[Vwdiesel] CV-joint clapped out?

MLightner mikel at buncombe.main.nc.us
Sat Jan 27 10:51:20 EST 2007


My 85 Jetta had one of those rubber and metal balancer thingies on the 
long CV- joint assy., and it started moving around on it's own.  When it 
worked its way toward the outer end of the shaft it started making some 
pretty omminous
(but sporadic) noises when it would bump into the A-arm, so I was really 
relieved to find it to be the source of the noises.

The only tool that would easily get to it with the front wheels on a 
ramp was a small angle grinder, so I had at it - since the balancer kept 
trying to get away from the grinder, I felt I was doing pretty good not 
to be grinding things that didn't need grinding, and I got it off 
without too much trouble. However, the grinder did take one unwelcome 
bounce that cut through the small end of the inboard CV boot.... gear 
oil quickly started pouring out of the boot, at first I couldn't believe 
it...

Long story short, got a new boot, took the inner joint loose and found 
that the cap-like seal that is in the CV flange had come unseated from 
it's usual place - it didn't look damaged in any way, and 'seems' to be 
solidly back in place now.

Since I had the joint off I was able to check the flange for slop - 
Yaaay!,  I finally found a non-clapped out part  (well, maybe I 
exagerate a bit some times), not a bit of wiggle to it.  The boot kit I 
got for it had too small a C-clip, but I was able to reuse the old one.  
I just wonder how long the joint had been running in gear oil - there 
wasn't a trace of grease left in there and there was (is) some spalling 
at the contact points on the inner donut of the cv joint, but all the 
balls and the outer donut bearing surfaces look pretty decent.  Anyway, 
now back together with a new boot and fresh grease, hope it lasts awhile.

Couple Q's:

    1)  I got the boot kit at the local O'reillys, and there was only 
one kit listed for it, which had a somewhat smaller c-clip, and the 
small end of the boot was considerably smaller than that of the 
original, probably about 6mm smaller;  it stretched enough to go on 
without too much extra effort.  So, I'm wondering what I need to specify 
in order to get the right kit.

    2)  Is it common for those cap seals in the flange to come unseated?

Thanks for any ideas, suggestions, comments and such.  I'm told that the 
P.O . bought this vehicle from someone who had a lot of Jettas and other 
VW products, so I'm beginning to develope a 'mongrelization theory' 
about it.

Mike in NC
 


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