CV joint - potential problem

[radek at istar.ca]

Yes, it's the outer CV joint.  I drove the car today (slowly) without  
a problem for about 30 km.  I will take the joint apart and take a  
closer look at the outer and inner races, I understand the relative  
position of these two is of most importance (thanks Cody).  Just to be  
clear, the joint has 6 balls that look nearly perfect (only slight  
discoloration in places) but the cage (ring with rectangular openings  
to hold the balls) has clear worn-out areas.  Perhaps it's there where  
it's binding.  I'll have to do the job twice, but a lesson is learned.  
  Thanks guys!
Radek


>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 07:01:46 -0700
> From: "urq" <urq at pacbell.net>
> Subject: RE: CV joint - potential problem
> To: <quattro at audifans.com>
> Message-ID: <000901cb0bca$20e3cb10$62ab6130$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
>
> I believe that you are talking about an inner CVJ.  I was considering a
> similar post but got the impression the original post was referring to an
> outer CVJ.
>
> IME there is no similar requirement for aligning the bits of an outer CVJ,
> if you find it is binding you may want to consider replacement.  I'm not so
> sure I'd run off and swap a part from a completely different model just
> 'cause I had it laying around, but hey if it fits it should work ...
>
> Steve Buchholz
>
> PS - Yes, I too assembled my first inner CVJ incorrectly and it locked up on
> me ... I remember at first thinking that I wasn't going to be able to take
> it apart again and was going to have to buy a replacement.  I learned a
> lesson on marking the parts so that they'd go back together the same way
> that day!  :-)
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I want to start off by clarifying some terminology. A CV joint has 4
> parts; the outer race, the ball bearings, the cage that holds the
> balls in alignment, and the inner race. Sometimes different terms may
> be used, but definately the 'cage' is definately being referenced
> incorrectly here. Don't take this as me being an ass or something, I'm
> just trying to abate some possible confusion.
>
> With that clarified, the outer race and inner race have a specific
> alignment. If you are looking at the race head on as installed you can
> see the individual ball races alternate between intersecting going
> away from you and towards you. This leaves an alternating series of
> wide gaps and narrow gaps between the ball bearing races. When you are
> assembling the joint you want the inner and outer races aligned
> opposite of each other. An outer joint wide gap should be adjacent an
> inner race narrow gap. It's easy to check once you got just 2 or 3
> balls installed. With the CV nice and straight you should be able to
> slide the outer race fairly freely up and down about two inches. If it
> won't telescope it's not assembled right.
>
> -Cody (mobile)
>
> On Jun 13, 2010, at 11:14 PM, "Ed Kellock" <ekellock at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I was going to say something similar.  A friend and I disassembled and
>> cleaned one of his CVs on his urS4 and when the CV was reassembled,
>> it would
>> bind once the axle nut was tightened fully.  Turns out we had it
>> reassembled
>> with one part backwards.  I don't recall the scenario very well, but
>> sounds
>> like it must have been the cage that we had backwards.
>>
>> Ed
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-
>> bounces at audifans.com] On
>> Behalf Of NIck Miller
>> Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 8:28 PM
>> To: Radek
>> Cc: quattro at audifans.com
>> Subject: Re: CV joint - potential problem
>>
>>
>> You probably put it all back together wrong is all.  Don't worry
>> about it
>> too much.  I do believe the actual joint on the V8 will be the same
>> as the
>> 90, but only if they are both auto/auto.  I'd take the CV for the 90
>> apart
>> again and relate it to the V8 one if you wish to take that apart.
>>
>> Basically, you'll notice that the "cage" on the outside has a raised
>> lip on
>> one side, this is supposed to go outwards so that the balls on the
>> inner
>> cage don't fall out, and the same for the inner cage.  Basically,
>> they have
>> that lip for retention and they go together opposite of each other.
>> Tough
>> to explain, but that's what you have to look for when comparing
>> them, and
>> try and use the V8 one as a blue print.
>>
>> On that note, I probably wouldn't reuse a joint that had dried up
>> grease in
>> it.  The ball bearings are surely shot, and those things have factory
>> tollerances unlike anything else you'll ever see, I believe at .0001
>> in
>> relation to what they go into.  I may be off, but it sounds right,
>> that's
>> the range for BBs in a turbocharger which spin up to about 100krpm,
>> and a CV
>> axle certainly doesn't go that fast, but its still a high speed unit.
>>
>> Anyway, hope it helped.  I have a few sets in my garage but they are
>> just
>> recently rebuilt, not too sure I want to take them apart for
>> reference.
>>
>> ~Nick