Can't get CV Joint Circlip On
 

I have two new joints from our host and I am putting them on my half-axel.

One went on fine, and I was able to pop the clip on and it fully seated in the slot.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1380598169.jpg

On the other end, I can't seem to get the joint quite as far on, and the clip won't fully seat. I've taken the joint all the way back off, re-greased it, and put it back on again. But I can't seem to get the last 1mm or so for the clip to seat properly. Any ideas? I've tried pressing it with help from a piece from the old joint (off to the right) but can't seem to make any progress. After about 2 hours, I gave up for the night. Any ideas?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1380598190.jpg

Are you using a circlip plier? AutoZone sells them

Also make sure the housing is fully seated and exposes the ring the clip seats into. Can't quite see in the bottom pic

Find a socket that fits over the spline and rests on the clip.....hit it with a hammer.
Did you put the washers on correctly......cupped side up?

Cupped side of the washer is towards the joint, like this. Is that what you mean?
=====(| |

I have the special clippy-pliers, but the ring that the clip should seat into isn't quite exposed enough. I'll try the trick with the socket.

Yup

I tried a socket to no effect. There doesn't appear to be any gaps between the collar on the shaft, the concave washer, or the joint. So I'm not sure where the extra space is being taken up. Maybe the new joint I got is a millimeter too thick? I think I'll get out my micrometer.

EDIT: So its hard to measure everything without taking the CV joint apart, but I used my extra piece as a spacer with a known size.

English micrometer, so things are in inches.

Old joint (used as a spacer of known size) = 1.109"
Circlip = 0.076"

On the "problem" side.
New joint + old joint = 2.225"
Therefore new joint = 1.116

On the "good" side where it assembled fine.
New joint + circlip + old joint = 2.295"
Therefore new joint = 1.111"

So it appears the joint is slightly thicker by 5 1000's of an inch, which doesn't seem like it could be the issue. Maybe the washer is the issue, I didn't measure it. Tomorrow!

socket method works. hit it harder to compress the cup washer.

Thanks JW, I'll keep pounding away. I presume I should I do this with the circlip in place beneath the socket so it can pop right in.

Remove the joint from the good end and reverse with your problem end - sometimes this is enough. Try also to swap the cup washer from end to end. Sometimes even turning the joint 180 can clear this up.

And, of course, the grooves must be spotless and the circlip groove clean and without burrs. But if you cannot "see" the groove enough to get the circlip in then it is a matter of compressing the cup washer to allow access.

Finally, the circlip itself - is it the same thickness at the other end? Is there any play with the other end joint/circlip?

I'll swap parts around as you suggest. I cleaned the grooves beforehand.

I slid the boot back, so I can see there is no gap between the "shoulder" on the shaft, the cup washer, and the joint. I am only about a millimeter or 1.5 from being able to seat the clip properly.

I have several clips (from the old joints) and they all appear similar. I will check and maybe one of the others will fit better. I'll also try the rotation of the joint.

Do you have the drive shaft in a vice? You need to give it a good consistant pressure smack with a socket and 5lb sledge hammer! If you are trying to do this on the bench you won't be able to get the pressure you need!

The pressure and smack is to flex the spring washer down and allow it to do its job!

I had the shaft standing on end against the cement basement floor (with thin cardboard to avoid scratching.) Presumably I need to do this with the circlip beneath the socket, so it can pop on in, right?

I'll get my big hammer from the garage and give it a love tap when I get home.

Hi OsoMoore,

I ran into the same issue as you today when I tried to use the old circlips I had taken off. But my cv rubber boot kit came with new circlips and when I checked them, they were actually a tiny bit thinner. They popped in much easier but I still needed to hammer the CV down a bit.
Will be doing the other 3 joints tomorrow....actually I wonder were the new washers a bit thicker than the originals, which might make up for the variance

The joints from PP came with new clips but I no new cup washers, so I am reusing the old washers. I will be checking all my circlips to see if any are narrower than others. Thanks for the idea!

I recently had the same problem. I used my press to compress the washer.

I believe my real problem was some burrs in the circlip groove.

With some wackin' and some smackin' it was accomplished. A few hours later, we went on a warm evening drive. Mmmm, I missed that.

- Tangent -
Oh, and always check all your bolts length before you put them in. I was under the car while my wife removed bolts from the bag and handed them to me to finger-tighten. Later when I was torquing them, I found 5 of them that were 55mm instead of 50mm. I would have to back it out and put in one that was the right length. Repeat FIVE TIMES! It was awfully aggravating each time I found one. I had to reuse two old bolts, which begins to negate the whole reason to get new bolts in the first place.
Why would my bag have 5 55mm and 5 50mm! Someone messed up and made my evening more stressful and an hour longer.
But I digress.

Thanks for the help everyone!

go back and retorque at 500,1000, and 2000 miles unless you are using schnorr washers.

Whenever you are tapping/banging on the clip/CV center, be sure you keep the outer ball race perpendicular to the splined axle (i.e. parallel with the CV center) If you don't, the outer can jam and it's almost impossible to tell which bearing is jammed and therefore which way to tap it to unlock it. That happened to me this summer and after 10 mins of fiddling like it was a Rubik's cube it suddenly unlocked, but I got very lucky...

Unfortunately, I have become experienced at manipulating these interesting and fun joints. I ended up disassembling the joint in order to remove it, re-grease, and replace in an attempt to fit it on last night. Lots of careful marking with a sharpie and twisting it just so as I put everything back exactly in its place.

That is the plan. I am on the same cycle for the other joint which I replaced the boot last month. At last check it was still at full torque and hadn't loosened at all.