I had a recent discussion on the wearing of a CV joint. I devised a simple visual aid to assist everyone in understanding the difference between flipping an axle over on the same side and switching the axle from side to side. Take a paper towel tube (or similar). Make an L shape cut in both ends of the tube on the top, making a tab. Bend up the tabs. You should have a tube with a tab poking up on each end of the tube. Make the cuts at the same radial location on the tube. With you left hand, place your thumb against the tab on the left side. Make a mark on this side of the tab with a marker, pen, blood from your cutting mishap, whatever. Your left thumb is the transmission applying a torque to the CV joint (the tube). With your right hand curl your index finger around and place is against the tab of the tube on the right side. Make a mark there too. This finger is the wheel resisting the torque applied by the transmission. If all is done properly you should have marks on opposite sides of the tabs, when looking at the tube. The marks indicate the direction of load when accelerating or normal driving. Now, after understanding the loads from the tranny to the wheel. Flip around the tube, and apply load with the left hand again. You should see that the load is applied against the SAME location (your left thumb will be against the mark). Flipping around an axle on the same side of the trans doesn't change the load. Now, apply load with your right thumb. This is the same axle, on the other SIDE of the tranny. Resist the load with you left index finger. Both of these load points will be on the side of the tab without the markers. Summary - To lengthen the life of a CV, one needs to switch sides of the transmission. Vanagons - For those with autos, you need to remove the CV's from the axle and install on the other axle. Manual trans are the same length. Don't know offhand about loafs. - Jeff
|
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Vanagon mail messages have been archived.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.