Will 0 Posted June 23, 2004 I've taken the outerjoint off to change a split boot and am wondering how to check if the joint's knackered. Cleaned it all up as bentley suggests and the ball bearings are perfect, however there is a polished appearance on the surfaces but no deep tracks or cracking around the edges of the bearing cages. Not really sure how much wear constitutes as 'excessive' and was wondering if anyone has any advice? Can post photos of the joint if this would help.... Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhatVR6 0 Posted June 23, 2004 you can usually see the wear. does it rattle at all? I'd just clean it all out in a parafin bath and then re grease it. it takes a lot to kill one. people run them bone dry for years and they still keep going. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will 0 Posted June 23, 2004 Yeah i've cleaned it up and some of the surfaces are shiny but I wouldn't say they are that bad. Just don't want to put it back together then find out it's knackered cause had some knocking from that side but have just changed top mounts, ball joints and ARB link rod and haven't driven it since so could already be sorted.. The knocking seemed to happen along when driving normally, not accelerating/braking/corner so is that likely to be a driveshaft joint? Thanks again Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nick_Micouris 0 Posted June 23, 2004 mine was nackered but you couldnt really tell by looking at it. I just got a knocking sound from the cv joint that I could hear by manually turning the wheel. the boot had split and had allowed a lot of muck into the joint. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 23, 2004 Dirt ingress will kill a CV very quickly, so ever you do any work on the front hubs, replace the boots as a matter of course. K Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
belfastfumanchu 0 Posted June 24, 2004 anyone know what the C.V in cv joints stands for Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_mat 0 Posted June 24, 2004 Constant Velocity .. Normal "Universal Joints" don't transmit the rotation smoothly through a bend. A CV joint (as it's name suggests) transmits the rotation on a 1:1 basis from the input to the output, no matter what angle the joint is at. A UJ transmits the rotation with a massive variation in speed through a full revolution - depending on the angle of the joint, it can be very significant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
belfastfumanchu 0 Posted June 24, 2004 Glad i asked that - cheers dr mat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yalan 0 Posted June 24, 2004 and while we're on about CV joints - Is there any trick to getting the joint off the shaft ??? Or is it just a copper faced 'persuasion tool' job? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted June 24, 2004 and while we're on about CV joints - Is there any trick to getting the joint off the shaft ??? Or is it just a copper faced 'persuasion tool' job? you just tap it off Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Do reckon these look okay? Will replace the joint today if not..... Sorry about the pic size, couldn't see the detail if I went lower. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Bacon 5 Posted June 25, 2004 The cages don't look too bad but look for pitting in the balls. All you need to do to check CVs is hold the driveshaft with your hand, grab the outer CV and then move it around in all planes checking for CV to shaft play. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dazzyvr6 0 Posted June 25, 2004 youll be suprised how long they will last with no boot on,on my old cavilier i used one of the easy fit,super glue down the seam jobbies,which lasted all of 2 days,and it flew off and i didnt put one back on,and it didnt fail at all,the front bearing collapsed then i scrapped the car :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will 0 Posted June 25, 2004 Yeah the balls are fine so I think I'll stick it back on. Thanks for your help with this! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Will 0 Posted July 3, 2004 haven't had a chance to put it back together yet as been away all week. Just realised I've made a schoolboy error and forgotten to mark the positions :oops: Just wondering which way round the hub goes. I know it won't be perfect as the cage and hub are unlikely to match up but I'm sure this won't matter too much? Does the hub (joint1.jpg) fit with the flat side, (left side in the picture) facing the outside of the joint.....(if that makes sense :roll: ) Sorry for the silly question Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yalan 0 Posted July 3, 2004 and while we're on about CV joints - Is there any trick to getting the joint off the shaft ??? Or is it just a copper faced 'persuasion tool' job? you just tap it off Just tap it off???? I've been hammering away at the ba*tard for the last hour with the biggest copper faced mallet money can buy.....! It just won't budge. Any other bright suggestions?? I've gotta get the boot & ball joint done before I can do the rest of the suspension - in the next 3 hours!! HELP!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yalan 0 Posted July 3, 2004 aaaaaaaah! coming up for 2 hours hammering. Still no movement. On my audi, you could just put the hub bolt back in and wind it all the way in. This then drove the shaft off the joint. No such luck with this poxy vw :x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yalan 0 Posted July 3, 2004 noooo have now driven the entire driveshaft out of the side of the gearbox. This is not going well. And the F*ing CV joint will STILL not budge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VR6 0 Posted July 3, 2004 Sorry, I know I shouldn't but ..... :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yalan 0 Posted July 3, 2004 yes ..... thank you! just for closure on this matter - it did come off eventually. After 3 hours of hammering. There was so much copper in the joint from the hammer face that I had to disassemble the joint to clean it out & check that no damage had been done. Seriously though. Once the shaft was off the car, I had a mole whench grip the shaft & this I held back with my foot whilst hammering the joint - literally as hard as I could - in the opposite direction. Nothing was wrong with the joint - just didn't want to move! ............"just tap it off" !!!!!!! :wink: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
