garrett376

Hi Guys, I have read numerous posts so I know many of you have actually done this procedure - but it's not mentioned in any of the procedural descriptions:
how do you disassemble the actual CV so you can remove the "engine-side" end (the joint itself) to pull off the boots?

I was about to pound off the gold colored "cap" on the end of the drive shaft, where I believe I'd find some retaining bolts. Before I potentially mash up the thin metal cover, I wanted to be sure that's the approach that works best!

Thanks as usual!! I might just make it to the start/finish on time!

Dunasso

Garrett, The gold cover on the inside cv does need to be removed. With a standard screwdriver and a hammer should be able to tap it off easily working your way around the circufirance. Behind that cover you will find a clip. You will need circlip pliers to take it out or 2 small screwwdrivers. Be careful not to bend or lose the clip because you will need it when you re-install the cv. At this point the cv should slide off with a little effort assuming you have already removed the other gold cover that holds the boot in place. If you haven't then do so in the same manner in which you removed the cover. Now it may be in your best interest not allow the ball bearings in the joint to fall out if you want to clean it. However if you are replacing with a new joint then your task is half over, just repeat everything in reverse( after adding the cv lube and new boot ofcoarse). But, if you are cleaning and re-installing the old joint then you do not have to completely disassemble the joint once it is off the shaft. Just take the joint (as a whole) to the parts washer and clean it. Be careful not to let the center rotate enough for the bearings to fall out. This really is not that big of a deal if they do come out, but it will be easier if they didn't.
As for the outer joint; the gold ring does not come off and cleaning is a bit more thedious.
Remove the boot, stand the axle and outer cv assembly upright in the parts washer and point the solvent down into the joint. Now comes the fun part; while the solvent is runnig in the cv pull the axle up and down and round and around. This creates a washing machine effect and all the old grease will run out the bottom "eventually". You can expect to have to do this for around 20-30-mins or until the solvent appears clean when it comes out the threaded end of the cv joint. When you are finished make sure that you have all the solvent out of the joint before working in the new grease.
Put on the new boot.
install new boot for the inner joint.
install new or cleaned inner cv w/grease.
install retainer clip and you are done.

Duncan

garrett376

That's great - thanks Duncan, I really appreciate the play-by-play. I'll take some pics of the "operation" tonight when I get home for other's future reference!

Dunasso

Glad to be of help, and good luck with it. The whole job usually takes around 2hrs.

PC2

Garrett.

I did this about 2 months ago and had trouble taking the joints off the shaft. The joints are pressed in and just wouldn't come off. I ended up putting it all back together and paid my mechanic to do the job. He used a "puller contraption" to take off the joints.

horst

I have doen this with my 930. I found it instructive to take the ***** out, so as to inspect them for wear before re-lubing & re-installing. I have not yet done it with my 964. I learned the hard way about the bolts that hold the joints to the flanges: allegedly they are 1-time use only. A friend drew a sross section of the threads and they supposedly have a slight upward bias, so as to bite in better and hold. Being a cheapskate, and none were immediately available anyhow, I re-used the old ones, giving each one 2 grunts of torque. Couple of weeks later, I was backing out of the garage, heard a "clunk", car stopped, and I looked underneath, and was horrified to see that the inner driver side joint had fallen off! At speed, that would have been a disaster. I put things back together, cleaning the bolts with laquer thinner, the holes with a Q tip, then used locktite, and 3 grunts of torque. No problems after that. Good luck.

garrett376

Hi guys - thanks for the tips. Everything went without a hitch last night! Since I am a visual guy, I like pictures, so I am posting some pics to show future folks what it looks like.

I had one cracked boot on the outer (wheel) joint, so being already overbudget, decided that replacing ONE boot was all the budget committee would permit.

Removing the little metal clips that affix each side of the boot was easy. I even re-used them and they look to be holding with just as much tension as before. I did add some grease here and there, but you can see that the inner joint that I had to remove, had plenty! That stuff is messy - it's hard to take pictures, so excuse the out of focus ones - I gotta snap pics before the camera gets greasy or the engine drips on me!!

There was truly nothing difficult about the boot swap - took about an hour. One word of advice is to be sure to place the 6 allen-head screws and their little backing plates on the joint FIRST, then slide on the boot into its final position. If you put the boot on first, you can't get the screws on there without potentially ripping the boot - which would definitely send me over budget (yes, I know they were only $14 each!!!!). I reused just about everything except the old cracked boot! The only special tool I used was my circlip pliers that you see in the picture that I was forced to get when I replaced the dizzy belt - what a wonderful tool!!!

Enjoy the pics and thanks again for the tips!

Dunasso

I see that you obviously had no problem gettn'r'done. Nice pics, they should open few eyes to ease of this job (next to the mess).
Duncan

PC2

Hmmm.......I'm puzzled as to how your joints can be taken off without much force. Mine was pressed on and won't budge at all. Could it be a difference between manual and tiptronic transmission? Anyway, great job & pics.

garrett376

Once the c-clip was off, I did have to use a hammer to give it a few taps - mind you: taps! I didn't slug at it, and it did slide off quite easily. I was curious to find that the splines were rust-colored - maybe yours were corroded so they were stuck. Unlikely, for a California car, though...

One more of many, many jobs complete!!!

964porschedude

I changed out all four boots last summer on my 964, and my son's CRX yesterday. This has got to be the second messiest job of all times.

Years ago while living at my parents house, I remember the wrath that fell upon me when I brought in what I'll call "Carpet Bombs". Definition: Carpet Bomb - Small, pin head size glob of automotive grease that explodes into several two inch round grease spots on the living-room carpet.

One must assure that all carpet bombs have the safeties engaged or are removed before entering the carpeted room.

I must applaud the boot R & R on the car, but I have found that removing the whole shaft is easier for me. Especially when one doesn’t bend as well as one used to…

First messiest job, in my opinion, is a 911 engine disassembly.

Keith

bhensarl

Thanks for all the great pics, Garrett. As per usual, another project to add to the list.
Brian Hensarling

wrandyh

Helpful Hint: I'm getting ready to replace the two right side boots as the outer on my '88 911 Targa has a slit in it. Today I broke two tools trying to break the stub axle nut loose. Then my buddy suggested applying heat to the nut and axle. After heating the pair sufficiently, the nut came off with a breaker bar with no problem. That's the helpful hint. Now I have to figure out how to retorque the thing to 339 ft-lb when I reassemble it!!!

garrett376

Save the trouble and just leave the CV joint connected as I did - save you battling that bear of a nut...

nekbet

Duncan, you should BOLD the text that says "As for the outer joint; the gold ring does not come off and cleaning is a bit more thedious." !!! :-)

I worked for an hour last night trying to get them separated to clean it all out... I ended up repacking grease and putting everything back together. Doh!

That said, everything was extermely helpful in this thread. Is it ending up in the DIY forum?

Cheers,

Mike Green
1990 911 C4 Targa