16" Front Inner CV Joints

[GoldSyncro]

I've just purchased a set of six 16" heavy duty CV joints from Syncro Services as I was led to believe that the front inners, rear inners and rear outers are all the same size as with the 14" Syncro. On inspection I've found the front inners in fact need to be the smaller 14" version to fit my van.

Is the advice I've been given wrong, in some way partly correct or has my van been modified?????

To make matters worse when replacing the front outers I found one to be smaller than the other. I guess at some point the shaft was replaced with one out of a 14" van.

My next question is therefore should I bother evening things up and, if yes, should I go the 14" or 16" route?

Cheers

Rob

IMG112.jpg

IMG111.jpg

[syncrosimon]

iirc the only variations on the 16" syncro for size of cv was the front outers on the diff lock versions being bigger.

Unless you are heavy off roading or have raissed suspension I would imaging the 14"cv will be fine, you would need to change the gearbox output flange and the stub axle to change cv size though.

The 16" cv were not available for a couple of years, so it's likley a modification has taken place if the parts could not be sourced during a repair some years ago.

The rears are the bigger ones, and the inner fronts are the same as a 14"

[..lee..]

My 16" has the smaller joints on the front inner and outer but the front locker was fitted after production. Getting the larger flanges is a bloody nightmare. I was really lucky the other day and found a set that the owner was willing to break for me. If you need 14" flanges aidan has them.
As yours had a front locker from the factory.
Lee.

[GoldSyncro]

Hi Simon

Thanks for your reply. I've decided to order up a front 14" outer CV (with difflock) and run 'as is' at the moment. At some point in the future I'll decide whether or not to find a 16" front stub axle and change it back.

You mention a 'gearbox output flange' which I assume is the spacer shown in the first photo??

Interesting that you've also confirmed that the inner fronts are the same as a 14". A number of suppliers are advertising sets of 6 heavy duty 16" CV joints which, I ussume, are all the same size??

Rob

[axeman]

the spacer between the front inner cv joint and the front diff is on 14inch vans too. i had only 1 on my van, and none on the outher side (missing). but they should be on both sides, dave futbus has had some remade for about a tener. the front cv joints also have slightly longer bolts as well. about 3mm or so from memory. not much but it is enough to make a difference.

neil

[lloydy]

sets of 6 heavy duty 16" CV joints

I've seen them, i think they have slightly more articulation. 23 degrees against 17 rings a bell

[..lee..]

the output flange is the part that the inner cv joint bolts to. they are bigger on the 16" to match up with the 16" joints. its these flanges that are hard to get hold of not so much the joints. the splines on the diff are the same on 14" and 16"

[GoldSyncro]

They're the ones. Ordered a set from Henning at Syncro Services but, as I mentioned, they were all the same size so the front inners were to big. I've discussed the issue with Dina and she insists that all the rear inner & outer and front inner CV's on a 16" Syncro are all the same size.

[GoldSyncro]

Hi Lee

OK, so you're saying that my front gearbox 'flanges' have, at some point, been replaced with the 14" version to allow the fitting of smaller 14" CV Joints. If this is the case then Dina is correct in what she is saying.

Rob

[..lee..]

possibly. or like mine the locking diff was changed after the van left the production line. if the 16" van came without the front diff lock from the factory then it`s an easy swap to fit a 14" front locker as the joints are the same. this is what has happened to mine.

you mention changing the front outers to 14"??? i think you could still fit the 16" locker front outer joints with the shafts you have, you would only need to change the inner joints and diff output flanges then in the future to have all the hd stuff.

am i right here guys????

[lloydy]

There seems to be a few different opinions on the webshops, syncro services say front difflocked 16"ers have bigger front inner and outer, i thought it was just outer, but i'm new at this. Most other webshops say front inner are 14/16"

[GoldSyncro]

Hi Lee

Along with the set of six I also ordered two new heavy duty 16" front outer CV's. One side fitted fine but the other was too big. I assume, at some point, the original axle and outer CV joint was replaced with 14" versions.

When I say too big I mean the end of the axle was too small for the new 16" CV. Hope that makes sense??

Rob

[..lee..]

does make sence. i`d be wrong then thinking the shafts were the same. 16" diff lock front shafts must be larger then. if you want a matching shaft try jean-louis brion he has spares for me.

[Russel]

All front diffs use the same inner joints " as fitted to a 14". You didnt get a front drive shaft with a spline to fit the bigger inner joint.
Front drive shaft options : 14 inch
16 inch non locker " same as 14"
16 inch locker this has same as 14 inner but bigger outer " inner spline will not fit bigger joint"
As to date i have never seen or heard of a front shaft with a bigger inner joint.
Russel

[GoldSyncro]

Thanks for everyones help and advice.

So if I've got everything right then;

1. At some point my front diff was either added, converted to or replaced with a 14" version.
2. Dina is right in saying that 16" Syncros with a front diff lock fitted at factory used the larger front inner 16" CV's.
3. At some point and probably due to parts availability one of the original 16" axles and front outer CV's were replaced with the smaller 14" versions.
4. If/When it becomes necessary it will be cheaper to source a second 14" axle and smaller 14" (with difflock) or 16" (without difflock) front outer CV.

Rob

PS. I wrote the above before reading Russel's post which is what he kindly explained to me earlier today. I'm now completely confused!!!