Outer CV Joint Removal - Bolt Method, Questions

4176 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Electron Man, Sep 24, 2013

Electron Man

Discussion Starter · Sep 19, 2013

Will be installing outer CV boots soon and have questions about using the "bolt method" to remove outer joints from a hollow drive shaft. ('99 AEB 5 spd)

Obviously, you'd need the stub axle to be in line with the drive shaft so the bolt threads into the drive shaft. Does this somehow release the circlip holding the inner CV joint race to the drive shaft? Is there a need to compress the stub axle inward while turning the bolt to get the most use of the threads?

Just trying to understand two things:
1. What, besides a circlip, holds the inner race to the drive shaft?
2. Does the circlip stay on the drive shaft after the joint comes off?

Haven't seen this explained, other than "it works"; occasionally, but not for everyone, all the time is why I ask.

I would use the BFH method to get the outer joint off, but plan on leaving the inner CV's attached to the trans. for this job. No can use BFH with axles still attached to transmission.

Thanks!

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ylwagon

· #2 · Sep 19, 2013

The retainer clip moves back into its groove due to the ends of the splines being chamfered, when you force the axle and inner joint apart. This occurs whether a hammer is used, or the axle bolt is used as a puller. To your questions: (1) The circlip is all that keeps the drive shaft from moving away from the inner race. (2) the circlip does stay in its groove on the shaft after removal.

The axle bolt does need to push in-line with the axle, but it pretty much will naturally as you begin to tighten the bolt in. And no need to "compress the stub axle", just hold the CV body to keep it from turning while you tighten the bolt.

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Steve in Chicago

· #3 · Sep 19, 2013

Some other sneaky techniques...

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Electron Man

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 24, 2013 (Edited)

Got the new CV boot installed last Saturday. The bolt method worked fine for removing the CV joint from the axle. I used a rubber "strap wrench" to hold the joint while tightening the bolt...easy as cake.

What I didn't expect was needing to remove the rear lower control arm to reinstall the CV joint back into the hub. Others had, so that's the route I took. The CV joint was probably more difficult to reinstall due to the new high-density polyethylene boot having less flex than the old rubber boot. I removed the passengers CV joint from the hub by turning the steering wheel fully to the left while the hub was elevated approximately to normal ride height (w/ rear lower CA still connected to steering knuckle).

Left the brake caliper, ABS sensor and inner CV at transmission untouched during this job. I used the hammer end of a wood splitting maul

to reinstall the CV Joint back onto the axle. The circlip compressed back into its groove as stated above.

'99 AEB 5 spd manual

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