HOW TO CHANGE C.V JOINTS AND C.V.BOOTS.
First off, here’s a list of tools used for this;
· Hammer
· Small scissors or circlip pliers
· Flat blade screwdriver
· Old tea towel
· Old bed sheet
· Rubber gloves (lots)
Right, the parts used are;
· Driveshaft’s (I used Corsa ones, same setup as a Nova)
· Inner c.v. kit
· C.V grease (sometimes comes with kit, sometimes doesn’t.)
First, get your work area setup, and lay the bed sheet out. Make sure the area is clean and tidy. This gets very messy, and the sheet is used to constantly wipe grease off the parts.
*WARNING* C.V. GREASE IS CARCINOGENIC, WEAR YOUR GLOVES. IF THEY SPLIT USE FRESH ONES!!
Get your shaft and identify your respective c.v. (in this case the inner)
Now, find the larger boot clip and bend the end away from the boot using the screwdriver
get your snips and pull the clip away completely from the C.V boot.
Now do the same with the smaller clip. Pull the boot away from the c.v to expose the internal parts
and get your tea towel and clean all the grease out of the c.v
*IMPORTANT* you need to clean it away from the area where the shaft goes into the inner bearing guide.
When this is done, you will be able to see the small clip that secures the c.v to the shaft.
Now, pull the c.v away from the shaft as much as possible. It will move then stop. Grab your circlip pliers (or scissors) and open this up as wide as possible. Now grab your helper and get he/she/it to hold the shaft tight. Grab the hammer in your hammering hand, and open the circlip using the other hand. Hit the c.v away from the shaft, so the c.v disengages from the shaft fully. This may take a few attempts, don’t worry, it takes practice and time, if you get annoyed, go have a brew and a jammie dodger (other biccies available) Pull the boot off and you will be left with this –
You have now successfully reached the half way point. Have a brew/beer/crate if your draper.
Now you’re looking at a bare shaft, get your tea towel and clean the thing up. A w@nking technique is best, and grip it tight; it needs to be very clean. Get your c.v kit and check the contents. You should have;
· A c.v
· 2 clips, one small one large
· Some grease
· And some circlips
check against this pic.
Grab your new c.v joint, and fit the circlip into it. It’s the one with its ends bent outward.
it takes a decent poke to get it into the grooves. Now grab your c.v grease
and pull the inner part of the new c.v outward. Pull on some new gloves, cut your grease open and squeeze it into the c.v, mainly around the balls. If you move the c.v side to side it packs more into it. Make sure you get it all greased up and use both packs if there is 2. Push the inner part in and out a few times aswell. Now get your bare shaft and fit your new boot.
Now push the new c.v onto the shaft, and make sure it engages with the shaft. It may take a few tries. Stand the shaft so that the new c.v is pointing down and tap it so it engages. I placed the folded tea towel under it. *DO NOT USE THE HAMMER TO TAP IT ON, YOU MAY DAMAGE THE SPLINES ON THE C.V!*
If you are successful it will look like this…
Now, grab your new c.v and the shaft and try to turn them the opposite way. If it grates or moves the c.v is incorrect, if it doesn’t its right. Easy.
Now push the boot onto the c.v, this takes a few goes as the boot can be tight on the c.v, then fit the small clip to the boot. If you have issues getting the excess into the clip, trim it using you snips, but check the length before you cut it!! Engage the little stuck up tags with the holes, as tight as possible. You may need to push the clip with the screw driver like so -
to get it tight. Now grab your snips, and pull the little tag whilst pushing the clip with the screwdriver.
This takes practice so don’t stress if it doesn’t go first time. Getting annoyed? Go have a brew and another jammie dodger.
If you manage the above without killing the dog/cat/yourself, you will have a clip that looks like this –