CV joints - steel strip under bolts.

[Oldiebut goodie]

First time for everything - my first query!

What purpose is served by the steel strips under the heads of the CV joint bolts - they look as though they are locking tabs for hex head bolts but are too thick? I can't find any mention of them anywhere and I have three missing on an outer joint due to the bolts disappearing. I can soon knock up some new ones if they are actually needed.

[Ian Hulley]

They spread the tightness across a wider area than just the disc-loc washers.

Ian

[R0B]

They are called spacer plates VW part no 1J0407357A.Should you need it..

[Oldiebut goodie]

Many thanks for the info. - back to the workshop!

[croc]

Hi oldie
Had to do my NS shaft last week as three bolts loose on inner CV and one broke when I tried to tighten.
Removed whole shaft to check outer CV and regrease both joints. Had to replace outer joint as some wear damage.

Bought a new CV joint kit from GSF (Plymouth), this also included boot, 6 new bolts and the 3 two hole plates you mention and a tube of grease.
The plates largely suppport the thin metal mount plate which is part of the boot and probably also limits the length of the bolts.
Couple of things: the original had 'grooved' lock washers as well on each bolt. Bolts are 48 mm long, m8 and hi tensile socket head but I dont know the thread pitch.
I damaged some of the bolt heads when tightening as did not have good angle and full depth with the hex socket. Worth having some spares!

I torqued bolts to 30 ft/lbs as per Haynes and used some Loctite on the inner joint bolts as they apparently are prone to undoing.
The kit did not include the lock washers.
Good luck.
jon

[HarryMann]

Brickwerks (SimonBaxter) do the correct serrated washers.

The key thing with these joints (in fact any joint) is cleanliness, turness of the faces and lack of burrs.

Then the fasteners can do their job and pull up tight without faces marrying better over time and fasteners loosening.

30 ~ 32 ft - lbf in 2 stages, using serrated washers

..but on on Syncro (with colossal hammering off-road, rock climbs, whole vehicle static but jumping up & down with both locks on etc) 8 CVs, 48 bolts, some worn at times, have not had bolt come loose... (now just wait, hanging hard onto wooden desk as I type)

Have experienced it (loosening, bolt coming out) many times, just not on one of mine. Believe two-stage tightening all-round + flattening off of joint faces + serrated washers is the reason. Try to use good bolts, if hexs or 12-point splines worn, find a better bolt (you know it makes sense. Also check for lack of trueness (bent), have seen some horrendous bolts come out of CVJs. Use as thin and long a bit as possible to tighten so it goes in true, or rotate joint so boot doesn't interfere with bit, usually implies tightnening when bolt is at lower area of joint

NB. Inner bolts on Syncro front are different length than 2WD, 2mm longer IIRC

[ade700]

sorry to jump in but my nearside cv is knocking under acceleration do i need to swap all 4 or can i just do the 1 that's knocking

[HarryMann]

Just the one...

[ade700]

Just the one...

[HarryMann]

..as long as you have identified the knocking one correctly

Usually that with the obvious manual play when rattled back forth/up-down/side2side, though sometimes someone running alongisde and listening required 2bshure

[Oldiebut goodie]

I must admit that I trued up the face before reassembling anyway - long habit that comes of working in a machine shop for a while. It took you nearly a month for the reply - been on a long holiday, lucky beggar? !
I wonder why it is usually the outer joint that goes - just because it is in a slightly awkward position maybe? My van has hex bolts on one shaft and splines on the other, so obviously someone has been at them before but don't know which one. Most probably the one that came undone.

[HarryMann]

Hehe, just back from Devon/Dorset 2nd time in 2weeks, so yes, been away here and there; but only just been made aware of this thread By T'Onion

On syncros, its almost always the inners that go due to boot damage. Any water ingress soon leads to a worn or knocking joint if not removed, cleaned, greased and rebooted.

Front outers are a) Very expensive b) very tough c) have very HD boots
Rear outers tend to be protected by being within the radius arm

[ade700]

..as long as you have identified the knocking one correctly

Usually that with the obvious manual play when rattled back forth/up-down/side2side, though sometimes someone running alongisde and listening required 2bshure

i had kevtherev look at it so ill ask him again to make doubly sure

[AdrianC]

Try to use good bolts, if hexs or 12-point splines worn, find a better bolt (you know it makes sense.

As with anything... New bolts are cheap. Really cheap. I try to carry a stock of new bolts in the sizes I'm likely to need, sorted in compartmentalised trays in a plastic storage thingy. (Referred to in the house as "The Parts Dept")

Harry - d'you know about Orbital Fasteners between Rickmansworth & Watford? Big orders, they'll deliver free - but if you going in there, they're happy even if you're just buying a handful of fasteners for pennies.

[HarryMann]

I keep a fair stock too, sorted that way, in those compartmentalised trays.

Have heard of orbital but never been there, must look them up then

Ah Tolpits Lane, roughly where Scammel's were ?

Cheers