So what is the trick to get CVs back together?

[ghnat]

I got one CV together, took about 20 min. I spent over an hour on the second one (still not together) and just gave up for tonight... I thought after the first one, "oh this will be easy"! Well apparently I am not that smart today.
Anyone have tricks?

[jcpyor]

Was quite easy on my 911SC. Don't see why it shouldn't be with the 944 (looks the same on simple inspection). Time, making sure the axle is easily movable, and lots of grease, plus, make sure you parking brake is off so you can turn the wheel to the point the bolt holes match up.

[ghnat]

Maybe I wasn't clear. I took the CVs apart (completely) for inspection and cleaning, etc. Now trying to get the inner race in the outer race with the ball bearings...

[jcpyor]

Buy NEW

[SuperXRAY]

I haven't done the 944's yet, but have done other brands of cars. Some can be put back together by magnetizing the assembly (with a GOOD magnet), holding all the bearings together for insertion. However, some are manufactured in a way that is impossible to rebuild...dunno how the 944's are, but thought I would offer my two pennies worth.

[HondaDustR]

Originally Posted by ghnat

Maybe I wasn't clear. I took the CVs apart (completely) for inspection and cleaning, etc. Now trying to get the inner race in the outer race with the ball bearings...

I saw this and couldn't help busting out laughing! I know exactly what you mean, and, yes, it's the precision engineered and machined equivalent of those brain teaser puzzles you buy at the souvenir shops. I don't remember the trick, but it just boils down to playing with it until you find the right way to coax it back together. IIRC, the balls fit really tightly in the slots on the retainer ring, but they need to be able to move to the edges of the oblong slots in order to fit into the slots on the races, which took a bit of fudging in order for the whole thing to go back together.
Oh, and beware!!! (I'm glad I remembered this) There is a right and a wrong way to put them together, too. It's the orientation of the inner race to the outer race that's important. You have to make sure the angled tracks in the races are oriented in such a way to allow the inner race to move freely as it normally would when assembled (again, I can't remember exactly which way. Just look at it carefully). It is possible to get it together in such a way that it becomes a very solid, imovable assembly that's very difficult to get back apart.

[ghnat]

HondaDustR - yeah, I laughed later. I marked the orientation of all the pieces with paint and everything; marked left and right, inner and outer. Repainted the half shafts so they would look nice. They were SO easy to get apart. Like I said, the first one was not bad and I tried to assemble the second one like the first. I guess I didn't have the magic touch. I can't wait for the other two...

jcpyor - well $400 for CVs is not a pittance and I still have to rebuild the 911 which will take a large sum of money, but I hear ya!

[OnTheRun2]

It all boils down to your not holding your mouth right.
Keep playing with it, and it will slide together. Then you will sit and look at it, wondering how it happened.
OTR

[Slam]

Start with two ball bearings opposite each other. Snap them into the cage on the inner race and slide the inner race into the outer race perpendicular to it. Then snap in the rest of the bearings, placing them beside the bearings already in the cage, tilting the inner race as you go. Each time things refuse to go together, go back to two ball bearings in the inner race and change the orientation of the inner and outer races. Eventually you'll pop in the last bearing and tilt the race and the whole thing will just slide together. It can fall apart just as easily when you pack it...