labor/materials cost CV Joints

They will probably just install a reman halfshaft, should be about $100 parts and an hour or so labor. replacing the CV joints with new on your halfshaft will probably cost a little more, but last longer (as the remans are generally old CVs with the races ground and new balls installed.) Price I gave is for one side, double that for all four. New CVs were 60-70ish apiece last time I checked.

good luck,

nate

ok,

I can get a new Lobro driver's side shaft assembly for about $150 plus shipping. Is this something an oil-changing tinkerer like myself can change out with a Haynes manual and a warm saturday afternoon ?

Whats involved ? My Parts Place catalog shows a 30MM Drive Shaft Nut and an

Any advice you could lend would be very appreciated.

Chris

Chris_E wrote:

It's not brain surgery - just tedious for those of us that have to do it on ramps instead of lifts.

Get an extra tube of CV joint grease. It's worth the extra 10 minutes to peel back the boot (carefully, of course) and pack some more grease in there before assembly.

Spray the allen bolts with a solvent before try> ok,

Hell yeah you can do it, and those are the only tools you need other than the normal, basic hand tools. Quick procedure:

while the car is still on the ground and the wheel installed, take the hubcap/center cap/whatever off and break the big axle nut loose. You will need a long breaker bar and maybe a cheater pipe for this, it is torqued very tight. DO NOT move the car after this is done or you will be buying a new bearing - it should never rotate with a load on it with the big 30mm nut loose. Now jack it up and remove the nut. Now get under there with some carb cleaner and a toothbrush and clean the heads of the cheesehead bolts holding on the inner CV. Take the cheesehead driver and remove all six bolts from the inner CV. It helps if you have a helper to put the car in/out of gear as it's only easy to get at three of them at a time. If any of them are real tight, take a hammer and tap the bit into the head a couple times. This will lessen the likelihood of you stripping the bolt and also might help break up any corrosion between the bolt and the flange.

If you're doing the passenger side, you're almost done. Just remove the inner from its flange and then tap the outer in from the outside (use a piece of brass or wood) if it is original to the car it may be pretty well stuck in there. ISTR having to remove that brick shaped weight under my old A2 GTI for something, don't recall if it was the halfshaft, exhaust, what.

On the driver's side, after doing the above, you may find that you don't have enough clearance to get the axle out. Just remove the pinch bolt on the steering knuckle (the one that holds the ball joint in) and separate the knuckle from teh ball joint stud. Now you can swing the strut and steering knuckle out and get the clearance you need.

Reassembly, as they say, is the reverse... torque that big nut down as tight as you can, I don't have the spec off the top of my head but I think it's something like 300 lb-ft, probably more than your torque wrench will read.

good luck

nate

Chris_E wrote:

Wow, Thanks Nate. Looks like I have my saturday afternoon booked up now!

Chris

Nate Nagel wrote:

Yes. Get NEW CVs, if they come on an axle all the better.

Preassembled axle/CV combos like that are real easy to plug and play. CV replacement kits come with boots and grease you assemble them yourself, no biggey.

Getting the old axle out and the new in will require unbinding the axle nut, it is holding the front bearings in it's race(s), you can NOT have the nut unbound and then roll the car's weight on the bearings, you'll trash em.

Let me say that another way: Do not roll the car with the axle nut loose or off.

Good advice. Buy a 1/2" deep socket to tape the twelve point (tripplesquare) star point into, semi permanent like.

Oh, you want more? :]) No praaaaablem:

- Get some nitril gloves.

- Clean out the star fasteners really well, and tap the driver into them before you crank down on them. Don't cheap out and use the wrong tool.

- Be sure the threads and holes are clean of CV grease when you go to reassemble. A little Blue Locktite wouldn't' hurt.

- Turning the breaker bar, wrench on these things will rotate the axle to, (counter productive). If you have vented disks put a screwdriver down the vent slot. I have been known to clamp a vicegrip on the plain rotors before but I do so cautiously.

- Use a breaker bar (like 1/2" size) to deal with the axle nut. Don't try it with a 3/8" ratchet.

