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Outer cv joint dissassembly

4K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  fish_in_man 
#1 ·
Hey folks. I was doing a boot replacement on my rear outer axel joint today and couldn't figure out how to take the outer cv apart. I wanted to clean this out as there was water contamination from a ripped boot. There weren't any clips that I could see. I rapped on it with my plastic hammer and it didn't want to come off. Am I missing something here or is it just being stubborn. I cleaned everything out with some brake clean and then some compressed air repacked it and replaced the boot but I am sure I didnt get it all because I couldn't dissasemble this joint. Any ideas? :site: :chug:
 
#3 ·
Well you can take it apart if you smash it hard enough with a hammer but I have seen this done and it can harm the joint.I advise you to take the inner one apart to get at the outer one,I know this involves getting clamps for both joints but the inner one is made to come apart and there is no risk of hurting anything.my2cents
 
#4 ·
I already took the inner apart. I had the axel out of the machine and on the bench. I took the clip out of the inner cup and left that part of the cv in the diff housing. there is a snap clip that holds the cage assembly on the shaft. I removed this along with both boots. My question was how to get the outer apart? Does the cage have a snap ring to retain the axel shaft like the inner or does the outer just slide out. I dont see how this can be because the outer is a cast piece with no access to the outer axel shaft end. I want to clean the inside of the outer cup. I just wanted to know if I was missing something befor I messed it up or just to use a little more force? I hit it with a good size plastic hammer so I wouldn't peen any thing over. I am very mechanical and have a great selection of tools but considering the cost of these axels its cheaper to ask questions first than to break somthing then find out. I didnt see any retaining clips on this end of the shaft. Thanks :site: Rockerdude
 
#6 ·
I just rebuilt my outer CV joints on my 2000 Grizzly (I believe all CV's are the same including cars). The cages in my outer joints were broken from a hard crash, so they came apart very easy. When re-assembling, I learned how they go together. The outer joint does not have any clips holding it in place. You need to assemble or disassemble the joint in housing. You have to tilt the shaft and cage as far to one side as you can, then pop the ball out through the cage, then rotate it and tilt it again, and remove each ball one at a time. After all the balls are removed then the cage and race (still attatched to the shaft) will come out of the housing. Re-assembling is the same. The race is attatched to the shaft with a snap ring located on the shaft (inside the race). It is a real pain in the butt. As much as it seems like they won't fit, they will. I found it much easier to re-assemble the joint without the shaft connected, then I could tilt the cage a lot more (no shaft in the way - hitting the housing). Like stated above, it's much eaiser to clean it out the best you can while still intact unless you plan on rebuilding. If you use a BFH, you'll probly end up breaking the cage, so you'd need a rebuild kit.
 
#7 ·
Cobber, if I'm not mistaken, thats probably how he did the INNER joint, but the outer can not be done like that. Its like the cage and balls are NOT supposed to come out. Joe500, I posted this same ? on another forum, it was dealing with a polaris outer joint, but its the same thing. I've got the axle out (spread the snap ring and it'll slide out), holding the outer joint, now how do ya get the balls and cage out so you can clean all them up nicely, as well as clean the inside of the cup out? Cobber what you described works on the inner joints, but not the outers. http://www.gorilla-axle.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=5
click on the link to see a pic of an outer joint. You can stick your finger through the middle there and get a grasp on the cage/balls, but they don't come out. Its almost like they're not supposed to come out, lol. But they've gotta come out somehow. I have an old popo outer joint in the garage I can take pics of if someone needs an illustration.
 
#8 ·
The innner joint has a snap ring, the outer joint does not. I just got done doing this, like I stated above the only way to get the outer joint apart is to take each ball out of the cage (which is very hard to do), and then the cage can be removed. You'll probly have to just break the cage and pull it out of the cup. When re-assembling, you need to place the cage in the cup, then insert one ball at a time (no snap rings involved). I actually put one together and then took it apart and put it back together, so it does work. Do it how ever you'd like.
 
#9 ·
Works on the outer joints!! Pulled my axle to change the boot, while cleaning I remembered about this post and thought i would try it. To get it apart just do hold your tounge the right way, say a few choice words, and whamo its apart, to get it together just do as you did taking it apart but backwards.
1 pic is apart
2 pic is together without balls
3 pic is all together again!!

:super_happy: note: keep lots of beer on hand, can get frustrating so you may need to take lots of brakes....or at least i did. :beer_cheers:
 

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