Date:         Thu, 7 Jul 1994 21:00:55 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         dworkin@netcom.com (H Steven Dolan)
Subject:      CV-joint regreasing

>    I always use the porsche star-hole
>    bolts to replace the old vw-bolts. costs extra and you have to have a
>    special tool to remove/tighten them, but they don't round out and
>    can be removed or tightened easily even when greasy. they cost about
>    $1.30 per bolt and you'll 24 of them! 

Before you begin, you may want to check all the bolts you will be 
removing.  I did the CV joints on one of my bugs and found hex-head bolts 
on one side and star bolts on the other.  In an emergency, I am told you 
can drive the wrong tool into the bolt head and it will work.... (YUCK!)
Better to look before you leap. 

(I have always thought of the star pattern bolts as "torx" even though I 
am sure they are not {VW licensing from GM???})

By the way, one of those pound-on impact drivers is real handy behind the 
allen/star socket of your choice.  Makes them suckers MOVE.

>    be sure to have a set of vise grips handy. some bolts may not want
>    to come off the joint (being already rounded out from before).

I never got this to work.  I eventually had a freind with an arc welder 
weld a grade 8 bolt to the head and used a socket to finish the job.

I haven't done my '78's CV's yet because of the problems I had with the 
bug.