Outer Front CV - removal from shaft

[smokeyjon]

One of these came off real easy, but I can't get the other off for love nor money - the circlip doesn't seem to be rotating so I wonder if it's wedged somehow.
I've tried circlip pliers (why did they use c style clips and not clips with eyeholes?), screwdrivers, allen keys (and even the mrs!) to hold the circlip open, and have tried WD40 and even some heat (whilst whacking inner race with a brass drift)

Is there anything else I can try or should I just get the grinder and £150 out? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Annoyingly the joint looks OK and as I have the other end off I could have probably put new boot on from other end. That's probably not an option now that I've burnt the grease and mixed it with loads of WD40

ps - sorry if this is a stupid question. I'm a relative amateur with a sizeable welding bill so am trying to do as much as possible myself!
Cheers,
John

[gtavalanche]

Get your self a length of scaffold pipe, put the shaft in it and I use a wheel bolt in the depression on the end of the shaft to knock it out.

[smokeyjon]

Cheers for the reply gtavalanche but I'm not sure i get it - does that work on a syncro front outer where you can only get to one end of the driveshaft? If so, could you explain it in a bit more detail please, cheers

[max and caddy]

I don't get that one either....I would just doit from the inner end myself...walk out the other joint with petrol or summat and stand it up to dry for a bit...will be clean enough.


Spend that £150 on summat much better.!

[smokeyjon]

Yeah that sounds like a plan maxandcaddy. Would petrol be better at running out (evaporating ?) than degreaser? I don't really want to leave anything in there that'll break the new grease down....

[Syncrobaz]

Does the cv joint seem 'free' on the shaft? even with the circlip in place there should be a smidge of movement?

If not maybe the joint may have been replaced by a cheap Chinese one and may have' ridden up' on the splines?

Hope that makes sense !!

[max and caddy]

Yeah that sounds like a plan maxandcaddy. Would petrol be better at running out (evaporating ?) than degreaser? I don't really want to leave anything in there that'll break the new grease down....

You could wash it out with degreaser, then water hose it out, then petrol to displace any water...then leave to dry..petrol will evaporate out within an hour or two I reckon...less if you light it! Pack grease in by hand and jobs a good un..

[smokeyjon]

Hi syncrobaz. The inner part of the joint felt pretty wedged on the splines to me, but I'll feel it again tomorrow. It is a genuine part though (well the outer is anyway). It does look like it's had a bit of a bashing before mind (around the outer edge). Surely no-one would replace the inner collar but not the outer/stub axle bit - would they?!!

Maxandcaddy - thanks again. That sounds sensible and saves further damage. Unless any other magical tips appear on here I reckon I'll get on that tomorrow....

[Syncrobaz]

Just covering all the possibilities !

More than likely that pesky circlip has deformed and is hanging on for dear life !

If you're taking the shaft off maybe best to stick it in the vice and try to remove joint again?

(if only to check no damage to splines)