Constant Velocity Joint, CV Joint Service - Maintenance

[Gordo2]

Started into servicing my CV joints this evening.

Note: this project was on a 1983 911 SC. CV's are slightly different depending on the year of the vehicle . I recommend checking the Pelican Parts site to see what years have the same CV as your vehicle and find threads releated to your year vehicle (there are a bunch out there and it can get confusing when you see CV assemblies on line that are different from what you find on your vehicle).

So far, everything went exactly in line with this link that I found on another, related Pelican thread:

http://volksweb.relitech.com/cvjoints.htm

And another great link that I used as a ref, and printed the CV joint assembly manual from:

CV joint disassembly

A few of my own pictures to show my progress.

Cleaning out the socket head screws before inserting the hex head socket (there was a bunch of gunk in there, can you tell I have a bit of an oil leak - corrosion protection )



Using a rubber mallet to tap the hex head socket into the socket head screws - ensure your hex head socket is fully seated in the head of the screw before you try to loosen them (long extension to help get at the bolts)



Axle half removed and mounted in a bench vice. Removed the circlip with circlip pliers (greasy gloves removed so I could grab the camera). Does anyone really make a decent set of pliers? I bought the best I could find locally (Craftsman) and they are still weak.



I split the CV joint from the boot assembly enough to get my fingers under the CV joint (to ensure the bearings/cage didn't separate from the housing) and pulled the CV off of the axle half splined shaft. I was fortunate with this one, it came free without too much resistance. I had to slide it up and down on the shaft a bit to get it to come free:



My CV boot assembly doesn't have a lip that fits around the CV joint as with most that I have seen pictured. The surface of the boot assembly is flat/flush with the CV joint - a gasket in between.

So far, so good. I'm doing one CV at a time as recommended (to avoid mix up of parts between the joints).

Tomorrow night I will be cleaning, inspecting and re-assembling. I'm ordering new gaskets and Swepco CV joint grease from Pelican to finish it out - the boots appear to be in great shape (oil leak payoff - they haven't dried out).

Gordo

[euro911sc]

CV maintenance... yeah I could have used some of that prior to last week...



Broke my VW shaft last Monday... outer CV locked up and snap.

Best regards,

Michael

[Gordo2]

Michael,

Did you have any indication that the CV was going bad? I just posted on another CV thread that they normally do...

Gordo

[Kaliv]

I would like to know what the tell-tail signs are to a CV going bad as well.

My car every once in a while makes this 'harmonic' sounds a super slow speeds...like when I'm in a traffic jam or pulling real slow into the driveway. Almost sounds like metal rubbing against metal. But I can't reproduce it on a whim...it just happens every so often. Makes me wonder if it's something to do with CV joints.

[Joe Bob]

Clunk, clunk at low speeds. Big clunk on tight turns, big clunk when reversing....let clutch out and nothing are some indicators...%^B

[Gordo2]

Looking at other posts on CV's I'm realizing there are multiple variations of CVs on 911's.

The CV's on my 83 have boots that are permanently affixed to the flange/cap , similar to:



Replacement of the boot would require purchase of a new boot and flange assembly:



Note how the above pictured caps have a lip that fits around the CV joint. This is different from the type on my '83; as pictured in my above post, my boots are permanently attached to a heavy metal flange that has a flat surface that mates up flush with the CV joint.

Also appears some of the CV's have caps on both sides of the joint (I assume to keep the grease in contact with the CV). These have boots that attach to the cap with a type of crimped hose clamp.



The type of CV on my '83 doesn't have caps like this; the transmission flange and the wheel hub flange act as caps (with a gasket between the mating surfaces).

Based on what I'm seeing, the type of CV assembly on my '83 seem to be the easiest to service, but probably not the best at keeping the CV grease in contact with the joint, and probably has higher potential to leak (grease).

It also appears some of these parts are not interchangeable - something to do with the axles; not sure what that deal is, I haven't dug into it.

Some potentially confusing stuff. Now I see why there are CV joint threads that go on for pages.

Bottom line, if you are working on your CV's - know what type you have before you order parts.

Gordo

[euro911sc]

On the 911 SC I have no end caps. Its messy. I have a low grown when I let off the gas sometimes as well so I'll be doing this soon.

On the V-dub I would get an occasional clank-clank-clank when I cranked the wheel over like in a u-turn, but that's it. No noises at speed or going straight or turning normal.

The major difference here is that on the V-dub the drive wheels are the steering wheels so there are a lot more angular forces at play. On the 911 we do not have that steering thing so I'm assuming that the CVs on the 911 see less forces and should be good to go for more years.

