Axle Gurus needed- The outer CV joint
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Greetings, and thank you in advance for any advice you may give to me. After hours of searching, I couldn't find what i needed. I got a torsen swap out of a 94 parts car, drivers side axle came out just fine. Passenger side has mushroomed end of the axle along with stripped threads, and even broke (what I believe to be) a snap ring on the very end of it. I removed the boot on the outer CV joint, and since that snap ring on the end of the axle sheared, pulled the axle right out, and disassembled it. I've found that the outer CV of my 94 torsen and 93 VLSD appear to be the same. My problem is this: my car is a 93 LE with ABS. The swap car is a 94 non ABS. And since one the the outer CV parts of one of the 94 axles is destroyed, why not swap the outer CV joints from my 93 with the ABS rings already on them to the 94 halfshafts? Unfortunately I don't know how to disassemble the outer CV joint. The one I did take apart was because that snap ring on the end had broken, the axle shaft slid right out, and I could pry the cage around as much as I wanted. I realize i could just buy a new set of axles, but considering I have 4 1.6 and 2 1.8 axles laying in the garage, why not try to save some cash. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Just to follow up, I ended up completely rebuilding my 94 axles, while using the outer ends of my 93 axles so I could still use my ABS rings. Luckily, I rebuilt all 4 cv joints in the rear. The inner passenger side joint was really beat up, the cage was rough. So at a total cost of around $75 I was able to use the axles I had lying around plus 4 cv joint rebuild kits and re-manufacture my own axles.
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I unfortunately forgot to take pictures or anything, but I can type it out to the best I can remember.
First off, remove the old boot straps. I just pry them off with a flathead screwdriver then snip them, and remove the old boot with a razor knife.
Next clean off as much of the old nasty grease as you can. The outer cv joint is similar in that it has a cage with 6 ***** and the inner bearing guide (unsure of actual term, it's the thing that looks like a 6 sided star) is attached to the solid axle itself, however the inner cv joints move in and out for suspension travel. BUT, the way they are fastened together is different.
The inner CV joint has a large retaining ring right inside the cup, simply get this cir clip out with a small flathead, and the entire assembly pulls right out (beware the ***** don't fly all over your floor). Then to take the inner bearing guide off there is a snap ring on the other end. Take it off with snap ring pliers, a few light taps and it's off. Now for the outter side.
It has no large cir clip inside the cup, but what holds it all together is a circlip behind the inner bearing guide. Get the boot off as I stated earlier, and bend the axle as far as you can. I used a piece of brass round stock and a hammer, but put the axle in a vise. Bend the axle as far as you can and give the inner bearing housing a few good smacks all the way around and it should slide right off the axle allowing you to completely disassemble the out joint. When your ready to reassemble, get everything together in the cup, be sure your cir clip is on the axle and start the inner bearing houseing onto the splines of the end of the axle, should be about an 1/8" before you hit the clip. Again, have it clamped in a vise and tape the end of the axle with a hammer (the splined part that goes in the hub) and you're done. Easy enough?
First off, remove the old boot straps. I just pry them off with a flathead screwdriver then snip them, and remove the old boot with a razor knife.
Next clean off as much of the old nasty grease as you can. The outer cv joint is similar in that it has a cage with 6 ***** and the inner bearing guide (unsure of actual term, it's the thing that looks like a 6 sided star) is attached to the solid axle itself, however the inner cv joints move in and out for suspension travel. BUT, the way they are fastened together is different.
The inner CV joint has a large retaining ring right inside the cup, simply get this cir clip out with a small flathead, and the entire assembly pulls right out (beware the ***** don't fly all over your floor). Then to take the inner bearing guide off there is a snap ring on the other end. Take it off with snap ring pliers, a few light taps and it's off. Now for the outter side.
It has no large cir clip inside the cup, but what holds it all together is a circlip behind the inner bearing guide. Get the boot off as I stated earlier, and bend the axle as far as you can. I used a piece of brass round stock and a hammer, but put the axle in a vise. Bend the axle as far as you can and give the inner bearing housing a few good smacks all the way around and it should slide right off the axle allowing you to completely disassemble the out joint. When your ready to reassemble, get everything together in the cup, be sure your cir clip is on the axle and start the inner bearing houseing onto the splines of the end of the axle, should be about an 1/8" before you hit the clip. Again, have it clamped in a vise and tape the end of the axle with a hammer (the splined part that goes in the hub) and you're done. Easy enough?
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