- The Axle nuts calls for xxx amount of torque. (Look it up for your given application.) Breaker bars are usually 12" or 18" long. This makes it easy when estimating your body weight at the end of the lever as if it was a torque wrench. A little extra weight wont hurt.

- The Haynes is a good manual, a Bentley is primo. (You can find cheap ones used, either online or through local book stores.) The Chilton can not be recommend except as a door stop or wheel chock.

hth, TBerk

The 30 MM nut has 173 Ft-LBs of force so it takes a big torque wrench to do it right.

HTH Steve

yourself,

you'll

One more thing I just thought of. Next time you have the car in the air after you're done recheck the torque on the six small bolts holding the inner on. I've seen them work loose on several cars after a CV replacement.

nate

Folks you're a big help. One more question or two before I actually buy the parts...

How can I verify _which_ side is actually bad ? It definately _sounds_ like the driver's side, but I want to be sure. I'll be kicking my own arse if I order the wrong side. hah!

I am definately ordering a Bentley manual, but it will be ordered with the drive axle and parts.

Thanks again,

Chris

Chris_E wrote:

OK, you COULD reach in,grab and shake the halfshaft, and the side that wobbles the most is the bad one...

But you should replace both sides. Once you've got the tools out,and you get rolling, it's easy (sorry about the pun).

Chris_E wrote:

Ha! My luck. My year/model (89 GL Wolfsburg) shaft came apparently in two different diameters of CV: 90 and 100mm so now I have to get up under the car again and measure!!

This is just comical since I've also been trying for a week now to get my local VW shop on the phone just to find out they're out of business! (or at least their phone is disconnected which ain't a good sign)

My shop was my chicken-out route - but I guess I won't be chickening out now!

Thanks again for all your help

I'm curious. Where are you getting the Lobro driveshaft assy?

Parts Place Inc. Thats for Driver's side. Passenger side is $299 new

Okay. Passenger side is always more expensive unless it's reman.

BTW, here is a link that is kind of interesting to read up on VW parts:

Good Luck.

I think i see some thing I didn't catch before. The 90mm half-shaft is $149 for driver's side. The 100mm is $299 for same. I am betting more of the A2's had 100mm than 90 so they can afford to take a hit on the 90mm for $149.

Sneaky monkeys

I haven't bought 'new' stuff from Parts Place before. I use them like a salvage yard since I don't have one here in Memphis, at least not a VW one.

I might just go reman or recycled to save some $$ - got a kid on the way and this car just gets me to work and back (3 miles or so).

Thanks for that link. I wondered what the difference was between OE and OEM. I am browsing the site now looking at parts.

Chris

I like the above link because it tells you about all the german parts and has links associated with them.

Yep. I have to do my Golf which has 90mms.

I think I am going to go cheap but good and maybe put in a Peloquin 40% kit while I have things apart. I also want to install a new clutch kit and flywheel including the throwout bearing. The tie rods also need replacing since they are really worn. An adjustable tie rod for the drivers side.

This is the best deal I found so far for reman and good. I just have to confirm the product over the phone:

BudDepot has a pretty nice website. I like their search catalog. Its good that I have another online/outside source for parts. Seems they only had Driver's side half-shaft but I'm gonna look again.

Their radiators are cheap. I'm looking at replacing that too.

I've also got to replace the front struts but Parts Place has recycled for $99.95/pair.

I imagine part of my CV problem is directly related to the totally useless struts that are in there now. hah!

What can I say, I bought used for $1000 and it has been running ever since. I can't expect NOT to have issues here and there.

Its funny, I didn't really consider the car more than a daily driver until my dad suggested I get it painted. He said I'd be more eager to fix it up if it at least looked nice. He was right. :)

I like the attitude they display, that same sentiment is why I deal the the Virtual World Parts:

I have known the owners for many years and they are knowledgeable, actually own and upgrades VWs, and are stand up folks.

TBerk

I like the attitude they display, that same sentiment is why I deal the the Virtual World Parts:

I have known the owners for many years and they are knowledgeable, actually own and upgrades VWs, and are stand up folks.

TBerk