CV joint re-grease

[spdracrm3]

Been f'ing with this thing all afternoon. Does that clip even have to come off?? There doesn't appear to be enough space to spread it far enough to make much difference anyway.

Looking at YouTube videos, looks like hanging it from a vise and using a BFH (?brass) is the way to go.

need these

[E30andy]

need these

Yes I do! Look very expensive....

[AndrewBird]

Maybe it's different on e34s, but I anyways just use a dead blow plastic hammer to tap the joint off. The clip compresses into the groove and sides through the joint. I put the axle shaft in a vise to hold it.

I also clean everything and remove all the old grease and dirt. Just like motor oil, grease breaks down over time and doesn't work as well. Plus different brand greases might not be compatible with each other.

[nrubenstein]

Maybe it's different on e34s, but I anyways just use a dead blow plastic hammer to tap the joint off. The clip compresses into the groove and sides through the joint. I put the axle shaft in a vise to hold it.

I also clean everything and remove all the old grease and dirt. Just like motor oil, grease breaks down over time and doesn't work as well. Plus different brand greases might not be compatible with each other.

When the boots fail every couple of years, you don't need to worry too much about age related issues.

[nando]

you need a vice. Once you got the axle clamped down tight, you can direct most of the force of your hammer blows directly on the CV joint - so you don't need to spread that clip out entirely, just get it started over the splines.

I have managed to do it once without a vice, but it was a pain in the ass. I used to take it to a shop and let them do it for me - usually just gave them a case of beer or something, it took them like 15 seconds vs my 3+ hours of cussing.

[nrubenstein]

you need a vice. Once you got the axle clamped down tight, you can direct most of the force of your hammer blows directly on the CV joint - so you don't need to spread that clip out entirely, just get it started over the splines.

I have managed to do it once without a vice, but it was a pain in the ass. I used to take it to a shop and let them do it for me - usually just gave them a case of beer or something, it took them like 15 seconds vs my 3+ hours of cussing.

I never really had that much trouble spreading the circlip. It's always been somewhere between immediate release and a few minutes of fiddling.

Those knipex spreaders are really tempting for next time. I might make K buy them for me.

[E30andy]

Yeah I think my lack of a vice is the problem. Just had a garage built and don't have a workbench yet to mount my vice. Trying to think of a creative way to use a vice without a workbench. I may actually mount it to the wooden stairs in the garage as a temporary measure to get this CV joint done. I really hate to take it to a shop but that may be the way to go until my garage is better set up! A shop would charge less than me buying that fancy Knipe tool and also the tool to pinch the CV boot clamps closed....

Good advice guys, thanks!

[ForcedFirebird]

Technically you should clean all the grease out, some greases become abrasive when mixed. Generally to put a new boot on, we just soak them in gasoline to clean the old grease. Depending where the split in the boot is, you often can just fill the boot with gas and not use a larger bucket/can. Old paint cans work great for a container, though.

As far a your vice, go to a dept store (such as Walmart) and grab a cheap bar stool to mount the vice to. This makes it portable and you just put your foot on a stringer if you need to stabilize it. I have one kicking around the shop that gets a vice, bench grinder/polisher etc whatever mounted to it when needed.

[E30andy]

Got it!

Mounted my vice on an old kitchen cabinet we had lying around, and that's all she wrote. Spread the clip, and a couple of whacks with a rubber mallet and off it came.

Thanks again for all the help guys!!

[Kershaw]

https://www.amazon.com/Knipex-4510170-Special-Retaining-6-75-Inch/dp/B003UHUCQM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1490740083&sr=8-9&keywords=knipex+snap+ring+pliers

I use a set of circlip pliers that were $30, from advance. Not top of the line, but definitely not harbor freight. Nice solid steel, no flex. I think that's important. I use a screwdriver to spread the clip a little, and then keep it pried open with the pliers.