Trick

No use even putting this back together, is there? Is this bad enough to cause my thunking and have a slight growl when I am moving? Don't have a clue what the other side looks like yet. I can only imagine. The bearings are blue and the grooves are deeper than they look. I am sure they could be much worse though. There wasn't a lot of play in it before I took it apart, but some. This is the side that bolts to the transaxle, the wheel side is a lot tighter. I saw this and stopped there. It was full of nasty grease, it wasn't dry.
Thanks!

Stefan

Yep , that'll cause the thunking IMO. I just had the one over my exhaust changed and it didn't even look as bad as yours. My intermittent thunking went away for good now with the new joint. <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" /> (that was a scary thing to have big-time thunking on the highway ... felt like my wheels were about to fall off)

Just think ... one shop told me the thunking was my parking brake. Good thing I don't get any thing done there any more.

Type_LT

My cv joints looked similar when they where clunking, bought two new axle assemblies for less that 400 from <a href="http://www.paragon-products.com/" target="_blank">Paragon</a>.

Bill Keezer

IMHO, once you discover you need a CV joint, replace both joints. I realize there are purists out there who want to spend whatever it takes to stay OEM, but here are a few tips if you want to save some money, at least if the halfshaft assembly is the same as my '85.5 N/A 944.
Remember, the 924/944 has VW origins. As it turns out, the CV joints are identical to the ones used in the latter-day water cooled VW Vanagon. As such, perfectly suitable CV joints can be purchased from JC Whitney on-line (you won't find them in their VW catalog). Their SKU 81ZX8567B is for an ?89 ? ?91 Vanagon @ $59.99 ea (June 2000 price). Identical dimensionally, made in Brazil by GKN. No grease or boot included. Four CV joint boot "kits" for a 944 (includes the special grease) were less than $100 from Automobile Atlanta. I couldn't buy boots for the VW from Whitney, and I wasn't sure they would fit anyway - the halfshaft diameter may not be the same. At these prices, even adjusted for two years inflation, if you have any significant mileage on the car just replace all four.

Bernie

Great Info Bill,

Gotta save that cash whenever possible.

Cheers
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Stuttgart951

Wow... looks like thats my next bit of home maintenance to be performed...

Danno

"can be purchased from JC Whitney on-line (you won't find them in their VW catalog). Their SKU 81ZX8567B is for an ?89 ? ?91 Vanagon @ $59.99 ea (June 2000 price). "

I think Skip & Jason over at <a href="http://www.paragon-products.com" target="_blank">Paragon Products</a> can get you genuine Porsche CV joints for a lot less than that!

Ahmet

Happened to me too, these cars don't have very strong axles...


<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DSC0000004.JPG" target="_blank">http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DSC0000004.JPG</a>
<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DSC0000005.JPG" target="_blank">http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/DSC0000005.JPG</a>

I'd definately go with the Porsche part. Sometimes parts really are interchangable, but just because something bolts up doesn't mean it's the same part. Very good example is the front control arms of early 944s, do NOT go non Porsche on those, ditto for the bushings...
Ahmet

Olli Snellman

Explorer944 didn't mention what car he has.If it is a 944 na VW joints can be adopted.If it's S2/951 there might be a possibilty to use VW Transporter 4WD rear outer CV's.
CV boots can be adopted from BMW 750I (for 951) and VW transporter (for 944).
Pictures tell the whole story, those CV-joints are end of their life, no point to use them anylonger.Even if rotation direction is changed they will clunk.

Olli
'88 951

Trick

You know what Olli, I never thought of that till you just posted. If you look at the very first picture it is wore on both sides, like maybe they have been rotated before? I don't know enough about them to know for sure, but I never thought about it till you said that.
Just an 86 944 na. They ain't going back in like it is now, I am not wasting my time. I might have to leave it apart a bit till I can afford to do both sides, I am not risking it. I don't really like halfa$$ing anything anyway.
Thanks everyone!

Olli Snellman

When CV-joints starts to clunk you can just remove / wash / relubricate them.Then reinstall them with rotation direction changed.If they are too much worn out the change of direction wont help.I suppose your joints are just too bad to reuse.

Olli
'88 951

Danno

It's not the rotation you need to change, it's the torque direction. On each axle, the inside and outside CV experiences torque in opposing directions. So flipping inside with outside on the same axle may reverse rotation, but torque is still the same (same side of cages is being used). You have to swap left and right axles (inside vs outside doesn't matter).

Although from the looks of the wear in that first photo, you might just want to replace it!

Olli Snellman

Danno,
that's what i ment.Sometimes finding the right words (english) is little bit difficult for non-native-english-writer

Olli
'88 951

abduln

I wouldn't recommend flipping sides for an axle assembly. Axles absorb directional torsional loads and get "worked" as a result. When you flip the axles, it will cause them to be torqued the opposite direction and as the metal get worked the axle will develop micro fractures. The micro fractures will act as stress risers and it's possible that the axles will fracture and completely fail. That's just a possibility, but it does happen. When working on axles, always know which axle goes on which side.

It would be better to swap the CV's, rather than the entire axle.

Abdul

Stefan

My mechanic will turn the CV joint itself to give it more life if is worn on one side only. He says it almost doubles its life.

I didn't bother, for the money saved, I figured I'd be better off with a new joint. It was only $200 cdn for the CV kit at the porsche dealer.