Front outter C/V joint

**nicecanofspam** · 04-24-2008 01:20 AM

Hey guys, been reading around here for a while and I pipe up every once in a while but have not been a super duper poster or anything like that. More of a "sit back and learn" kind of person.

Anyways, I have a common problem I believe: the front outter c/v joint and boot need to be replaced. I got the entire kit from ECS and I started doing it today and realized that I might need some help. I have a friend who is much more mechanically inclined than I to come help tomorrow, but I have a question about being able to do it without removing the entire c/v joint and I guess the shaft? (disconnecting the entire thing from the transmission). The only good, detailed writeup that I could find said to do this and I believe its possible to do it without taking the whole thing off. Anyone help me out or send me a link to a DIY writeup that does not involved disconnecting the entire thing? Thanks for any help :D

**jibberjive** · 04-24-2008 05:49 AM

I'm not sure how you're going to get the axle out of the hub to pull the joint off without removing the 6 bolts that hold it to the transmission, but if you do find out that you need to remove the whole half shaft, don't unbolt the upper or lower bolts for the control arms to get it out. This tip saved me a bunch of time and you don't have to remove ANY bolts other than the axle/hub bolt and the 6 going to the transmission (and of course your wheel bolts) and the trick is:
After you've unbolted the axle bolt and the bolts holding it to the tranny, jack up the hub as far as you can. With the hub jacked up you'll have enough room to wiggle the axle out of the hub, and pull the half shaft out underneath the car toward the center (but if you're just doing the outer boot than you don't really need to pull it out, rather just access the outer joint.

Literally took just a few minutes and you don't have to deal with the infamous pinch bolt. Oh, and get a big cheater bar cause the torque spec on the axle bolt is 140 ft/lb + 180 degree rotation. Some other random tips I found (I just did this the other week): Make sure your kit comes with a new axle/hub bolt, they're one time use stretch bolts. To take off the outer CV joint, just re-insert the axle bolt once it's out of the hub and as you screw it down it'll force it off, just make sure to keep the joint centered.
Good luck!

**The_Jerbel** · 04-25-2008 01:12 AM

You can do the outer joint without removing the inner joint from the output flange. Just jack up the spindle, like jibber suggested. If you crank the steering wheel all the way to one side, you can squeeze out the shaft from the hub. Replace the joint with the axle still attached to the tranny.

**Jsmooth65** · 04-25-2008 07:13 PM

pinch bolt has to come out in order to lean the spindle out far enough to get the CV spine out of the hub.

**nicecanofspam** · 04-26-2008 01:02 AM

awesome. I think the whole turning the wheel far enough was one thing I would have never done. hopefully going to try this monday, if not I might just take it to the shop, but I sure would like to get better at doing some stuff my self to save some money O.o