Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:08:08 -0700
Reply-To: Adrian Bertarelli <adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Adrian Bertarelli <adrian.bertarelli@ATTBI.COM>
Subject: Re: CV Joints
In-Reply-To: <63567A4E.3EDA0457.4B76CC76@netscape.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Taking the rear axles out can be a sticky job. The best advise I had
was to make sure you clean the heads of the bolts that are in the rear
trailing arm. If you clean them real good and then spray some liquid
wrench on their they start coming out a little easier. The worst is
breaking or stripping a head of one of those suckers. Opens a whole new
world of pain.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of David Robertson
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 9:37 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: CV Joints
Removing the joints is as you describe- just removing the six bolts on
each end of each axle. The outer bolts can be difficult to get to
because they are inside the rear trailing arm (atleast they are on my
82). A ratchet extension is used and as long as you can get the bolts
loose; you should not have any problems.
A press is not necessary to remove the joint from the axle. They can be
difficult to remove if tight, but all that is needed is to carefully
hammer the shaft down through the joint. I use an old socket that is
smaller than the shaft and place the joint on top of a vice with the
axle hanging down. then hammer the inside of the shaft down through the
joint.
You will need some sort of manual that describes how to dissasemble,
clean, inspect, and regrease the joints. Or just get new ones. You can
now even buy the entire axle and joints already assembled as a unit.
This might be the best option if time is a factor.
Definatly do both joints on the same axle at the same time. It isnt
absolutly necessary to do both axles at the same time, but a good idea.
Make sure you properly torque the bolts down on reassmbly. Check the
bolts after you drive it. They WILL come loose if not torqued properly.
The entire process is very messy and can be time consuming. There is
nothing really difficult about it and it doesnt take any special tools
other than the right socket allen/star tool (there are 2 types of bolts
in use, not sure which one you will have). The only problem you may
find is if the outer bolts are tight and you strip them.
dr
Art Beutler <abeutler@COX.NET> wrote:
>My 86 vanagon has recently developed a noise sounding like metal
striking
>metal originating from the rear somewhere. This rate of the striking
noise
>is proportional to speed and it pretty much goes away when the clutch
is
>engaged and sometimes at higher speeds. Having had a look thorough
previous
>postings for such noises, it is pretty likely that this is caused by a
bad
>CV joint.
>
>I have not crawled under the vehicle yet but I have read that I should
be
>able to find the bad CV joint by checking for fore and aft play; I will
>undertake this task tomorrow. My main question is: how hard are these
to
>change and how does one go about doing it. The shop manual starts with
the
>axle shaft already removed - is this a simple matter of loosening the
bolts
>on either end and pulling it out or is there more to it? Once the axle
>shaft is removed, the manual implies that a press is required to remove
the
>old CV joints - is this really true? Are there any alternatives? If
one
>gets past this point, are there any tricks to reassembly?
>
>Also, if there is no obvious cause of failure (ie damaged boot) of the
bad
>CV joint, can the others be expected to last much longer or should I
change
>them all?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Art
Beutler
>
__________________________________________________________________
The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now!
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at
http://webmail.netscape.com/