Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 10:58:21 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: CV joints..What to look at, how to tell...
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Hi Don,
the first level of CV joint checking that I do ,with everything in situ,
is -
first, just see if the axles slide left/right. They should slide easily in
the grease. They almost always do.
Next ....check for rotational slop or play.
The starter out with zero play there, and it grows as the balls and ball
grooves wear.
I hold the axle with a big pliers, and rotate either end looking for
excessive play. Some is fine.
I also just wiggle them up and down . ( parking brake off ) If you have a
very dry CV joint, with wear and play....it will nosily jangle a little.
With yours greased not that long ago , they shouldn't sound dry or loose
like that.
anything else requires removing them from the van for better inspection or
service.
If they are well lubed, they can stay ok even with a fair amount of play in
them.
I carry one good used CV joint on a trip, or a new one if I have one.
A whole spare axle is a bit much to lug along on a trip.
I like the later type screws too...the 12 point ones. They're harder
material and rarely strip out, like the 6 mm Allen ones do so easily.
I carry the bearings and seals for one rear axle too, if I have those parts
around, and if I don't know the history and age of the rear wheel bearings.
I tend to carry a generous amount of spare though. After all, what you
bring a spare for is less likely to fail it seems.
and you never know when just one bolt or nut, or a hose clamp, or some
bailing wire will keep you moving if something falls off, breaks, etc.
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Hanson" <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 8:14 PM
Subject: CV joints..What to look at, how to tell...
> No drug content, but I did say "Joint" in my subject line..do I get credit
> for that?
>
> Tomorrow is going to be an 'under Vanagon' maintenance session for me. I
> have my regularly scheduled spelunking maintenance to do and while I have
> all that 'smegma' in my eyes, I wanted to check on my CV joints again.
> Last
> summer I pulled em all apart and repacked with fresh grease, and I
> replaced
> one that was the worst one--a couple of the bearings and the cage was
> pretty
> badly surface galled. The others showed some discoloration on the
> bearings,
> cages looked OK. I didn't have the cash to just replace em all because of
> a bit of heat bluing.
> Right now, I hear no unusual or alarming noises while driving..everything
> seems OK under there..From the Driver's seat. But I am, "Going Under" in
> the
> morning, swapping in some Swepco for the tranny and lubing and checking
> all
> the shift linkage as well as changing gas filter and adding an inline
> "pre-pump" filter, so I am going to be "right there" at the axles...
>
> I really don't want to take the axles apart again just to look. I'd
> really
> like to avoid that awful mess of grease and solvent, probably stripping
> out
> an allen screw or two, if I can right now...So, can I get an idea of how
> those joints might be holding up by any non-invasive inspection methods?
> Push/pull on the axles? Rotate a wheel and listen? Run the van while on
> jackstands and listen?...anybody have any little tricks that might help me
> tell if I have an imminent failure just waiting to happen under there?
>
> I am planning on doing a complete job on the CVs and axles this coming
> fall, when I do my next 'under van' scheduled maintenance before our next
> major trip, our winter time desert sojourn. I am being lazy and maybe a
> bit risky, I know...but I just don't have the time and cash right now to
> simply do the whole thing on the basis of some heat discoloration I saw
> last
> time in there...
>
> Helpful hints? thanks, Don Hanson
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