Fitting CV joints to drive shafts
Posted: 07 Apr 2007, 19:53
This is more of an answer than a question but I thought it might be of interest. Perhaps more so to syncro owners than the 2wd folk. (you'll see why in a minute.)
When refitting the rear CV jonts or the inner front joints, the manual says you need a 'press' to force the joint hub against the dished washer in order to fit the circlip. Not having access to a press I went looking for an alternative.
The one that worked involved the use of a hi-lift jack as used by off-roaders amongst others (hence the syncro connection).
I clamped the jack standard horizontally in the bench vice and fitted the top clamp bracket at the right distance to accept the full length of the shaft plus a short length of heavy wall steel tube. This tube has to be big enough to fit outside the circlip but small enough to still locate on the inner hub of the CV joint. You also need to take a notch out of the tube to allow access to the circlip.
The shaft end sits on the toe of the jack and the tube/CV joint are against the clamp bracket. Working the jack handle squeezes the whole set up and the dished washer is the only thing which can give at all. Doing this on my own, it took all my force on the extreme end of the jack handle (whilst also holding the jack standard to prevent the swivel base vice from rotating!) plus a bit of 'bounce', to shift the CV enough to then push the circlip into position.
I would recommend having two people for this operation. Also, my jack has a rubber pad (a piece of conveyor belting) fitted to the toe. On a normal jack you may need to be careful not to damage the end of the splines. Also probably best to do this before applying the grease to the joint!
Hope this is of use to someone.
cheers
Gary
When refitting the rear CV jonts or the inner front joints, the manual says you need a 'press' to force the joint hub against the dished washer in order to fit the circlip. Not having access to a press I went looking for an alternative.
The one that worked involved the use of a hi-lift jack as used by off-roaders amongst others (hence the syncro connection).
I clamped the jack standard horizontally in the bench vice and fitted the top clamp bracket at the right distance to accept the full length of the shaft plus a short length of heavy wall steel tube. This tube has to be big enough to fit outside the circlip but small enough to still locate on the inner hub of the CV joint. You also need to take a notch out of the tube to allow access to the circlip.
The shaft end sits on the toe of the jack and the tube/CV joint are against the clamp bracket. Working the jack handle squeezes the whole set up and the dished washer is the only thing which can give at all. Doing this on my own, it took all my force on the extreme end of the jack handle (whilst also holding the jack standard to prevent the swivel base vice from rotating!) plus a bit of 'bounce', to shift the CV enough to then push the circlip into position.
I would recommend having two people for this operation. Also, my jack has a rubber pad (a piece of conveyor belting) fitted to the toe. On a normal jack you may need to be careful not to damage the end of the splines. Also probably best to do this before applying the grease to the joint!
Hope this is of use to someone.
cheers
Gary