-Michael

[Joe Bob]

Mine both went at about 80K miles...but I was doing some pretty hard launches with my 3.6 powered SC. I bought a set of axles and CVs from Eric at www.pmbperformance.com easy install and painless on the pocket. I hate CV grease almost as much as the smell of burned tranny oil.....

[Gordo2]

Here's my first joint, cleaned, inspected and re-assembled.

Other than the mess - it was pretty easy. I was a little leery of reassembly (I read it was like a Rubik's Cube, which I always hated), but it was much easier than I had anticipated.



Disassembly was easy (isn't that normally the case ). The cage twists and pushes out of the outer ring. From there, you can pop the ball bearings out of the cage which allows you to turn and remove the inner race for cleaning and inspection.

The parts all looked to be in pretty good shape; no pitting, just some areas that were shiny where the ball bearings make contact with the outer ring and ball cage assembly.

It didn't appear that you could incorrectly re-assemble the ball cage (the center race is symmetrical - either side can face inward/outward). Inserting the cage back into the outer ring was easy too - turn the cage 90 deg to the outer ring, line up a large face of the inner race to a small protrusion on the outer ring and press it back in the outer race.

No idea what I was thinking not ordering new boot/flange assemblies. My boots are in reasonably good shape, but for the cost ($9.50 per), why not? I'm changing my Pelican parts order from just CV gaskets and Swepco CV lube to include new boots tomorrow.

I hope the rest goes this easy.

Gordo

[Gordo2]

A bit of a delay to the project; I decided not to use the old boots and ordered a new set from Pelican (along new gaskets and Swepco CV lube).

Note: each Axle uses 4 gaskets - 8 gaskets to service both sides. Gaskets go between each CV and boot, and between each CV and flange. Related thread: 8 Gaskets for CV Service???? '83 SC. This was a bit of a surprise/delay for my project. Apparently some people opt not to use gaskets at all.



Question on the Swepco:
- A tube of Swepco lube is 14.4oz. Bentley recommends 3.2oz of grease per joint. Should I get a measuring cup and squeeze out 3.2 oz into it and spread it into the joint by hand (to ensure I have enough to hit all 4 joints), or should I use my caulk gun and squeeze out however much I think I need per joint (filling the axle stub flange) and pick up more if needed?

Can you over fill a CV joint with grease? Thinking I should have purchased 2 tubes to ensure I have enough grease to complete the job.

Thanks, Gordo

[pete3799]

Could you cut the tube with a razor into 4 equal parts?
Just finished all 4 of mine. I used 4 plastic packets bought localy, snipped off the corners and squeezed it in. Any way you do it it's a mess.
Don't know if you can over fill.

[RWebb]

yes, you can over fill a CV joint with grease - it will be spewed out like a Frank Zappa rock band spewing creamed corn (and a baby octopus) on groupies

[briancoates]

"It didn't appear that you could incorrectly re-assemble the ball cage"

Carefull they can be assembled incorrectly! if the outer cage is one "groove" out compared to the hub they will not pivot correctly. I just serviced mine and the first one was one groove out. With the car jacked up and the wheels hanging they would not pivot enough to meet the flanges. Just make sure they pivot smoothly before install.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Gordo2

A bit of a delay to the project; I decided not to use the old boots and ordered a new set from Pelican (along new gaskets and Swepco CV lube):

Thanks, Gordo

Are you using new bolts and lock washers?

[briancoates]

Also make sure the dished washer that slides on the axle before the CV joint is the right way around! The concave (dished) side "MUST" be towards to joint itself. It acts to preload the joint against the circlip.

[Gordo2]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Are you using new bolts and lock washers?

When I removed the CVs there weren't any lock washers on the bolts - are they required? I just started researching/reading some very long CV related threads.

Can't figure out between my year car and others - do all require washers and if so, why was mine fine without?

Thanks, Gordo

[Cooper911SC]

The SC's do not use the schnors. I read the looong thread about that too when I did my CV's last summer. PET doesn't show them for the SC either.

If you want to run them you can find them listed under 999 523 102 02

They will be the smaller ones, M8? Not bigger like the later cars with M10?

My .02

Cooper

[Mattcamp]

My '84 did not have the washers either but I did add them when I serviced my CV's.

[Hugh R]

Gordo2

I see your problem with the snap ring pliers, you got the kind with the replacable tips. Get one for that size hole from your local Snap-On guy with non-replacable tips.

[Nine9six]

Originally Posted by RWebb

yes, you can over fill a CV joint with grease - it will be spewed out like a Frank Zappa rock band spewing creamed corn (and a baby octopus) on groupies

That would probably resemble someone putting forth 1/4 oz cream rosette on the summit of a dense but radiant muffin of his own design Huh?