Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (July 1995)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 27 Jul 1995 07:30:19 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Tobin T. Copley" <tobin@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca>
Subject:      Re: stuck CV joint (kinda long)

There are two main pieces to a CV joint (forget about the cage and the ball bearings themselves for a minute). 1) The splined chunk that fits on to the drive shaft (technically referred to as the 'inner bit'); 2) The larger, kinda disc shaped chunk that you bolt to the wheel or transmission with those 6 allen-head bolts (technical term: the 'outer bit').

Six ball bearings run between them. As Bob has pointed out in one of his sermonettes, it's a Good Idea to keep track of which ball bearing belongs in which position. It sounds like you didn't do that, but while it's a Good Idea, it's not the source of your problem, but it may reduce the overall life of the CVs if you didn't follow Bob's Word.

Here's your problem: Notice how it seems that the inner and outer bits have six deep grooves machined in them for the ball bearings to move back and forth in? Well, only every other one of the possible matching pairs will work. If you've put your joint back together with the inner and outer bits mis-matched, the joint will sieze. Believe me, I've been there.

This is difficult to explain, but look at your CV joint, and imagine that the ball bearings are positioned on a clock face, with the end of the drive shaft being at the centre of the face. You'll have ball bearings positioned at noon, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 o'clock (six bearings). If your joint siezes on re-assembly, take the joint apart again, and rotate the outer bit so that the groove for the outer bit's 12 o'clock bearing now sits over the inner bit's groove for the 2 o'clock bearing. Reassemble with this new orientation. The joint should allow the inner and outer bits to move in all directions except rotationally wrt the driveshaft.

This is all assuming you can actually get the damn thing apart again. If this CV joint has been used before, it should be loose enough to get apart without much problem. Be sure to use CV joint grease when reassembling. Removing the joint from the shaft will make life easier, and I'd argue that it's worth your while to slap new boots on while you're into the CVs anyway--they're like $15.00 a piece, and new ones will protect your investment in time and $$$.

Tobin

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tobin T. Copley Currently ============= (604) 689-2660 Occupationally /_| |__||__| :| putta tobin@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca Challenged! O| | putta '-()-------()-' Circum-continental USA, Mexico, Canada 15,000 miles... '76 VW Camper! (Mango)


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.