[Vwdiesel] CV Boots ---- ( it's a split decision )

[Val Christian]

Unorhodox approaches on CV joints.

I confess to removing a CV joint, without pulling the inner.  It was
one of those cold weeks in Jan, and I wanted to replace the boot before
the brine on the roads melted.  Popped the ball joint, pulled up the 
boot, and slipped the retainer ring removal pliers in.  Tapped the
outer CV joint off.  Cleaned the sharft with gasoline (Didn't have 
vaseline in the garage.).  

I got so cold doing this job, that I failed to properly crimp the
large boot band with my end cutters.  After exploring my junk
boxes, and not finding a suitable clamp, I decided to use a 
nylon wire tie.  Worked fine.  Two years later, I cut it off and 
the right kind of clamp got installed...about 50K miles later.

> 
> Why go to Vaseline ---- two reasons  # 1. DA MESS.  # 2. I
> measured a CV on a shaft removed from a 1980 Rabbit  1.5LNA
> 4 door deluxe.
> 
> I was curious as to how fast these thing wear.  Well blow my socks
> off  . After all those years and about 95K    Km  there was absolutely=20
> NO play to be measured. Taken apart 2003 . and had the original boots
> and clamps.   And never leaked. This in turn made me think that the =
> balls=20
> are installed with a preload. Very very nice design say I.
> 
> So the lube was maybe not critical --as long as it does not attack  the =
> rubber.
>  Loren was you hinting at K-Y Jelly pr chance ?
> 
> Oh one very important thing  ---- use real screw clamps  " Mini =
> Hose-clamps "
> and inspect often. They do not like Scott Kj=E6rs  brine. By the way I =
> have seen
> where all that salt comes from.Very impressive    The whole Island is =
> going to=20
> disappear some day , in the worlds biggest sinkhole.        Avery Island =
> .
> 
> Hagar.
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