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Date:         Thu, 9 Mar 2006 12:22:26 -0500
Reply-To:     carboncow <feller@CARBONCOW.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         carboncow <feller@CARBONCOW.COM>
Subject:      Re: need input on confusing CV joints...
Comments: To: John Rodgers <inua@charter.net>
In-Reply-To:  <44105D01.4060608@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I would agree with this statement about tolerance on rebuilds. The unit that came out was a replacement from before with oversized bearing balls. The new unit I put in (two new CV and axle) had smaller balls. Interesting how easily the ball fell out of the old one (obviously parts have wear) while the new CV had balls that fit into the ring with a nice "snap".

On my new CV/axle I took one of the CV assemblies off trying to put it back together (it fell part while greasing the other end!) and noted that there was a flange cut on the CV assembly that should butt up against the axle stop. This a "correct way" to reassemble it. They were unique although I don't know if this really affects if the CV has a "correct way" to be on.

Shawn

-----Original Message----- From: John Rodgers [mailto:inua@charter.net] Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 11:51 AM To: carboncow Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: need input on confusing CV joints...

From my reading and study about the rebuilt CV's - often used in "complete axle assemblies" at low prices which make them so attractive - the CV's are drilled, reamed, machined, and then over-sized ball bearings put in.

The CV's were engineered with specific specs and the installation of those specified parts was also engineered to operate in certain parameters and provide certain performance. . The CV's are close tolerance parts, and the minute the dimensions are altered, the geometry of operations changes and the loads on the part are then different. I contend that it results in different performance with different wear patterns, none of which equals or increases the longevity of the parts. I'm also suspicious of the the hardness of the surfaces of the bearings and the races. Given the place that a CV serves in, and the kind of loads placed on it, I think that new bearing races particularly have been specially hardened to stand up to the wear. The process is most likely a nitriding process which is often used to harden surfaces for better wear and longer life. Crankshaft bearing surfaces are a good example. . If that surface is machined in any way, and not put back through the nitride process the surface hardness is lost, and wear will be much more rapid. That, plus the changed geometry, will result in a much shorter life of the part. Of course this is educated conjecture on my part, but it seems logical.

All that being said, if bucks are in short supply, go for the cheaper parts, just be aware that the life will be shorter, and you will be replacing them much sooner. Don't bitch about poor parts when it happens.

As for improper assembly, yes, they can be re-assembled incorrectly after cleaning. They will not flex properly when that happens. I doubt that an axle with both CV's improperly assembled can actually be installed that way. I haven't run across the problem, but I do question it. Anybody??

My question is - Is there a front and a back to a CV. All I have ever worked with came with a groove in the outside of the race, on one side. I always made sure that groove was in the same direction as when the CV came off the shaft. However, that still doesn't mean it is correct. What if the PO had done it wrong?? What then? Just wondering.

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver

carboncow wrote:

>I agree Bill. If assembled wrong it's frozen, from what I can tell >there are only two options. Correct and working and frozen. If you >assemble the bearings and the outer ring through the backside it will lock up. > > I'm guessing there is just a flaw in the low quality unit since this >was a replacement that had the click. > >Shawn > >-----Original Message----- >From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf >Of Bill Collins >Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:01 AM >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: need input on confusing CV joints... > > > >>Sometimes CV joints get assembled improperly. Look at the right up on >>Tom Carrington's web page and the pictures. He explains in detail how >>to reassemble them correctly and incorrectly. It is not unheard of to >>find that a joint was assembled incorrectly when they are rebuilt. >>This could be the case. So perhaps you can reassemble it and have a >>good spare axle. >> >> > >I thought an incorrectly assembled joints is completely locked up and >can't even be installed on the van. > >The only joints I have ever had fail while the boots were intact were >on cheap FLAPS re-built axles. > >Bill > > > >


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