CV Bolt Removal Tip Options

[Chuck]

This may be a case of been there done that for many here but in case it helps . . .

After getting frustrated laying under the car and trying to get the socket and the star tool arranged so I could get it seated into the CV bolt and have room to maneuver - and coming within a whisker of rounding a bolt - I came upon this method that worked well.

Set your floor jack under the rear jacking donut of the side of the car you are working on. Raise the car just enough so that the weight comes off of the suspension and the car rises while the rear wheel stays on the ground. If you don't keep the wheel on the ground, it will spin when you attempt to loosen the CV bolt. With the suspension raised, you should have enough room for your arm to go through the space between the top of the wheel and the bottom of the trunk at the rear of the wheel well. Insert the 12 point CV removal tool into the CV bolt by hand. Then reach in and tap it lightly with a hammer to fully seat the tool into the CV bolt, this will greatly lessen your chances of rounding out the bolt. Then apply an extension onto your socket, I used a 6", and insert into the CV removal tool and remove the CV bolt. When it is removed, just raise the car enough to spin the tire to access the next CV bolt. When the bolt is where you want it, lower the car until the wheel is on the ground and will not spin and remove the next bolt in the same manner.

Removing the bolts in this manner took less than 10 minutes for both sides and I did not strip a single bolt. I hope this helps someone else facing the same project.

[skline]

I walk bowlegged sometimes because of some big old cahones but I remove both rear wheels while on jack stands and go in from each side with my 13" extension and the star tool hooked onto my 3/8 impact and have not lost one yet to stripping. They buzz out so fast I can have them all out in like 4 minutes.

Others may balk at me for it but I do it whatever way works best for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[Chuck]

skline,

I may very well have tried your way if'n I had no fear of strippin' one of them bolts (and if the car was not in neutral with the shift bar already removed for other work under there).

[Dave_Darling]

Chuck, a very good rule of thumb is:

Never put anything under a car that is only supported by a jack if you actually mind losing that thing. Jacks can collapse, sometimes without warning. I would not rely on any jack to make room for your arm in a very tight space unless I didn't mind losing the arm some day...

There is probably another way to get the CV tool into the bolts, similar to the way you used, but that does not put you as much at risk.

Personally, I can't get under my car without putting it up in the air, so I always have to have it on jack stands anyway. I usually rely on my hand-brake to keep the rear wheel from turning while I loosen the CV joint bolts, but so far I've only ever done the outboard ones.

--DD

[sww914]

I bought a special extension for my impact gun just for CV bolts. The female end is 1/2" drive and the male end is 3/8" drive, and it's 24" long.
The Torx socket fits on the small end and my impact or torque wrench fits on the big end so that with the wheels off I can sit next to the car, l put the socket in the bolt head, and zip them right out. Not having a series of extensions and adapters lessens the loss of impact from the gun.
To torque them I have somebody apply the brakes, or sometimes I jam my hood prop between the seat and the brake pedal to apply pressure.
Mot racecars don't have a parking brake.

[Chuck]

Chuck, a very good rule of thumb is:

Never put anything under a car that is only supported by a jack if you actually mind losing that thing. Jacks can collapse, sometimes without warning. I would not rely on any jack to make room for your arm in a very tight space unless I didn't mind losing the arm some day...

There is probably another way to get the CV tool into the bolts, similar to the way you used, but that does not put you as much at risk.

Personally, I can't get under my car without putting it up in the air, so I always have to have it on jack stands anyway. I usually rely on my hand-brake to keep the rear wheel from turning while I loosen the CV joint bolts, but so far I've only ever done the outboard ones.

--DD

Dave,

Forgot to mention that I had support blocks under it just for that eventuality. If the jack slipped or failed in any way, there was a backup. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Chuck

[Dave_Darling]

Excellent, Chuck--glad to hear that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

--DD

[Brando]

If you're using a hand wratchet... Sometimes you just gotta wake up in the morning. Get a good bite on it with a single motion.

On the lift, I'll usually hold the tire with my shoulder then snap the CV bolt in a single motion. That usually gets it loose enough to turn it out by hand. Turn the wheel a bit for the next bolt, SNAP, rotate... etc.

Inboard ones aren't very difficult either. You can easily put the car in gear under it.

[krazykonrad]

I've found this proceedure to help tighten the bolts:
1. Jack 1 side up in the air. (with jackstand, of course)
2. When you've got the bolt in an are tightining it down, hold the bolt in place spin the lifted wheel in the opposite direction as the bolt. (Tranny must be in neutral). It really adds some torque to the process.
My 2 cents.
Konrad 72/4