CV joint separation... for a brand new Joint and shaft!

Hi Chaps,

I need a bit of advice about separating a CV joint from a halfshaft. Ive seen various guides saying that you hang the shaft in a vice with the CV joint facing down and give it a whack with a hammer.

Thing is, I need to do this with a brand new one! I got distracted whilst putting the new CV joint onto the new halfshaft and forgot the spacer ring....

I only realised when I noticed the wheel wouldn't turn when putting it back together. I presume the CV joint is jamming inside somewhere.

Anyhow I need to separate the two. If I use the 'approved' technique of whacking the CV joint will I damage it? I'll put something soft down for it to land on (my head..)

Cheers in advance for the advice...

Flashman said:

Hi Chaps,

I need a bit of advice about separating a CV joint from a halfshaft. Ive seen various guides saying that you hang the shaft in a vice with the CV joint facing down and give it a whack with a hammer.

Thing is, I need to do this with a brand new one! I got distracted whilst putting the new CV joint onto the new halfshaft and forgot the spacer ring....

I only realised when I noticed the wheel wouldn't turn when putting it back together. I presume the CV joint is jamming inside somewhere.

Anyhow I need to separate the two. If I use the 'approved' technique of whacking the CV joint will I damage it? I'll put something soft down for it to land on (my head..)

Cheers in advance for the advice...

Click to expand...

Put half shaft in vice and hold cv straight, tap it.

What year is yours and how many splines? As mine is early 10 spline and I think it is missing spacers.

Also on refit make sure cv is located in bronze bush in stub axle as it will tighten down and not seat correctly

fanatic said:

Put half shaft in vice and hold cv straight, tap it.

What year is yours and how many splines? As mine is early 10 spline and I think it is missing spacers.

Also on refit make sure cv is located in bronze bush in stub axle as it will tighten down and not seat correctly

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice

Its a 1990 90, with more than 10 splines. It possible I didn't align the bronze bush correctly. I must admit this was done a few months ago and its been on axle stands since (in my defence I have an outdoors job and therefore weekend working on my landy outdoors in winter sometimes isnt an agreeable prospect! I like to stay warm at weekends...)

I will separate and fit the space and a new circlip and then check bronze bush. Hopefully I wont damage the CV when I whack it. if I do the cost of a new one will be a 'fine' on my stupidity, wont be the first time... or last!

A sharp tap, I think mine should have spacer but not 100%

Mine was butchered before i ever got to it

all cvs have a steel spacer

jamesmartin said:

all cvs have a steel spacer

Click to expand...

That may explain why it is sloppy as, ratty and I took it apart to replace the butched stub axle, thank you James I will look for part number and order them.

Got this sorted, though it took a lot of whacking to get the new CV joint off the halfshaft. Put back together with the spacer!

Just gotta sort the end float out on one side. Just how important is that? ;-p

end float where abouts?

jamesmartin said:

end float where abouts?

Click to expand...

The halfshaft/cv joint endfloat. When I took it to pieces one side didnt have the spacers behind the circlip. However Ive fitted new CV joint and drive flanges anyway so it needs doing.

Just gotta get 1.6mm worth of spacers....

shimming at drive member arent that critical just fit what allows c clip to fit easily

Just had to change my CV joints. (1989 LD 90). I couldn't get the old CV joints off the half-shaft. After a bit of research I discovered that at the end of the half-shaft is a little spring ring, like a circlip. When the CV joint is assembled to the half-shaft, the spring ring presses into the grove in the shaft and the shaft is pushed into the CV joint. When the shaft is fully in, the spring ring emerges from the grove and expands again to prevent excessive movement of the half-shaft, secures the half-shaft and stops it from sliding in the CV joint. Great, until you need to get it back out again to change the CV joint, difficult because the spring ring is now inside the CV joint and no way to get it out, you may think. Well not so. Instead of beating it to death with a lump hammer and possibly damaging the half-shaft and spring ring, a simple solution is at hand.
Using an angle grinder, simply cut out part of the side of the CV cup (the bit that retains the ball bearings). Cut down the side of the CV cup at one of the thinnest points (where a ball bearing is), for about two inches. Then do the same at an adjacent part, ie. where the next ball bearing is, then finally join the two cuts together with a third cut and remove the piece of the side of the cup.
Now you can see inside the cup where the half-shaft end is. Use a little screwdriver to unclip the spring ring from the end of the half-shaft and the half-shaft will just slide out. Not only that, you don't damage the spring ring and it can be used again. The whole process took about 10 minutes each per side.

That is a fine example of using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Just about all CV's and Drive shafts in cars are held in place by C Clips and shock method is the way to separate them

Old thread, but if the half shaft is heavy enough (as it is with Defenders etc.) close the vice to a couple of mm bigger than the shaft, and with the CVJ in your hand and the shaft hanging perpendicular, slam the CVJ down on the vice top. The half shaft carries on, so have a piece of wood rather than your foot for it to bounce on.

I seen a tip not long back how to get driveshafts out, think it was turn shaft until wire clip has open ends at bottom so clip sits further in groove at top before pulling out, obviously it’s a bit trial and error as to where the clip is so keep turning and pulling

I tried all the pulling and hitting and slamming etc. so I decided to cut it open and see what was going on. The clip had got jammed and was distorted and there was no way it was going to fit back into the slot. it would have never come out normally without damage. It was very easy and quick to cut it open. I didn't even try to pull the shaft out of the other side, I just cut that one open as well, less grief and less effort. There will always be some that will criticise, but the old one was going to be thrown out anyway. You can buy the complete shaft assembly and pay double the price, why bother, get yourself a little angle grinder instead for the money you'll save.