Looking for guide to changing inner CV joints on VR6...

[adamukcorrado 0]

I've used the search with no success, i'm looking for a step by step guide to changing inner CV joints on a VR6.

i need to know what tools are required, and best way to approach it- e.g. do you need to remove whole drive shaft for better access or can it be done lying under car?

 

can anyone help?

[Toad 0]

It can be done under the car, but I could imagine it would be a right pain in the arse.

 

To do it still attached to the car I would (off the top of my head)

 

Jack the car up securing it properly, take the wheel off.

 

get a 8mm(I think) spline socket (like a multisplined allen key) and use it to undo the 6 bolts on the driveshaft. It would be best to have an assitant in the car to put the car in and out of gear for you as you try to undo the bolts.

 

When they are all loose, undo the bottom ball joint and separate it from the hub, this should give you enough play to pull the inner cv away from the gearbox and drop it down to start the fun.

 

Use a set of circlip pliers to remove the circlip from the end of the shaft.

 

The CV joint should slide off. remove this and the shaped washer behind it, pull the cv boot off and clean the shaft.

 

Now weasel the new boot onto the driveshaft, fit the new shaped washer( the right way round, and fit the new cv.

 

Heres's the tricky bit.

 

Get your new circlip up onto the driveshaft. at this point it will not fit in the groove. You will need a socket that fits snugly over the driveshaft, put this over the end and wack it squarely with a hammer. This will compress the shaped washer behind the cv joint and force the circlip into the groove...

 

You might want to put the bottom ball joint in to give you something solid to hit with the hammer.

 

Make sure that the circlip is correctly seated, and there is no play at the cv joint end... then grease it all up. and re attach it...

 

Good luck

 

PM me if you want pictures.

[adamukcorrado 0]

excellent, you make it sound easy!! are there any important torque settings to go by or is it just a case of tightening the 6 drive shaft bolts as tight as possible?

[Toad 0]

It's not easy. The circlip is a right pain in the arse... It's very stiff to open up.

 

The boot is really difficult to get over the shaft too.

 

You should probably adhere to some torque settings but I don't know what they are. I did my bolts up tight. Not so tight you strip threads or can't undo them though.

 

You should check them all after a few miles just in case.

[adamukcorrado 0]

think i'll give it a go, it's something i've not done before and would like to know for the future.

 

Thanks alot for the advice :salute: , will be spendng another oily weekend under the car shortly!

[Toad 0]

Cool

 

Good luck with it... and remember to pay attention to which way round the inner cv fits on the shaft... one edge has a gasket, the other doesn't.

 

If your bottom ball joint won't split, then remove the three bolts and slide the ball joint out the wishbone. you will need to get the car re-tracked if you use this method though.

[was8v 0]

Can a drivers side (ruight hand side) inner CV be done without undoing the hub nub?

 

I.e. can it be dropped between the sump and wishbone?

 

The balljoint could be seperated I guess to add some room?

 

Has anyone done it without undoing the hub nut? I have a pit so can get under the car easily.

 

Cheers.

[herisites 0]

Yeah the drivers side driveshaft can be dropped without needing to undo the hub nut. Same as the other side really, once you have undone the bolts holding the inner joint to the gearbox you can get the leverage by splitting the ball joint on the drivers side.

[was8v 0]

Yeah the drivers side driveshaft can be dropped without needing to undo the hub nut. Same as the other side really, once you have undone the bolts holding the inner joint to the gearbox you can get the leverage by splitting the ball joint on the drivers side.

 

 

Just to verify this is anyone else is going to do this:

 

-Once undone the inner cv doesn't drop down, the shaft wont fit between the sump and wishbone.

-You can undo the balljoint to get a bit of room (enough to get the old CV off and the new one on)

-But good luck to you in getting the circlip back on! I couldn't do it.

[Toad 0]

Oh dear :(

 

2 courses of action, drop the sump, or undo the engine mounts and jack the engine up... That circlip is a right turd to do. Made me say a few rude words :bad-words:

[was8v 0]

That circlip is a right turd to do. Made me say a few rude words :bad-words:

 

 

Hmm after a search of Vortex I'm not so sure the dished washer is necessary, which would make it easier to get the circlip on:

 

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3679343

[was8v 0]

That circlip is a right turd to do. Made me say a few rude words :bad-words:

Hmm after a search of Vortex I'm not so sure the dished washer is necessary, which would make it easier to get the circlip on:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3679343

 

Right I did it properly - see viewtopic.php?f=23&t=68109&p=793043#p793043 - best to remove the driveshaft completely from the car or you can't get that circlip on as the joint needs to be compressed into the dished washer.

[was8v 0]

Good luck with it... and remember to pay attention to which way round the inner cv fits on the shaft... one edge has a gasket, the other doesn't.

 

Which side goes to the gearbox? gasket or no gasket?

 

50/50 chance i've done it right......

[Toad 0]

I don't entirely remember. But I do have some driveshafts knocking around that I can look at...

 

I wouldn't fit the joint without the dished washer as there would be a fair bit of play which would eventually lead to something going very wrong no doubt.

 

The nut mentioned in that thread is actually the new hub nut supplied in the kit. Bloody Americans!