CV Joint Issue
 

I opened the box for a new OE CV joint. The tube of grease was open and grease was everywhere, but whatever. So, the joint won't swivel, not with hand force anyway. I figure, well, it needs to be packed with grease, so I take it apart, pack, and - can't get it together such that it will swivel.

What am I doing wrong? I do have the narrow spaces of the inner race lined up with the wide spaces of the outer race and vice-versa. I know it will lock if you try to assemble it narrow-to-narrow and wide-to-wide. The inner race has a groove at one end, I have that on the same side as the groove on the outside of the outer race (the body of the joint). That exhausts my list of things to check.

Also, it had the end cap (that goes on the side nearest the trans) but not the cap for the other side, that has the flange that the boot goes on. Is that a separate part num?

When I did mine, I experienced the same thing...the joints would hardly move by hand. I just installed, packed and put the boots on. Everything worked out fine.

kind of move it in different planes - see if it won't free up

I'll keep trying when I'm less aggravated. I can't get the last couple balls in.

Any thoughts about the cap with the flange? I thought this would come w/ the CV joint.

Brave man....CV rebuilds are a nasty disgusting job.

The disgusting part came after I resolved the rubik's cube of getting them together (about 3 times each.)

Totally agree on the "less aggravated" part. I did not grease mine until the last part of the install - so I was able to bring them into the dining room table and get them all setup there.

I think I also did one while watching TV. Just be patient, knowing that it is something of a pain. I expect the next time won't be so hard - hopefully in about 10 years....

do you have that VW manual excerpt that was posted on here a while back?

only the "new" cars have those caps, so I can't help you there

What year is the CV going on? I have spare caps if it is 85 or later. If it's before 85, no caps used (and they will not fit). If you want a couple I'll send them free.

When I rebuilt my CVs, the new joints were quite stiff out of the box. Lubing them up was a mess, as you've found out. But once installed, with the benefit of having the axle as a bit of a fulcrum, they loosen up somewhat. At least that's my limited experience.

I have a couple leftover tubes of the GKN grease that came in the kit, if you need.

Jerry, sent you a PM. Noah, I'm OK on the grease, have some extra tubes too. Thanks.

Edit - waitaminnut - I'm going to check in my parts pile to see if I have the flange, before imposing on you Jerry. I'll PM you if I need it. Thanks.

Just been there done that. I just started moving bearings to different locations in the cage finally hit the right combo after 10+ attempts. Granted with a new joint you would think it would not matter but it sure did in mine. On old joints it seams too always matter because of prior wear.

[QUOTE=jyl;5710671] I can't get the last couple balls in.

QUOTE]

install all the balls in the cage first, then angle the assembly into the outer race so it will end up narrow to wide, then wack it on a table to level the whole thing out.

Jerry, you have a PM. I couldn't find the flange in my parts boxes.

I messed up my old flange. And I bought the OEM kit w/o the flange, not the Empi kit w/ the flange. Pelican doesn't seem to sell just the flange. Arrgh.

Thanks, everyone.

My mistake, I thought you wanted the end cap. I do not have a spare inner flange.

Okay, here is the deal on the inner CV joint flange, that the boot fits on.

For my car ('89 Carrera) these are not available separately and do not come with the boot kit or even with a new CV joint. So if you manage to "f" yours up, somehow, you will have to purchase an entire half shaft assembly. That is true at Pelican and even at Porsche dismantlers. $150 for a piece of used tin.

Unless.

You can buy this flange for the earlier cars separately. Choose a year that used the same diameter CV joint as the Carrera. The flange will probably have only four holes, because some of the earlier cars used four bolts (and two locating pins) to mount the CV joint. So, just drill the remaining two holes in the flange. The existing four will line up fine. Drill them a bit oversize, so that when you are bolting up the CV joint, there is enough wiggle to get the bolts aligned and threaded.

Thanks to EASY Porsche in Emeryville for comparing CV joint diameters for me, and thus saving me $150.

Now, does anyone happen to know the torque spec for the CV joint bolts on a '89 Carrera? I can't find my Bentley.

EDIT - On the torque spec - searching here is just getting me more uncertain. 60 ft/lb? 36? 30? I'm just going to use 30 and recheck in a couple weeks, unless you all say different.

60 ft*lb (assuming you have M10 bolts)

If you use several really long extensions, you can tighten them sitting on the side of the car (beats lying underneath). A screwdriver stuck in the rotor cooling fins & bottomed out against the caliper will hold the axle, and can be quickly re-indexed for access to the next CV bolt.

Here is a thread you should study.
While it is long, it has everything you need to know (and more).
It is worth the effort.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/222537-reconstructing-constant-velocity-cv-joints.html

Best,
Grady

yes, I use the very long extension method, last time I put some red paint on the edge of the bolt head..then I can look once in a while to see if they move.. would probably be too late, but seemed like a cool thing to do

Funny, the bolts had red paint on them - now I know why. Thanks all!

John -

I thought I'd bump this thread with a question as I just rec'd new CV's to rebuild and they are REALLY stiff. I had a hard time taking them apart and after putting them back together (dry) they are extremely difficult to move by hand - basically impossible actually. I do have good assembly directions and am lining them up correctly I think, with the narrow ball grooves on the center splined piece aligned with the wide grooves of the outer ring. They are super stiff - just wanted to get some feedback if yours were that tight.

Thanks a lot,
Tom