CV joint replacement how to...

Robo48

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Location
michigan
TDI
02 Jetta 5 speed
I have searched and can't seem to find the information I need regarding CV joint replacement or swapping from one axle to another. Any guru's out there who can help me out? Thank you in advance :)
 

cfa5

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2010
Location
Southern AB
TDI
2003 Jetta wagon 5sp
I replaced all my half shafts, straight forward job, If you need a video to watch, You tube it, replacing VW mk4 axle. Rebuilding them is messy. New half shafts come with everything you need.

goodluck
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Nobody knows how to rebuild cv joints/axles?
Its pretty easy. Inner just has a C clip that comes off and the joint comes right off the shaft. The outer gets hammered off and on. If you take the joint apart, make sure to mark the races before as they have to back the exact same way.

I don't understand why people buy entire axles when rebuilding them is so darn easy.IMO, its harder to get the axle off the car.
 

Robo48

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Location
michigan
TDI
02 Jetta 5 speed
Its pretty easy. Inner just has a C clip that comes off and the joint comes right off the shaft. The outer gets hammered off and on. If you take the joint apart, make sure to mark the races before as they have to back the exact same way.

I don't understand why people buy entire axles when rebuilding them is so darn easy.IMO, its harder to get the axle off the car.

Is it ok to hammer the joint back on the axle while its on the car?
 

2002MK4

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Location
Scarborough
TDI
2002, 2003 Jetta TDI
Whats the mileage on your car out of curiosity and why the sudden focus on CVs? Did you check them? I had - what I thought - was CVs going. Ended up being strut mounts that were gone.
 

deezelpower

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Martha Lake, WA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI, 2015 Audi Q7 TDI
Axle boots crack on VW's regularly. Keep an eye on them, replace them as needed, and the axle should last indefinitely. If my axles ever give out, I'll be replacing them with rebuilt ones from raxles ONLY. Almost all aftermarket ones (i.e. <$500 each side) are junk.
 

drewtdi

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 5, 2012
Location
Manchester NH
TDI
2002 Wagon
Grease?

What brand grease are you guys using when you rebuild? The Vw grease is a bit expensive, is there a suitable alternative?
 

chewyboy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 21, 2005
Location
IN
TDI
'00 NB TDI

Robo48

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Location
michigan
TDI
02 Jetta 5 speed
All suspension parts are brand new. I discovered my outer cv joint didn't have the retainer clip on it when I was doing my wheel bearings as it slid off the end of the shaft and only the boot was holding it on the axle. I thought maybe the clip had come off inside the joint but I searched inside the cv boot with a magnet and couldn't find the clip. So I'm assuming its not in there and hasn't been. I thought it was probably time to reboot grease and reassemble the right side. CV joints seem to be quiet no vibration or anything so thinking they are good?
 

afterthisnap

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Location
Mountain West
TDI
Jetta wagons, ALH/CJAA
I did mine today. It would have been a pretty easy job if my balljoint bolts didn't shear off:mad:

The OEM boots looked OK with 216k miles on them, but as I removed them it was pretty clear that they were not long for this world as the rubber was relatively easy to tear and not that supple.

I ditched the included OEM grease and tried Green Grease.
Hokey marketing, but the reviews are good.

The factory grease inside the inner boot looked pretty good, but the oil was separating from the thickener. The green grease stuff won't separate and is much much stickier than the black stuff- since the CV bearings don't really spin (like a wheel bearing) I figured the sticker stuff would hold on the loaded surfaces better.

The cost of the boots was more than a lifetime autozone CV (I've never had problems with them before), but I figured the non-damaged OEM units will last forever as long as the boots are doing their job.
 

B100

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Location
Berkeley, Eastbania
TDI
2003 Golf
I used to clean and repack the CV joints on my '71 Bus every 50k miles or so... how often should the joints on our TDIs be serviced?
 

Bailout

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Location
Nashville, Tn
TDI
2000 Jetta Tdi
So did you rebuild them yet?

I just did mine... FYI, check your bearings/hubs when you remove them... I ended up replacing bearings/hubs, tie rod ends (cause they were very worn), and ball joints because I had it all apart anyway... Didn't know I needed to do all that til I got the axles out. CV joints were very easy to rebuild - got my kits from idparts.

It's messy - so have some extra cardboard and plastic sheets around. I agree with thd YouTube vids... Not nearly as cosmic as one thinks.


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