Question re. repacking new CV joints with grease

[Baby]

I have read here that the grease in the new Lobros is subpar and should be replaced with a higher quality grease. Those of you who have replaced the grease, what is the process you used? Did you clean all of the Lobros grease out or just scoop out what was easy to get to?

[theiceman]

I remove the joint and wash in soap ( tide ) and water after wiping as clean as I can get with rags. then repack after inspection.

I also use new boots.

[Targa Me]

^^^
What he said.

[KTL]

Now's the time to do it right and get it completely treated with good grease. Take the circlip off the end of the axle and remove the CV. Take a close inspection or picture of how it's assembled/oriented.

To disassemble, rotate the CV so it'll allow the outer section to come free from the inner. Pop out the balls and clean away all the grease. Put the balls back in and put it back together (correctly, so it doesn't lock up, by aligning the wide outer race non-contact area with the narrow inner race non contact area) for regreasing.

This thread shows nice pictures of the inner and outer race orientation CV Joint assembly question

Pack it by hand with the high quality grease of your choice by shoving grease in the voids and rotating the CV as you do it to fill it in and distribute the grease. No need to pile it on or fill the boot with grease. Just use enough to keep a smearing of grease around the operable areas of the CV and that's PLENTY.

[Jesse16]

Where is this info. about bad grease coming from ? Never heard of "bad or poor quality" grease.
CV grease isn't exactly highly stressed stuff. I would use the black high moly stuff for CV's that has the GKN logo on it and comes in the prepackaged amounts with our hosts CV rebuild kits. You want to use the right amount. As I remember, its cheap and correct.

[Baby]

Thanks, all. Very helpful. J16, I have come across threads on this forum and on forums for other cars that utilize this type of transaxle e.g., samba, subaru that describe excessive wear or failure with newish cv joints. Some attribute the wear to the grease. Some, to the possibility that the joints weren't articulated properly at the factory so the grease was thoroughly distributed in the joint. And some to poor installation by the owner/mechanic. I don't have any information about the composition of the stock grease or of any other grease, but I thought that since I have a few minutes and a bunch of swepco moly taking up space I'd go the extra yard.

[T77911S]

pay attention to how the joint comes off the axle, the center part has a ridge that goes towards the shaft. the joint may have a groove on the outside that goes towards the tranny/wheels
also how the cage is oriented in the joint. I do believe there is a front and back.