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CV axle repair

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Beans

Addicted CEG'er
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
6,758
Location
Plymouth,MI
I have a newer 1000 miles or so GCK driver side axle that i did bad things to. I pulled it apart and got a new band camp for it and put it back on. The inner joint now clicks...

I'm a little ignorant at the inner workings on these, i know you can get a new boot repair kit, with grease and bands. Is that all i need? Will the Universal ones work fine? What should i do to clean off the old grease?

Thanks!
 
For $50 at the major parts places you can get an entire axle complete with bolt, "C" Clip, new boots and already assembled. 20 minute job to replace.

Make sure you check lug nuts every 50 miles after you finish for a few hundred miles.
 
Clicking is caused by a worn joint (nicks, gouges, cracks, spalling, roughness, flaking, etc). If its clicking then the joint is bad. It's normally the outer joint though. If you go in reverse with the wheel turned it should get louder.

I don't know how far you took it apart but you want to keep the balls in the same location if you take them out. Each ball and track develop a wear pattern.

I tore a boot when doing the 3L swap and purchased a universal boot kit from Autozone. It was ••••, didn't fit good. I just replaced the axle from NAPA, I think it was $60-70.
 
FWIW i replaced the axle already with a new one, i believe this one is salvageable, and significantly cheaper.

I only pulled it apart a enough to clean off the grease that got on the part to make it seal. That's the only damage that could have occurred.. Will i be able to tell if i pull it apart again and clean it?
 
Maybe you introduced some debri??? If I was going to try and salvage it I would take it apart, clean all the grease out, inspect it, possibly stone any nicks and re-pack it with grease.
 
Alright I'll give it a try. Recommendations for what to clean it with? Will brake clean be okay or too harsh?
 
Once it's clicking on turns you cannot do anything with it, time for new axle....................now slight clicking no cause for alarm. I've driven ones that click slight and only occasionally for years more as long as boot good. The click only on hard steering limit turn. If nowhere else drive the crap out of it. Joint wears most in the straight ahead position, wears a groove that ball must ride up and over the edge of once turning is called for. The sudden pop over the edge of ball is the click you hear. Going from one groove to another so to speak since the original cut is a groove also. The wear groove occurs in the middle of that one.
 
Only does it going straight IIRC, either case it's a 10$ repair kit, we'll see what happens if its still broke, then meh, I'll take some pictures once i get the kit.
 
Well when you took it apart did you lose a lot of grease? Because I had mine clicking too... problem was one, the rollers (bearings) were not engaged completely in the joint, and it was loose. Then second there wasn't enough grease in the joint. I would try adding grease and making sure that your rollers are fully engaged. I added grease and then pushed the joint together further until I felt it seat, buttoned it up, and it worked good since. Still had the axle in until I pulled the powertrain for the massive build I have going on. This fix is free to try and may do the trick. Don't waste your money until you have too.
 
To MikesStripedSVT

Concerning the universal boot kit from Autozone that didn't fit well, was it a 03680 UF2001 or a Dorman 614-001? I am considering replacing an outer boot with one of those?
 
Don't do it, that was the sloppiest messiest job i ever did, totally not worth it, buy a complete axle.
 
belier26 said:
To MikesStripedSVT

Concerning the universal boot kit from Autozone that didn't fit well, was it a 03680 UF2001 or a Dorman 614-001? I am considering replacing an outer boot with one of those?
Click to expand...

It was Dorman 614-002, maybe I got the wrong one but as Beans said I don't think it is worth it. I think the extra $40 or so for new axle is the best bet.
 
Getting readyto replace both front axles on my SVTC. I'm buying them from BATINC.NET for $64.50 each and they are complete axle assemblies & will fix your problem. Just make sure to go to thier "specials" section because they are cheaper there...
 
Boot replacement used to be a no-brainer when you could get the proper part, nowadays they have been condensed to a few parts that do not fit well on much of anything. Split type boots are totally useless unless you want to redo the job. There is a certain measured amount of grease that goes in each and every axle, slightly too much and the boot blows out from no airspace in it.

If clicking straight ahead it's junk, only an idiot would change just boot now with axle prices as low as most of them are. Make sure you get the axle nut up to 100% full torque.
 
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