Suby Guys, question about tripod inner cv joints, Retainer (CirClip) failed!? Options

[914pipe]

Found out that my trailing arms bushings were shot, so I changed them and put everything back together.



Went for a 10 min ride and about 3/4 of a mile from home I heard a "BOOM" coming from the passenger side....and almost no traction... Every time I try to move the car.... It will make a loud nice.... Long story short...Took the car home on a tow truck.

Inspected the car and the passenger side inner CV joint retainer clip (cir-clip, the one that prevents the tripod come off the CV housing) was missing. No signals of it inside the boot. I did NOT remove the boot while changing the trailing arms bushings, but I might have forced a little the axles while removing the trailing arms that may could had help to misaligned the cir-clip. There were some metal shavings inside the boot.

The loud noise was because the tripod was skipping over the tripod "cup" or CV joint housing...

Question is.....Have this ever happen to you guys? I know that the use of tripod CV joints is the less common conversion here.

Could this happen again even having the cir clip correctly installed. I put about 60 miles on this car before the trailing arm bushing installation and the car was driving pretty good with no problems or weird noises at all.

Thanks in advance!

Pictures for reference:

[76-914]

Haven't had that happen and I've got 12K on the clock. Your axles and output flanges seem to line up well. When you installed the 1/2 shafts what was the clearance between the end of the output shaft and the body of the CV?

[Amenson]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

[tazz9924]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[914pipe]

Haven't had that happen and I've got 12K on the clock. Your axles and output flanges seem to line up well. When you installed the 1/2 shafts what was the clearance between the end of the output shaft and the body of the CV?

I'm not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but I can move the axle all the way inside the cup and if I pull it, the bearing will come out like 1/4 (10mm) approx. I'm thinking that my axles are to short and may add an Inch to each one of them. Other thing that I could try is to make a 1 inch spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

[914pipe]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

That's what I was thinking....that maybe my axles are too short. I seen in other cars that use tripods and does not have a cirlip like ours. As the previous comment, I'm going to make longer axles or a spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

[rnellums]

+1 on axles being too short. They should be long enough that the hearing can’t contact the circlip at maximum extension.

[76-914]

Haven't had that happen and I've got 12K on the clock. Your axles and output flanges seem to line up well. When you installed the 1/2 shafts what was the clearance between the end of the output shaft and the body of the CV?

I'm not sure if this is the answer you are looking for, but I can move the axle all the way inside the cup and if I pull it, the bearing will come out like 1/4 (10mm) approx. I'm thinking that my axles are to short and may add an Inch to each one of them. Other thing that I could try is to make a 1 inch spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

If your drive train is bolted in place and the outer CV and 1/2 shaft are bolted to the wheel there should be "just enough" clearance to slip the inner CV onto the trans stub. I wouldn't go anything greater than an 1/8". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) that your 1/2 shafts are too short. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[flmont]

The last time we heard from 914pipe,..he was kinda hauling ass down some hi-way trying to beat that Hurricane,..Sure glad you survived all that !!! and your hopefully back in action ...

[BIGKAT_83]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

That what I was thinking....that maybe my axles are too short. I seen in other cars that use tripods and does not have a cirlip like ours. As the previous comment, I'm going to make longer axles or a spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

Gut another old CV and use it for a spacer. Worked for me until I got longer axles.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

[914pipe]

The last time we heard from 914pipe,..he was kinda hauling ass down some hi-way trying to beat that Hurricane,..Sure glad you survived all that !!! and your hopefully back in action ...

I beat Hurricane Irma and survived Hurricane Maria (Total disaster) and moved to NC and bring the car with me. Was a big challenge to bring it here, the local government (Puerto Rico) is super bureaucratic, but we made it!

Thanks!

[914pipe]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

That what I was thinking....that maybe my axles are too short. I seen in other cars that use tripods and does not have a cirlip like ours. As the previous comment, I'm going to make longer axles or a spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

Gut another old CV and use it for a spacer. Worked for me until I got longer axles.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

I was thinking about doing that... I am sure this will required like M8x100mm bolts...

Thanks

[mgp4591]

If your drive train is bolted in place and the outer CV and 1/2 shaft are bolted to the wheel there should be "just enough" clearance to slip the inner CV onto the trans stub. I wouldn't go anything greater than an 1/8". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) that your 1/2 shafts are too short. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)[/quote]

If you change out a stock Subaru axle in a Subaru, that's about the clearance you have once you've disconnected the ball joint from the control arm. So even that action on your instructions Kent is a little loose but since our suspensions in back don't turn (at least they're not supposed to!) that's just about right. I've changed two of them on my Impreza within the year - takes me about half an hour per axle.

[914pipe]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

That what I was thinking....that maybe my axles are too short. I seen in other cars that use tripods and does not have a cirlip like ours. As the previous comment, I'm going to make longer axles or a spacer between the outer stub axle and the cv joint.

Thanks for your response!!!

Gut another old CV and use it for a spacer. Worked for me until I got longer axles.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)

I did that and worked fine for a temporary solution. BTW these are 1995 jetta cv joints. Here are some pics:



I drilled and taped the 2 extra holes in the stubs.





This gave me enough time to design some spacer to use the 944 cv joints, since they are stronger and have the same spline count as the 914.

I just took the axles today to the machine shop to cut/shave the axle so the 944 CV fit correctly. Here are some pictures.

944 CV to 914 stub adapter.


I drilled and taped the other 2 holes in the stubs.



another



another




I hope I can put together the car during the weekend!

[tazz9924]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

I had the same problem

[Chris H.]

I had that happen with my first set of axles that were too short. I don't believe that clip is intended to take much force, possibly just there to hold the joint together when out of the car.

I had the same problem

Yep me too. Should be good to go with that spacer. I converted over to 944 CV joints as well after destroying 3 914 CVs.

[Chi-town]

Axle shaft was too short. The clip is only meant to keep the axle together during service.

That spacer better be perfectly concentric otherwise you will be chasing an axle vibration.

The shorter that shaft gets the more angle it will see and that can create other issues.

Sway-Away has the dimensions for Ian's (coldwater914) axle shafts to run stock outer and Suby DOJ inner.

I would switch over to a set of 911 hubs and stubs to get the length back in the shaft and eliminate the spacers.