My transmission is out of my car, awaiting reinstallation. I thought this would be a good opportunity to take off the inner CVs, clean, repack, and reinstall. I have no reason to believe anything is wrong with them -- just seems like a good idea since they're currently accessible. I have all the parts I need (new boots, bolts, schnorr washers, gaskets, swepco grease).

The stub axles are still in the car (connected at the wheel end) and I don't want to take them out.

Has this been done by others in the past or am I asking for trouble here? Mostly I question getting the circlip reinstalled.

These amazing videos show me everything I need to do, but are performed with the axles out of the car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsytyVzokBg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOma2BMhrzc

Thanks
Rich

I cleaned and repacked mine yesterday!

It seems a waste not to do all 4 at the same time! They come out easy and you can work on them on the bench!

Cleaning off the old grease is the hard part and you might want to inspect them while your at it!

If you want to service the CV joints you don't need to take the stub axles out. Just un-do the bolts holding that CV joint to the axle.. either the inboard or outboard side.

Click to view attachment

Not sure what you mean by this...to remove the CV joint from the stub axle, you need to remove the retaining circlip / snap ring at least on the inboard side. not sure about the outboard side. There is no bolt that holds the CV joint to the stub axle.

I don't see how the CV joint could be serviced while still attached to the axle.

Rich,

I sent you an email before I saw you had replied to Randal's post. What is not clear from that diagram is that the CV on the wheel side is attached to the stub axle just like the CV on the transmission side is attached to the transmission flange.

So you can remove it from the stub axle (with the stub axle still in the arm and bolted to the wheel hub), but it's just a tough area to work in as it is recessed into the swing arm. So removing it and putting it back it a pain in the ass. Or at a minimum more difficult than the transmission side.

Richard

I think it will be difficult getting that circlip on and off. Why do half the job? How long has it been?

And...... you cannot fully disassemble a CV while it is still attached to either end of the axle.

I can USUALLY trust a CV to stay together while still on the axle.
If you get it too catter-wompus it might start dropping balls out like a rabbit after eating a few heads of lettuce.

However I have never been able to remove the ball cage and separate the two CV halves with the axle still in.


That said.... you CAN remove a CV from under the car without removing the axle, but you would be lucky if you could do it without at least a small amount of pounding - on or off. ( bad for the CV still in the car)

Stu

I found a nice Sears tool that let me easily remove the "C" clip holding the CV on the axle

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_0...;blockType=G137

I agree with the others on pulling the half shaft out. Disassemble, inspect and replace parts as necessary;repack. Put your best joints on the wheel side. If the CVs don't easily slide on and off the the shaft take a file to the splines. While you are cleaning the CVs it's a great time to paint the shafts (mine are green to match the car).

The bolts are not too hard to get to especially since you have the trans out. Find a positon in which you can access one bolt and remove it then rotate the wheel until the next bolt is in the same position; repeat.
Don't forget new washers under the bolts.

Lennies914 and I have done this many times by putting a come along on the axcel and adding pressure then tapping the outer CV with a large chisel until it pops off!

well I was trying to control "scope creep" for this project, but based on this thread I'm going to attempt to remove the half shafts and service both CVs. I just bought what I needed from pelican and paid extra for the 2 day delivery so I can do it this weekend.

My car thanks you.

Rich

Jeff
When you cleaned them up, did you wipe just wipe them down with paper towels, or did you spray them with carb cleaner also?