Date:         Tue, 25 Oct 1994 12:00:56 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tobin Copley <tobin@unixg.ubc.ca>
Subject:      New CJVs: How stiff is TOO stiff?


Hello all!

I've been doing work on my CV joints, replacing boots, greasing, etc. as 
suggested by Joel, Mike, and others.  Lucky thing, too, because one of 
the joints (inner right) was pretty badly pitted.  

So, I sprung the $100.00 or so for a new joint.  Got it out of the box, 
tried to move it a little with my hands, and thought "Geez, this is 
really tight!"  I couldn't move the inner part relative to the outer part 
at all.  Phoned up the FLAPS where I bought it, and they said they (the 
CV joints, that is :) ) were sometimes really tight out of the box, it 
was ok, it's machined to tight tolerances, it'll loosen up as it wears, 
etc., etc....

So I shrugged and tapped it onto the axle, then tried to re-install the 
axle.  Keep in mind, I still couldn't move the new CV joint at all.  
That's ok, I thought, I'll bolt the inner side (the one with the new 
joint) in first, then use the leverage of the axle to pull down so I can 
get it into position so I can bolt in the other (outer) side.  So I bolt 
the inner CV into place, grab the other end of the axle, AND HANG MY ENTIRE 
BODY WEIGHT FROM THE AXLE!  Of course, it didn't budge.  

I decided I'd fix a sticky door lock since I was covered in grease 
anyway.  Axle's still hanging in the car in the garage as I write.

So: This thing IS too tight, right?  The new CV is defective, and I 
should spare myself any further agravation and just return it for 
(another) new one, right?  Or am I missing something really basic here?  
(And yes, I DID grease the new CV before installing it!)

Thanks for any opinions on this!

Tobin

Tobin T. Copley             | Department of Medical Genetics      ========
email: <tobin@unixg.ubc.ca> | Health Sciences Centre, UBC Site   /_| |__|:|
Phone: (604) 822-7741       | Room F168-2211 Wesbrook Mall      O|        |
Facs:  (604) 822-7970       | Vancouver, B.C., Canada  V6T 2B5   '-O----O-'
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