If you attempt this with 1/2"drive, you'll just bent/break the 1/2" stuff.

Since you take the axle out anyway, why not clean/inspect the outer joint as well?

hcoles · 04-16-2008, 07:11 AM

that's the plan.... can we confirm the socket size for the axle nut?
I have to check my tool box to see if I have one..
What I should probably do is spray some PB on the nuts tonight and let that soak for a couple of days and get the air wrench out on Saturday... I'm looking for 3/4" breaker bars but people don't seem to have them in their tool boxes... maybe I need to get one. if I do that then I will have to buy a 32?mm 3/4" socket...

hcoles · 04-18-2008, 06:37 PM

one step forward - one step back
I got the new cv joint parts - disassembled one inner cv, from the spare axle our group has, and started to put the new one on. Took the new cv out of the box and it was rusted and wouldn't move. Called supplier and he is sending another one. He said it was probably on the top container of the boat. Was in a Lubro box but the paint was very thick and I couldn't see the Lubro logo. Said made in Germany on the box. Is the cost of a plastic bag too much? The bolts that came with it had the special star drive, mine have Allan so I'll reuse mine. They don't provide the Schnoor washers... wonder why? So at this point the original axles are still on the car.

hcoles · 05-01-2008, 06:13 PM

I'll attack the cv's on Saturday... got an impact wrench and asked BlueSideUp re. washers... I think they were sold. Another guy has them. I'll reuse the existing washers and when the new ones come I'll redo.. it's not that hard.
I got another cv joint from ********AZ and it was cleaner... just a trace of rust... but I think the coating keeps the rust from forming where it is critical. I'm getting pretty good at disassembly and reassembly. I hope the axle side can be disassembled and cleaned and put back together. I plan to switch the axles to different sides, this should put the axle sides running on new places on the races. The transmission sides will get new cv's.
I'm so lame I forgot I had this thread running...reading too many cv threads and got mixed up I guess.

rusnak · 05-01-2008, 10:55 PM

What is the impact wrench for? I'd be really careful on those cv bolts. Just my opinion but you need fine fingertip control to feel the allen bit seat into the bolt and to keep it seated. If they are stubborn PB is your friend.

I'd also wash out any traces of machine oil. It might contaminate your high dollar synthetic grease that I'm sure you'll want to use on those expensive cv joints. I like Valvoline Super Syn, but Liqui Molly is good too. I stopped using other more known grease because I don't think they hold up to the high heat these cars deal with in the summer months.

hcoles · 05-02-2008, 05:20 AM

Impact wrench for getting the axle nuts off.
I've had the allen bolts in and out a couple of times, so I know to be careful/etc.
Good point on wash out what is in there before the Redline grease, I'm planning to use brake cleaner and then start greasing immediately after.

hcoles · 05-02-2008, 05:38 AM

I should probably add a signature line... my car is an 89 3.2 so the outside/axle side cv is part of the axle. I'm hoping I can get these outside cv's apart inspect clean and regrease. Then swap sides, I think this puts the balls riding on new surfaces. When I looked at one that was worn the balls looked fine and the outside race had divots, so swaping sides seems to makes sense.

hcoles · 05-03-2008, 10:09 AM

I'm not off to a good start....

Just barely tried moving the axle nut with a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter...the adapter failed like butter... forget 1/2" stuff for removing the nuts...

On the spare axle I tried getting the sheet metal cap off the axle side...nothing doing... it gets tighter the more I work on it.

My neighbor is not waking up yet so I can use his compressed air to get the axle nuts off... so now I'm thinking just replace the trans side cv's and all the boots... with the axles in the car.

Here is a picture of the cv that came and had the minimum rust... I haven't taken the "rusty" one apart yet...

This is now not going as I've planned... I'll have to just put new grease on the axle sides as best I can along with install new boots... and be happy with that.