cv joint questions
 

Well I went and did it now. Long ago when I first saw a diagram of a CV joint, I swore I would never open one of these babies up, because the LOOKED simple, and probably were a PITA.

So I have the rear suspension out, and I need to replace the boots. and it seems the only way is to dissasemble the CV. OK I'm brave today.
Here are my questions:

1) It seems to get the cage off, you must drive the drive shaft out of the Cv hub, so you can get it perpendicular...... should it take SOOOO much force to do this? How will I ever get it back on??

2) The Haynes Manual says "If wear exists on any part of the joint, a new joint should be obtained...."
Do I need one? ( I assume they are all in similar condition. [actually I assume that this is the BEST one, that is the way my luck goes]) here are the pics of it. I also assume that this is typical wear, and that these have been here since 1972.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1087672210.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1087672231.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1087672240.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1087672257.jpg

I haven't had any CV joint symptoms, and I hate to spend the $ on them (***** I just went to see how much they are, and it says NLA on PP). Since NLA, what should I do. I once had a mechanic swap drive shafts from left to right so the CVs will rotate in the opposite direction, thus wearing on the opposite side of the surfaces.... is this a acceptable way to go?
advice is appreciated.

Also since they seem so hard to get off, I was thinking about slipping the boots for the other end all the way across from the end I have apart, and just cleaning and regreasing the other CV, especially since they are not available any longer (Dave or Jason, you guys work there right? Is this really true?) Seems like more and more things are going NLA just as I decide to move ahead on my project. Am I, as always, just a little late?

Any one need a car in boxes? (just kidding).
thanks
MARK

NLA? Ihave seen them around. there is a guy who posts here and at 914club.com that rebuilds the whole shaft with new parts for not too much. I would do a search. I am pretty sure that I saw him selling on ebay.
HTH

Its true, I have seen them on Ebay also. They seem to go for about 100 each (Lobro). I myself would look into upgrading to stronger/more available ones. Renegade and PP both sell adapters to install Bus axles into a 914. They are stronger and the parts are more available. Just a thought.

Mine looked about the same as that when I took mine out. I re-greased them, and put them back in the car with right and left swapped so that they will wear in the opposite direction. I've driven the car hard and autocrossed, with no problems at all. I figure if they were good one direction for 25 years...why spend $400 when they could potentially last that long in the other direction?

As for the force required to separate the CV joint from the shaft, it shouldn't be that much if you cleaned the edge of it first with solvent and used a small wooden block between the shaft and your hammer. I found this out the hard way after I used the hammer alone at first and flattened out the edge of the spline so that the CV will never come off the shaft...oops, thank god for the parts car.