replacing my cv joint

[brian mcleod]

I am pretty sure my cv joint is going out. What I want to know is if I am going to need any special tools to get it changed, I have a buttload of tools already but is there a special tool that I will have to purchase?

 

[projectSHO89]

Brian,

Hey, welcome!

If it's the passenger side halfshaft, Advance Auto has the tool used to separate the halfshaft from the intermediate shaft. Around $25-40 deposit. AutoZone doesn't for some reason.

If it's the driver's side, you should be able to pop it out by swinging the whole knuckle outward after dropping the lower control arm.

Other than that, you will need a 30 mm socket (iirc) on a long breaker bar to get the nut loose, a crowbar to pry the lower ball joint out of the knuckle, then a really big torque wrench to re-torque the nut when it all goes back together.

Pick up and install a new transmission output shaft seal while you're at it. They're only a coule bucks.

Steve in Florissant...

 

[shojuan]

projectSHO89:
If it's the passenger side halfshaft, Advance Auto has the tool used to separate the halfshaft from the intermediate shaft. Around $25-40 deposit. AutoZone doesn't for some reason.

I didn't use any kind of special tool to separate the passenger side halfshaft from the intermediate shaft. After supporting the shaft with wire, undoing the stuff at the knuckle, and unbolting the two bolts holding the intermediate shaft bearing support to the body the halfshaft/intermediate shaft just slides right out of the tranny. Then the halfshaft was easy to seperate from the intermediate shaft by hand. I think just a little circlip. Or are you talking about renting a slide hammer kit to pull the halfshaft out with the intermediate shaft still bolted in place? That must be it. Shoot it's been a year since I touched mine.

Rick

 

[projectSHO89]

you talking about renting a slide hammer kit to pull the halfshaft out with the intermediate shaft still bolted in place?

Yep.

It's a real PITA to separate off the car unless you have a nice sturdy workbench with a heavy vice to hold it in. The slide hammer makes it easy to separate.

Steve

 

[brian mcleod]

I already have the 30 mm socket, along with a pneumatic wrench. And its the driver sides joint.
I think my Cliftons auto guide said somewhere that I might have to get a "special tool" to get it back on. I could be wrong.... So thats where I got that one.
And do I have to get the slide hammer kit? Is there a way around this?

 

[projectSHO89]

You won't need the slide hammer to remove the shaft nor will you need a special tool to reinstall it.

Loosen slightly the large nut. Just break it free.

Remove the pinch bolt for the ball joint, then remove the joint rom the knuckle by prying the LCA downward with a large crowbar.

Once the ball joint is free from the knuckle, place a drain pain under the transmission, then sharply pull the whole strut, knuckle, and driveshaft outward. The shaft should pop out of the tranny and a quart or so of fluid will follow. Remove the nut completely from the driveshaft spindle, then rap the outside end of the driveshaft spindle sharply with a 3 lb hammer to pop it back inwards, freeing it from the wheel bearing.

Put in a new seal in the tranny case, **** it with some ATF, then slide the new halfshaft almost all the way in. Shove it in with a sharp, abrupt motion, popping the circlip into its retainer. Put the driveshaft spindle back through the bearing (swing the assembly outward), then start re-assembling everything using proper torque values.

Steve

 

[brian mcleod]

thanks for all your help guys.