CV joint removal

[collins_dan]

Apparently this CV driveshaft has been on the car for a long time. In removing it to replace a torn boot, the inner cv came apart, ball bearings everywhere... I can't seem to get it off. Have covered in penetrating oil and am taking the rest of night off. It seems like I just need to pry it apart along the seam, but am afraid I will damage. Suggestions. Thanks. Dan

[alaric]

The workshop manual mentions removal of a circlip before tapping out the drive shaft. I presume your cv driveshafts are machined to match the original doughnut versions, so the circlip will still be there.

Hope this helps.

Sean.

[gjz30075]

Perhaps some gentle pulls on a slide hammer, with some heat on the part that is holding the joint. I'm assuming that is what you are refering to, since I can't see any other way to remove the bearing circlip in the diff case.

Greg Z

[mr.vman]

From picture, CV1, it appears that the aluminum housing has been "dented", "peaned". Perhaps the area has been used to pry against, which could push the metal into the "ID" of the bearing/snapring area, which will make the stub shaft hard to remove, as now the differential housing is in the ID. If the snap ring is out, and the housing metal has not been, forced into the bearing/snapring ID (peaned in), it is still difficult at times to remove the stub shaft in the differential, the stub axle bearing is a press fit into the differential aluminum housing. I agree, a slide hammer or wrap a chain around the "CV" housing with something heavy on the other end, brake drum, brake rotor, and use the chain with weight, as a, do it yourself slide hammer. Try to run your finger around the ID behind the CV, feeling for internal dents. Either way, you could end up using some serious force to get the stub shaft out. I have in the past, used a standard slide hammer with the axle flange adapter on the end and placed the axle flange adapter behind the stub shaft, hammering until I can hammer no more! Once the stub shaft and bearing are out, consider filing the area smooth of dents in the ID.
Good Luck, Steve Vukobratovich

[collins_dan]

The circlip was still in place at the end of the driveshaft when I removed it. I have since removed it and am now wondering how to get the inner joint off the shaft. I've read that you need to hit the inner race, but just wondering how hard. Again, don't want to damage anything. Not sure what a slide hammer is and how to use one, but I will tomorrow! Thanks. Dan

[collins_dan]

Sounds like a 3 jaw or 3 legged puller might be a more gentle solution for removing the outer race from the differential and the inner race from the driveshaft. Hope I'm using the correct terminology. Thanks. Dan

[gjz30075]

The circlip was still in place at the end of the driveshaft when I removed it. I have since removed it

Well, heck, if the circlip is removed, go ahead and remove the stub axle with the joint and work on it on the bench, unless diff is already out of the car and on the bench. A slide hammer will either pull the axle out or pull the joint off. Try to get some heat on the aluminum case(at the bearing point) to expand it, then pull.

Greg Z

[collins_dan]

Well, a couple of new tools later (slide hammer and 3 leg puller) and I am still no closer to getting the the joint off. I've actually given up on the ideas of trying to get the joint off (not enough of a gap to get the 3 leg puller on it). I have now removed the inner circlip and am attempting to pull the stub shaft and joint out as one piece. I have a chain wrapped around the whole thing and have tried using the slide hammer, but no joy. A friend has volunteered his heat gun, how would I use it to get the stub shaft out? Open to any and all suggestions. Thanks. Dan

[rgh0]

The Cv joint will be spigoted into a recess in the diff output shaft. This should only a a light push fit and it should come out easily. It looks like the fit is to tight and or it has rusted solid in their.


I would try the following

1. Gently heat the diff output shaft flange to around 100C and chill the CV joint with loctite freeze and release spray. Gently tap on the sides of the cv joint with a soft hammer, not to hard or you risk damaging the diff output bearing. This should split the the cv joint from the diff output shaft


2. If the above does not work after a couple of tries then 2 choices. Sacrifice the cv joint by grinding some slots in it and using the 3 leg puller to get off the diff output shaft or remove the diff output shaft and cv joint complete and work on the bench to spearate where you can be more brutal in how heat the shaft and freeze and hit the cv joint

cheers
Rohan

[mikealdren]

Dan,
have you taken the other side off? This should confirm how the joint is fixed in place before you use heat/brute force and may avoid you damaging the diff casing.

Mike

[collins_dan]

I haven't taken the other side off, as only this side had a torn cv boot. According to a mechanic that has worked on the car since the early 80's, these cv driveshafts have been on since the 70's. So I suspect its rusted in there. Dan

[mikealdren]

Not sure what releasing agents you've tried but Plus Gas is very good

Mike

[collins_dan]

Whoever put this thing on was crazy for loctite. Most of the threads on the 12 bolts I removed where still packed full of it. He also painted the whole unit to additionally seal everything together.

I like Rohan's idea of heating the diff output shaft flange and freezing the joint, and just leaving well enough alone with the stub shaft. If that fails, then I will try penetrating oil around the stub shaft bearing. Then, could I heat the diff to 100C and spray lotite freeze and release on the bearing and then try the slide hammer on it?

Also, what does 100C feel like to the touch? How do I know I'm at 100C? Thanks all. "Down, but not done" Dan

[mikealdren]

Well for a start, it's too hot to touch - it's boiling point after all. If you can touch it, it's not hot enough. When a drop of water on the surface just starts to boil off, that's about right.

How do you plan to heat it up? The mechanic's tool would be oxy-acetylene but this could easily damage the ally housing.

I tend to start with a more gentle heat e.g. an electric hot air gun (which may not have enough power for such a large chunk of metal) and then move on to a propane torch played carefully over the surface.

Mike

[collins_dan]

A friend that was an aircraft mechanic has a hot air gun, I was planning to invite him and his gun over. When I talked to him about my problem this weekend, it sounded like heating to separate is a common practice in that field. Thanks. Dan