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question for those that service their own CV joints

While i'm waiting for the parts to arrive for my engine, i am trying to service other areas of the bus i'm putting back on the road. Pulled the CV's, cleaned and repacked them today, new boots, etc.

Looking at this page concerning extending the life by switching the CV's positions:

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"3) Rotate the CVs at about 25,000 miles (more frequently if you like). NOTE: This is not possible on automatic transmissions, as the axles are different lengths! (You can accomplish this by moving the CVs to different axle locations, but this takes more effort.) See the section on removal and replacement below. CVs take wear on one face of the ball hubs only (except when you drive in reverse), so they can be made to run in the opposite direction to extend their life. There are two ways you can accomplish this. Assume you're looking at the back of the van, and the CVs are labeled with letters, like this:

A------B Transmission C------D

You can move the axles so that the letters now read:

C------D Transmission A------B (option 1) OR D------C Transmission B------A (option 2)

These two configurations will result in the forces being applied to the CVs being reversed. Note, however, that the following configuration will NOT reverse the forces applied to the CV joint rotation:

B------A Transmission D------C

In other words, if you move the axles to the other side of the van, the forces being applied to the CVs will be reversed. If you keep them on the same side of the van, they won't. does anyone else use this technique of reversing/rotating the CV's?"

correct me if i'm wrong, but option A doesn't appear to be reversing, Option B does. And the one he claims will not reverse the force to me does do what Option A does not. ?

maybe i'm just tired after working in the 96 degree sun, but if anyone else is using this technique or has a better idea of what is needed, please give me a clue. If you don't think any of this switching is wise, chime in. I've normally just put them back where they came from, and may continue to do the same.

thanks dp

77 Westie, manual trans, 2.1L FI, etc.
Reply to
dweller
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Yes, I've done it and it does work.

But I believe it is Option #1 in your diagram that DOES work.

Take a pencil between your hands to visualize the twisting forces.

Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

do you have a preference of option 1 or 2?

i guess my confusion was in option 1: you are moving the outer passenger side to the inner drivers side, and the inner passenger side to the outer drivers ONLY, but the rotation appears to be the same direction. In option 2, you are flipping the cv over and it's running in the opposite direction. or that's the way i visualize it. Maybe i'm not seeing the inner working of the joint, and just the outer appearance?

thanks dp

Reply to
dweller

I think options 1,3 reverse the wear to the cv joints. Option 2 is the one that doesn't work.

There is one more thing you must take in consideration. The axle shafts should always be used in the same twisting direction, cause they set over time and if you reverse the torque they carry, they will get weaker and weaker after every reversion and eventually will break.

You should only switch the position of the CV joints, and not switch the axle shaft direction of rotation.

Bill,

67 Bug.
Reply to
Bill Spiliotopoulos

Sorry, after reviewing the drawings, options 1,2 will reverse, and option 3 will not. They are correct are you gave them.

Reply to
Bill Spiliotopoulos

thanks, i guess i'll go with Option 1, the shafts will not be reversed but just moved from one side to the other.

a------b trans c-------d then becomes c------d trans a-------b

the passenger outer becomes the driver inner/passenger inner becomes driver outer the driver outer becomes passenger inner/ driver inner becomes passenger outer

so, i'm moving the whole setup, the 2 cvs remain on the shaft in the positions they were in originally.

is this correct?

thanks dp

Reply to
dweller

The only way not to reverse the twisting force on the shafts, is to remove the CVs from them and switch the CV locations. The axles must remain in their original location and orientation. For switching the CVs, it doesn't matter if you chose option 1 or 2 as long as you do not switch the shaft positions. If the inner CV was different than the outer, then you obviously would have to go with option 2.

If I had to choose between: (a) keeping it as it was in the beginning (no switch) (b) switching the axle-shafts without removing the CVs from them (this would reverse the twisting forces on the shafts) I would prefer (a) to keep it as it was in the beginning, unless the CVs where severely worn on the drive side and I wanted a cheap quick-fix.

If axle-shaft strength is not a concern to you (you do not carry heavy loads, or spin wheels, or have a higher output engine, or drive on gravel roads) then it probably doesn't matter much if you reverse the axle shafts. You may never stress them enough to break them. But since you do it yourself, and have the CVs dismantled, why not do it right, it won't cost you anything more.

Bill Spiliotopoulos,

67 Bug.
Reply to
Bill Spiliotopoulos

well, i guess this defines my confusion. The article above that i linked states moving the axles, so i thought it was the whole thing,

2cvs & shaft that was being moved. I have already cleaned, greased, and reassembled everything back to the point of just mounting them again on the bus. I don't think i'll disassemble to move just the cvs.

unless there is some way to move them as a unit, they'll have to go back where they were to start with.

thanks dp

Reply to
dweller

okay just got off the phone with mechanic who also rec'd switching them, but he didn't describe the process at the time since i thought i knew enough (using the above description) to do it.

He told me that since they are already assembled back to their original places on the shaft, to just move them to the other sides (respectively) making sure the outboards were still outboard, and the inboards were still inboard. That appears to be option 2 above, as long as they are moved as a unit, 2 cvs and shaft complete. (flipping them end to end)

since there is no motor in the bus to drive away and check it, it will another week i suppose before i can tell if they will be a problem, and if so, will switch back.

dp

Reply to
dweller

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