While removing my engine to repair a head, the ball bearings fell out of one of my cv joints. The engine is back in, and I'v been trying to get these bearings back in the cv. I've cussed fussed and ate plenty of grease working under the car trying to get these things back in. What am I doing wrong. I went to the manual, and I understand the spacing is in groups of two, not equidistant, but I still can't get this back together. I did a search, and I apologize if this has been answered already. I am extremely frustrated right now.
Bee Jay

You may have to remove the CV from the axle. But first try to rotate the cage as far as you can on one side, and pull the outer race the other and see if you can get the ball back in.

I'm sorry, but if the balls "fell out" of your CV joints with the axle shafts in place, you are fucked. You need to find a replacement CV joint.

If the joints were never put together correctly, and if for some reason, you could put them back in and have them work, you must remove the CV joint from the axle shaft, clean up the CV joint, rotate the inner portion of the CV joint , insert balls, rotate inner portion of CV joint back, repack CV Joint and reinstall CV joint to axle shaft.

Good luck.

Dang it. Can I preplace the cv with the axle in the car?

QUOTE (Bee Jay @ Aug 29 2005, 08:19 AM)

Dang it. Can I preplace the cv with the axle in the car?

yea, but it won't be fun... just pull it, it will be a lot easier... and you can inspect the rest of the axle...

Sounds like rebuild time....I always keep an extra set of axles in the garage. Slam in the spare, rebuild the screwed up unit later.

I have an extra set if you need it.

Remove the entire axle by removing the cotter key and 30mm nut at the outer end. It will take someone inside with a foot on the brake and a long cheater bar to remove the nut. Repair CV on the bench which is hard/messy enough without trying to do it under the car. DO NOT move the car while the axle is out or you can lose your rear wheel bearing.

I'm in the middle of installing the engine. I guess I can press with shifter linkage, clutch cable, throtle linkage, hook up the wire harness, reconnect the heater ducts, etc. before I lower the car. Doesn't the car have to be on the ground to loosen that 250ft lb. axle nut. Hey, I've never removed an axle, how do you do it? Hey, Mikey Z, can I get one of those axles? Does it already have a new cv joint on it? My goal is to drive the car to Ventura 9/10, and a ready to go axle would be sweeeet. Hey Cap'n. Are you up yet? Am I screwed for real?
Bee Jay
Edit. I guess Jim posted above while I was writting this, and he answered some of my questions. Thanks Jim.

All you have to do is undo the 4 CV bolts just as you did on the inboard end. Whole axle comes right out.

Yes, you can remove the four bolts, leaving the stub axle in place. However, in my experience it can be difficult to clean, remove old gasket, and reinstall new one while it is all inside the trailing arm. Also, the 12 point "triple" square bolts can be packed with dirt/grease and difficult to remove without stripping. I prefer to remove the stub axle with outer CV attached.

Bee Jay...they are just known gud axles with CVs on them. Ask Krusty for my cell # and call when passing thru.

I'm heading to Monterey the 7th-8th....so....

John Larson, The Cap'n is tha man. He's a very nice guy too, not at all crusty. He helped me with my balls:-). I dropped by his shop today, and he was showing some young kid how to work on his BMW. Then he showed this old kid how to re-assemble cv joints. (there is a trick) He had a box of bad ones to demonstrate on, and he let me take one home to practice. He also told me how to remove the cv joints without removing the axle. Just remove the circlip and tap the cv joint out. I did that, cleaned and reassembled with the bearings. And put them back on the axle. I just finished. I will pack them tomorow, and continue with my engine install. What does everyone recomend for packing grease?
Bee Jay
Mike Z, thanks for the offer. Do you change your signature picture daily? I really liked the dancer.

You found the right teacher. You should use grease which is intended specifically for CV joints. I use small tubes which I get at my local VW bug parts store. One tube is correct amount for one joint, 3 grams I think. You put 2/3 of the tube in the boot end and work the remainder into the joint from the other end.

Well done! I learned a lot, pulling & cleaning those CV's last week. I had to to the trial & error thing to get a couple back together (I didn't want to show too much ignorance to the Cap'n).
See ya at GAF, if not before.

I just came back from my FLAPS. They tried to sell me wheel bearing grease. I wanted something that said CV Join Grease. Is it the same thing. I left empy handed. I'm going to NAPA after work. What do I want?
Bee Jay

Look in the yellow pages for a VW specialty parts shop, one that deals with bug parts.

moly based grease

I live in slo-poke Lompoc. VW specealty shop would be the Cap'n. in Santa Maria. I'll try the moly based stuff.
Bee Jay

I hear sum of dem parts houses deliver.......

cv grease is big heavy black goo.... moly based

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Aug 30 2005, 03:05 PM)

cv grease is big heavy black goo.... moly based

Already said that.....cursor up.....

this was suggested to me by a "914 guru" who wants to stay anonymous ...

"red vavoline synthetic wheel bearing grease"

anyone tried this? does it work gud?
Andy

<!-- QuoteBegin Travis Neff+Aug 29 2005, 11:19 AM --></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Travis Neff @ Aug 29 2005, 11:19 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!-- QuoteEBegin --> All you have to do is undo the 4 CV bolts just as you did on the inboard end. Whole axle comes right out. <!-- QuoteEnd --> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!-- QuoteEEnd -->
Having done these many times over the years, "comes right out" might not be the phrase I'd use ....................... The Cap'n

Andy, I'd be interested to know if wheel bearing grease works too. I was just talking about this with a friend tonight. They sell CV joint grease in 4 oz tubes at Napa and Kragen, and it would take 4 tubes to do all 4 joints. Alternatively you could buy a 16 oz tub of moly based grease for less than 1/4 the price. But is it the same stuff??? Hmmm....

Possible thread hijack (this must be CV joint month) - I just pulled all mine apart and every single joint is trash, major pitting on either the inner or outer race and slop in the joint. Is the recommended action to buy new axles at this point or ??? Kragen lists Cardone axles for $74 ea, but I know Cap'n hates A1 Cardone...

Get them back in quick - my dumb ass Corgi ate one (he has a thing for grease - once ate an entire jar of vasoline) and I ended up buying a new joint.

Took me a while to dig this up, but I need it when I get home. Yep, they fell out again.
Bee Jay

Sorry, they just don't fall out.

You pushed the housing to far back on the beam and exposed your balls.

Haven't tried it on a 914 but I used it exclusively on a SCCA Spec Racer. It had a Renault 4 banger with CV's. Never had a problem but it was a fairly low HP dedicated race car.

Yea, I knocked them out.
Bee Jay