CV joints - which way round?

[CJH]

I have four new GKN/Lobro CV joints waiting to go on, and I want to check that I know which way round they go. I've checked the wiki, and there's a good description of what I believe is an OEM joint, but the GKN/Lobro joints look slightly different. I've watched Sarran's very helpful video, and the one he works on looks similar to the GKN/Lobro item, so I believe I know which side is which:
- Inner race: raised side = shaft side
- Middle race: Chamfered side = shaft side
- Outer race: Grooved side = gearbox/wheel side

But there are a couple of details that are different on mine so I want to double check.

Firstly, when describing the outer race, Sarran refers to the side with the groove as being the gearbox/wheel side. On mine I have a single groove on one side and three grooves on the other, and the way mine are assembled it seems that the side with three grooves is the gearbox/wheel side. All four of my new joints are like this.

Drive shaft side (I think):


Wheel or gearbox side (I think):


Secondly, when describing the middle race, Sarran says the bevelled edge is the shaft side. On mine I've indicated a chamfered side in the photo which seems to correspond to the raised side of the inner race, but the next joint I took out of the box had the middle race the other way round. Possibly an assembly error, or maybe GKN think it doesn't matter. The second one is the only one of the four assembled that way.

So how critical are these orientations, and which race (inner raised, middle chamfered, outer grooved) is the most critical? Should I be disassembling the new joints and reassembling them so that the raised inner, chamfered middle and 3-grooved outer sides are all together? That would mean flipping all 4 outer races and one middle race in my case.

[Aidan]

single groove same as the original cvs
I have asked brickwerks to put a slip of paper in each cv box to answer this question

[CJH]

Thanks Aidan

So the one on my photo is the wrong way round, and I need to flip the outer race so that the single groove is the same side as the flat sides of the other two races? That would mean I have to do that to all four of my new joints. I wondered what I was going to do this weekend.

What about the middle race/cage thing - is the chamfered side important?

[CJH]

Like this?

Shaft side:


Gearbox/Wheel side:


They're not as bad to disassemble and reassemble as I'd expected. If these photos are correct I'll go ahead and do the others.

[CJH]

Hmm - that's not what it says on the Brickwerks page for their GKN CV joints:

Note regarding fitment.
You'll notice the centre of the joint has one flat side and one with a slight chamfer... the chamfer is to assist with starting the joint on the splines of the shaft.
The joints should be fitted with the 3 rings around the edge facing away from the shaft.

So that means the three rings should be on the outer (gearbox/wheel) face. As mine were originally then.

[itchyfeet]

why does it matter?

[CJH]

why does it matter?

I thought the same, and was starting to think the only bit that mattered was the chamfer on the splines to get it started on the splined shaft (and consequently the flat side against the circlip). At first sight the inner and outer races look symmetric, but actually they're not. The ball bearings are arranged in angled slots, so the gaps between the slots alternate between wide and narrow. But on both the inner and outer race, the narrow gap is narrower on one side than the other. Arranged with the three rings facing the gearbox, the 'narrowest' side is on the same side (the shaft side) for both the inner and outer race.

[itchyfeet]

just because they are not symmetrical doesn't mean they are handed, I don't know but I can't understand what difference the direction of shaft is, the CV doesn't know it just sees rotation and angle, they rotate different ways depending on where they are fitted.

[CJH]

Since the component parts are handed (the inner and outer race at least - not sure about the cage between them) they probably have to be assembled the right way round. Why would they be handed otherwise? Once assembled I agree that the articulation should be the same whichever way the assembly is fitted.

[itchyfeet]

yes internals are handed you can get them assembled wrong I did it and there was no angular movement

[sarran1955]

Hello,

why does it matter?

I thought the same, and was starting to think the only bit that mattered was the chamfer on the splines to get it started on the splined shaft (and consequently the flat side against the circlip). At first sight the inner and outer races look symmetric, but actually they're not. The ball bearings are arranged in angled slots, so the gaps between the slots alternate between wide and narrow. But on both the inner and outer race, the narrow gap is narrower on one side than the other. Arranged with the three rings facing the gearbox, the 'narrowest' side is on the same side (the shaft side) for both the inner and outer race.

You're getting there..

3 bands is just for flash..

Cordialement..

[Plasticman]

bonjour may i crash the post and put up a picky of an ac head from a bay ,need info
mm

[CJH]

You're getting there..

3 bands is just for flash..

Cordialement..

Thank you! Have I got far to go?

bonjour may i crash the post and put up a picky of an ac head from a bay ,need info
mm

Crash away - I think I'm done.

[sarran1955]

You're getting there..

3 bands is just for flash..

Cordialement..

Thank you! Have I got far to go?

bonjour may i crash the post and put up a picky of an ac head from a bay ,need info
mm

Crash away - I think I'm done.

A bay engine.....1600 1700..1800..2l...

I await with anticipation MM....

did you get my e mail newsletter ok?

Cordialement,