part from CVJ?

[syncropatrick]

Wotcha,
Spending a mucky day stripping and rebuilding my spare drive shafts. Off a shaft of unknown provenance (I can't even remember where I bought it) for a 16"/SA van, this dished washer came out of both the CVs for the rear.The part was on the inner face of the joint. I haven't seen it before. The joints have the VW/Audi logo on them but are so corroded I can't make out the part number.

The joints are marginally reusable, I was more after the rare shaft. Is there any use in using this part with other CVs when I rebuild them? Neither of my two other rear shafts have this on their CVJs. I note this is not included in the GKN 16" rear kit from BW, but something similar comes with the 16" front inner kit. Bentley shows the washer on the front but not the rear.

Chuck or reuse?

[Aidan]

the shaft came from me, from a SA bus that was broken by Mick at VW NW, you had one, Lee had the other

if fitted refit, they are audi part numbers, the 108mm cv joints, 431 498 103 CX, should be one in the kit if replacing

the dished washers come with the standard 98mm joints but aren't fitted except if used as front inner

[syncropatrick]

Thanks Aidan. Your memory is much better than mine.
So if I use these CVJs again the washer should go back on, but if I fit other CVJs which come without one its OK to leave the washer off?

[Aidan]

new cvs should come with the washer and you should use it on the 108mm joints I think, since they were original fitment - the spring washer allows a dadge of flex which is probably needed as the joints are bigger they could load the shaft otherwise and generate a crack at the shoulder where the splines finish, if the cv acted directly on that shoulder

what I see generally on 16" boxes is very worn splines on the flanges (and worn seal surfaces and seals), you can usually pull them off by hand, this I think is due to the reduced angle that the 108mm CVs articulate by so they load up the flanges on their splines on the differential shafts and wear them when they are pushed to the limit of articulation

[jes*b]

Can't seem to find "dadge of flex" in my syncro-tionary?

[lloydy]

I think the southern version is gnats "cock"

[Syncrobaz]

Wiltshire version is 'smidgeon' or for finer tolerances 'skrimmet'!!