5 replies to this topic

[pappy52]

I removed the front axles from a parts car, and want to use the stub from the bad one I am replacing. I will need to do this twice to keep the parts car a "roller". Do the CV joints come apart? (On purpose) Or do I need to cut them off? Or crawl under the car in the field and stick them back on the tranny?

Jon

[mbrickell]

I removed the front axles from a parts car, and want to use the stub from the bad one I am replacing. I will need to do this twice to keep the parts car a "roller". Do the CV joints come apart? (On purpose) Or do I need to cut them off? Or crawl under the car in the field and stick them back on the tranny?

Jon

Hmm...my be wrong here, but it is my impression that CV joints are matched, meaning the parts are machined to work together specifically. Taking one apart and using some parts from one with another is shaky I think as far as long term durability. Again, not the expert here, but I had a conversation with an old-time mechanic who was no bs and I recall something along this line back in the hazy mental archives. I think this may be one of the reasons reman joints have such a crappy rep. I've seen outer Soob joints new go for $10 on eBay, so I'd just do that, really.

Another note on this topic from the same guy: At the time, I was having him work on my Vanagon, and apparently the axles are the same length. When this shop would service axles shafts, they would switch them to the other side of the van so they would rotate the opposite direction. He said that the joints lasted far longer this way as the internal wear was spread out. Don't know if any soobs have joints that this could be done with, but I thought it was interesting.

[pappy52]

Thanks for the reply! I was just talking about seperating the stub part (that goes into the hub) from the rest of the axle, and then putting the stub only back on the car so it can be moved around on all tires. Just need to be able to push it from point A to B, and maybe C.

Thanks, Jon

[dxrflyboy]

The outer joints can be removed from the shaft. Lock the axle in a vise, angle the joint sharply to the side, and smack the outside of it with a BFH. It's OK to swap an entire CV joint onto a different axle as long as the splines are the same, but mixing the joint's internal parts isn't recommended.

[pappy52]

The outer joints can be removed from the shaft. Lock the axle in a vise, angle the joint sharply to the side, and smack the outside of it with a BFH. It's OK to swap an entire CV joint onto a different axle as long as the splines are the same, but mixing the joint's internal parts isn't recommended.

Oh Boy! BFH! I would assume that is not the tool to use to reassemble, if one was to try.

Thanks, Jon

[mbrickell]

Oh Boy! BFH! I would assume that is not the tool to use to reassemble, if one was to try.

Thanks, Jon

Heh heh...yeah, hammers and CV joints don't mix too well if you intend to use them again. The race inside doesn't like sudden sharp impact. If you had to, a block of wood between the BFH and part would help avoid damage...