Don't try this at home kids...

[Roving Rich]

OK so my Syncro is still languishing on the drive in pieces.
I figured I would replace the front outer CV boot while the front diff is off.
Seemed like alot of grief to split the bottom balljoint and remove the outer CV joint when the inside is already apart....WRONG
So i figured remove the circlip, slip the off the inner CV joint off the spline, take the boot off and slide a new down to the outer.
Hey - what could possibly go wrong ? SOP for numerous vehicles I have done in the past.
Well not Syncros. The inner CV wouldn't come off, prolly been there a while ? SO stick a puller on it and wind it odd, well that kinda worked, but it was still hard work.Then suddenly very easy - The Cage snapped in half. Grrrr. Atleast it is a standard CV joint and used on all the non syncro T25s. So £16 off ebay for a genuine VW classics one.
So tried to fit the outer CV boot courtesy of the brickworks, by sliding down from the inner end. Only the boot is unlike anything I have ever come across. No stretch atall - It appears to be made out of some sort of plastic rather than rubber. So I bought another crappy stretchy CV boot that will do till I need to split the bottom joint.
Try and get the CV joint back on and it won't go.
A bit of gentle persuasion with a nylon mallet and still no joy.
I really wouldn't fancy this at the side of the road in some far flung exotic land !
I dont fancy breaking another, so figure I'll have to take the shaft off -If I can locate my breaker bar to get the hub nut off....Take the shaft off and take it donw to the garage to get the joint pressed on.
Now The new joint arrived with a gasket. I can't locate the gasket on the old joint, or old diff (Though I did find a metal shim which i figure might be useful )
Nothing in the manual ? well actually it does show one on the rear. I think with the spacer I would need 2 anyway if it was going to make a difference ??
So stuck again ! Still no progress.
Will I ever get this thing on the road
Cheers
Rich

[lloydy]

After reading that, if your diff is out driveshaft will just pull out if you undo the nut on outer cv. Even if the diff is in, no need to undo lower ball joint. Undo upper balljoint and drop link and you can wiggle the drive shaft out. I think I removed calliper as well.

[Roving Rich]

Darn - so I've still got to split the suspension !
Now I'd have expected the CV joint just to slip on and off the spines.
The convex splined washer doesn't seem to help. Dished side towards the diff seems to stop the joint sliding on ant further. If this is pressed on as the bentley manual suggests i guess it has to deform the washer to snug up.
Its just that last little bit to get the circlip in.

Cheers
Rich

[lloydy]

Upper ball joint is easy, just two bolts holding it to wishbone, drop link is just undoing a nut, and calliper is two bolts, easy if I can do it, I'm sure you can. That curved washer will only fit on one way to allow the circlip to fit, so maybe it's the wrong way around? I did mine by copying the one I took off, but I'm sure someone will be along in a minute who knows what's what. I've had all my cv's off and have never had to get anything pressed on, but I have had people helping.

[Roving Rich]

Well the old washer wasn't splined ? and pretty flat TBH.
I figured convex would be the way to go, but the manual suggests concave (see bottom left illustration) ? My "interpretation" is that it acts as a kind of spring ? and need to loaded by the press to get the joint on (top right illustration), asfar as the circlip.
I'd much rather turn it around again (supposing I can get the joint off again) and slip the joint on those last few mil.



Seems like a PITA to me !

Cheers
Rich

[lloydy]

Just had a look at my spare front inner kit. The washer on mine isn't splined? Is your kit GKN?
What I know for sure is never had to use a press to remove or fit any CVJ

[Roving Rich]

Box says "Roulex" ?
The manual description " Dished washer with teeth on inner diameter for solid shaft"
So that is what i was expecting to find when took the old one off.


Cheers
Rich

[KINGPRAWN]

I bought a pair of driveshafts to replace the cvs on giving me the luxury of having them off the van to do nicely at my leisure.... Could I get them off... Could I feck!! Beating with a lump hammer had no effect to the point of wrecking them.... In the bin now!!!!!

[lloydy]

Box says "Roulex" ?
The manual description " Dished washer with teeth on inner diameter for solid shaft"
So that is what i was expecting to find when took the old one off.


Cheers
Rich

Again mines a 16" so I think my boot is different(size only) but I have never heard of someone using a press? They can be hard to get off, but not on, especially if it's all cleaned and greased.
I'm sure my washer went past the splines and sat on a ridge

[Simon Baxter]

You seems to be making what is a simple job really hard!
Syncro joints sometimes do need pressing off the shaft, why syncro and not 2WD I don't know but syncro joints are usually on the tight side.
Roulex is JP group, which is the cheaper end of spares.
Outer CV boots are originally the tough plastic style ones, your not meant to slide them down the shaft from the other end!

[Roving Rich]

Well clearly the toothed one sits in the end of the splines. I'll have to check out the non toothed one I had to gently persuade off to see where that would sit ?
It would make life much easier if it just slipped on and the circlip holds it there. Not sure quite what purpose the washer has ? Surely the shoulder at the end of the splines would hold it in place. If the splines fail then the the washer really isn't going to do much.

I just want to get it on the road and drive it. preferably before the snow comes !

Cheers
Rich

[Roving Rich]

Well I thought it'd be simple ! And yes - So I have learned the hard way again ! well it worked on every other vehicle I've worked on.
You must have done hundreds of these Simon, do i really need a press, shall I just stick the washer on the other way around ? and ditch the gasket....

Cheers
Rich

[Aidan]

paper gasket says this is a cheap and nasty cv joint don't even fit it, get a decent one imho
MatFlint fitted one of those (in a field) and it lasted 9 miles before breaking up
Swap out a front driveshaft 2-3 personhours and you want to do it properly so that it will all come apart if and when you do need to do one at the side of the road; that's what most of us do who do off road, we carry a complete made up spare shaft and when one breaks put kettle on, swap it over and carry on driving, simples as they say
early suspension can be easier to work on than late sometimes for this job, but once you've done it and figured out the angles and wrinkles it's easy