A CV Problem.............Solved!

[Bookwus]

Hiya All,

I'm posting this on a couple of forums in order to get a variety of responses.

I really need some help from somebody who has experience with Type 1 CVs. I'm having a problem in placing the CV joint back onto the halfshaft I cannot get the CV down onto the halfshaft far enough to allow me to insert the "C" shaped keeper clip into the notch on the halfshaft. What could be causing this?

A few things to know........

These are the very same CVs that came off these halfshafts. When taken apart the keeper clips were fully engaged into the notch on the halfshaft.

I am using the original dished washers in the assembly.

I have tried orienting the hub both ways just to check if I had clearance either way. It came up with inadequate clearance both ways.

The only new parts I'm using in this reassembly are the boots (which would make no difference in this problem) and the "C" shaped keeper clips. They are identical to the originals in all respects. I cannot refit the original to the notch either.

Now, I've done more than share of CVs - all of them Type 2 - and never had any kind of problem. This one really has me stumped. I sure would appreciate your advice.

[satchmo]

I thought the general advice was to leave the dished washer off for this very reason, as you have discovered, since it makes it too hard to get the joint on far enough for the c-clip to engage.

Tim

[Bookwus]

Hiya Tim,

Thanks for the speedy reply.

My understanding (and if I'm wrong, it certainly wouldn't be the first time) is that the dished washer can be eliminated in the Type 2 assembly. I think VW even sent out service bulletin to that effect. But that was not the case with the Type 1 assembly.

And even as I typed that out, I'm wondering why that is. The two assemblies are, excepting the size, basically the same.

[satchmo]

I got some new half shafts complete with CV joints for my bug a few years ago. I don't recall that they had the dished washer.

Tim

[Bookwus]

Verry interestink!

[spiffy]

I take a rubber mallet, a 2x4 with a hole drilled thru it and I place the 2x4 over the end of the half shaft and whack the cv down to seat it. This way you hit the center of the cv near the splines and the wood won't damage anything. Works like a charm.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Mike.

Oh yeah, gotcha on that one.

But my problem was not seating the CV joint all the way on the halfshaft. It was definitely down as far as it was going to go. But I still didn't have enough "notch" showing to accomodate that "C" clip.

However, I did manage to solve this problem.........

I had (in doing this originally) tried to set the "C" clip with a socket. My problem was that my socket was just a tad too small. When I pounded the hub down I was also "trapping" the clip so that it could not spring into the exposed notch.

So.......the trick for me was to use a larger socket. That got the clip into the notch. And used channel locks to set the clip and it went fully into place with a very satisfying "click".

[hambone]

Those CVs sure last a long time. One of mine was from '77, and the very oldest was from '72! With a VW logo on it no less. And they are all perfectly functional.

[Bookwus]

Hiya Hammy,

No kidding!

All eight (I have two sets) CVJs are original VW - 39 years old. They even had the original boots so I'm guessing that if they were ever serviced it was done relatively in early in their lifespan at a VW dealership. The grease was pretty funky and needed changing out but even so the CVJs themselves were in good shape with galling just beginning to start on two of them (bodies). The balls and the hubs of all eight were great. I'll use one set (all in great shape) as runners and save one set as a spare.