Greasing CV joints?

[Scooter311]

Pelicaneers,
While they're out, I want to clean up my CVs and regrease the lilttle buggers. What's the best way to clean out the old dried up, 30 year old junk and what's the best stuff to use, the best way to do it, tips, traumas, etc?
Oh, I'll be getting new gaskets, washers and bolts also before buttoning them back up as well.
Thanks!
Jeff

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Disassemble the joint and inspect it all. Rags or paper towels to get most of the grease, then solvent of your choice to clean it the rest of the way. Cracks or galling is bad, a little discoloration is OK. A regular Moly wheel bearing grease is fine, but there are some synthetics out there that are supposed to be really nifty. And $$$.

Re-assemble, and work in the specified amount of grease (it's in the manual). I forget the exact amount, but work it into the joint itself--don't pack the boot full.

Note that the joint goes together two ways. One way it will pretty much lock itself together so it doesn't move, the other way will let it move correctly--the inner race will pivot and will be able to slide in and out a bit. The difference is the way that the inner and outer race are aligned to each other. Make note of the way the slots in the races are oriented when you disassemble the joint.

--DD

[Will98D]

What Dave said except mark the inner races, cages and outer races before disassembly, then reassemble the same way. Don't mix parts from one joint to another. The balls don't have to go back in the same grooves, but everything else should go back together in the same relative positions as when disasembled. You don't need synthetic grease, but do buy CV joint grease.

[Zeke]

I was able to clean up my CVs w/o disassembly. Just takes a variety of cleaning brushes and some compressed air. So, if the dang thing intimidates you as it did me, you could go this route. It needs to be assembled before you grease it anyway. So, why take it apart?

Now that I've said that, I'll probably take the next ones apart (the 911) just to see if I can do it.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The "why" would be to inspect them. The cleaning is also easier if they are disassembled.

No, it's not completely necessary to disassemble them, but it seems to me that once you've got them off of the half-shaft you might as well...

--DD

[Scooter311]

I'd like to take them completely apart, just to make sure, plus I'm nosy. However, does this mean I need additional gaskets and new wierd-washers to recombobulate the whole kaboodle?

Thanks

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

No more so than if you simply took the CVs off the car and put them back on again.

In other words, yes you need them!

--DD

[Scooter311]

I've got an "order in process" already with the fine perpetrators of this very site (2056 here I come!) - I reckon I'll be adding those babies to the list as well.
I'll try to disasemble everything tonight, and see how many pieces I can lose behind the workbench. How big a hammer do I need?
Thanks everyone
Jeff

[Will98D]

Once you get the CV off the axle bar (retaining ring at end of bar), then lightly clamp the outer race in a vice. Mark the parts as I noted above. If you pull up on the inner race with it at a very slight angle then when it gets to the top it will pull out of the outer race easier. Have a rag or cup under the works to catch the balls which will probably fall out the bottom, and don't drop the cage either. If you pay attention during disassembly you'll notice how the there are three pair of angled grooves in the inner race that line up with three pair in the outer race just as it pulls out. That's how it has to go back together.

I'm finally moving to Rochester next week. My car will likely be in storage for most of the summer or until we buy a house, but at least I know there's one other 914. Regards, Will

[norustscott]

If you go the disassembly route, IMHO it is really not required, DO NOT mix and match parts from one joint to the other. And if possible keep the inner and outer races and ball oriented the same as they came of the car. ( note: this is experience talking) The balls can be slightly different sizes. wear patterns form and are mated with the position of the inner race the ball and the outer race.

carefully remove the boot from the joint and submerge them in a solvent of some kind. Gas works over a few days. you will need to use a solvent brush to remove all of the old grease. final clean with a can of carb cleaner. So, what to look for? galling on the outer race and ball surfaces. Bluing from excessive heat. the inner race should not have any sharp edges or shards of material protrusing from the ball sockets.

I used Sweepco grease from our host. worked great!

[Will98D]

Scott is right in that you can disassemble or not, I would for an easier check for spalling and other wear, but it's not mandatory. However, if you do, you needn't worry about keeping track of the exact groove each ball came from, but as I said in the first post don't mix any parts from one joint to another. {My experience... halfshaft engineer; we make 30,000+ halfshafts a day.} The balls are the most precisely made part of the assembly, and even the accuracy of 30 years ago in bearing manufacture would make it very difficult to discern from one to the next in a group of 6 from one joint. However, it is likely that back then they classified inner and outer races and also used a matching class of ball, so you need to keep the six together with the joint they start with. Key thing is making sure you put it back together right. As Dave said, if you put it together wrong, the joint will essentially be locked in its center position. Then when the suspension moves the force will be transmitted into the cage and break it.
BTW: usually the wear that is seen in a CV joint is spalling, a subsurface crack that forms at the transition from hardened to core material. That crack propagates and then the metal above it comes out, making what looks like a small crater or pothole. You can also get pitting (usually precedes the more serious spalling).
I remember for a long time that whenever someone would mention spalling all I could visualize was Spaulding, the obnoxious nephew of Judge Smells (Ted Knight) in Caddyshack. Odd, but struck me as funny.

[Scooter311]

Okey Dokey, it looks like I won't be taking them COMPLETLY apart then! I cleaned the inboard ones with some solvent and rags, but I haven't taken anything off the halfshafts yet (lost the fuelpump in my truck, and I'm spending my time and all my money under it in the snow this weekend trying to get it running, so I'm not really 'into' any tinkering just yet - grrrrrr)
I'll do my best to clean them and repack 'em without getting terribly involved.
I have to get my daily driver squared away before doing anything else.......