Thank you Pete, that sounds like a good solution.

Any idea on why I have one CV that is not the same as the other three???

Which one is different? the one with the recess for the gasket in your picture?
IIRC my CV's were machined flat and the recesses were in the wheel/axle flanges and the dust boots. Meaning you would need a total of 8 gaskets to do both axles.

Paul,
Pete's idea is better than mine, but similiar. Go with his plan. I would spray brake clean into all of the holes on the stub axle upfront. Then clean a second time one at a time. Should be good to go!

Doug

Pete, as these are brand new axles, they are already assembled. I therefore do not need to worry about the joint between the CV and the axle (on the boot side) - I just need to install them.

The one with the grove and gasket is the odd one out. I do not feel comfortable about them not all having the same ends, so I will contact the supplier on Monday and ask for one to be replaced. I just need to know which one is wrong!

run a bolt thru each hole to get out the bulk of th grease on the female threads

follow up with Q-tips & brake cleaner

repeat the latter after they are on as grease often gets in during installation

Glad to see it was basic fix (axle) and not transmission carnage. M8 bolts are so dainty compared to the M10. I'm not keen on running the M8 on my racecar, but i'll just have to be diligent about checking them until I can get the M10 transmission output flanges and the later axles.

If you have an axle w/out recess for the gasket, do not use the gasket. Use of the gasket w/out recess would introduce a low friction area and allow the CV screws to come loose much more easily.

BTW, you rec'd the B-K camera mount I shipped to you, yes?

I don't think the bolts are really carrying the torque

The bolts are supposed to carry their load in almost pure tension. The bolt stretch caused by proper installation torque causes sufficient friction between the two surfaces being clamped that the drive CV flange should not rotate relative to the drive flange.

Bolts are by far at their strongest in tension so an M8 can be much stronger than it looks.

Thank you all for the good advice on cleaning the grease out - I will experiment with the options given.

My main problem at the moment though is the fact that the two new axles are not the same (apart from the part number on them!), and as such I am not willing to install them yet :(

@ Kevin, yes I got the mount and it is in the car ready for the camera. Thank you :)

If it's of any help, I just got 4 new CV's on my '82 SC and all CV ends where machined flat, no recess on the CV itself. The mounting flanges on the transmission and wheelhub had recesses for the gaskets, look at the flanges on your trans/wheelhub.

That is the info I am after wesayso - thank you very much.
I will request that the supplier takes back the one with the gasket on Monday and replace with one that is correct for my car :)