Inner CV joints interchangeable?

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
Are the inner cv joints interchangeable (left and right) for my golf mk4, 5 speed, alh?
It's cheaper to buy 2 right sided inner cv joints (for some reason). I know the boots are different, but I replaced them not long ago so I will just reuse them..
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
Are the inner cv joints interchangeable (left and right) for my golf mk4, 5 speed, alh?
It's cheaper to buy 2 right sided inner cv joints (for some reason). I know the boots are different, but I replaced them not long ago so I will just reuse them..
Yes, the inners and outers are not 'sided'
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
On the old MK1s and 2s.
Folks would swap left to right so they would wear on the other side of the CV.
last twice as long, before clicking,
but they would get a little sloppy.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
Same with Vanagon (and later Bus) axles. But those, you can just swap the axles side-to-side, since they are the same length.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
Non-symmetric length axles frequently have identical left or right joints inners on them. A bit more labor is needed to knock the joint off a long side and pop it on the short side, but the same result is that the seldom used, seldom abused, joint surface for reverse driving becomes the nearly new wear surface for forward driving.
Old Saabs with the triple (1956~68) or with the V4 (1967~1978) also have symmetric axles that can be swapped complete when worn in a forward rotating direction. Now that newer forward, former reverse, direction is also worn on those 50 year old orphan cars, what to do?
 

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
Replace them, I guess? I actually swapped the inner joints around, but it's worse now, hence my thoughts about them being non interchangable..
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
Replace them, I guess? I actually swapped the inner joints around, but it's worse now, hence my thoughts about them being non interchangable..
Did you make sure to use the same balls that were part of the joint?
 

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
Yes, everything went back together where it initally came from. The grease was very dry, a lot of dirt was also present. Although the balls looked alright, there was a lot of scoring in the cage where the balls ride. That's why I thought that maybe there are slight differences between the joints.
Most likely they have been beyond saving for a while now, as the PO did not take care of this car at all.
 

jokila

Vendor
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Location
Houston, Texas
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS, Manual
I restored mine with cv joints from idparts. Only had to do them once in 505K miles. I replaced the driver outer too, but the passenger outer is still original and so is the bearing on that side.

The OEM axles are well built.
 
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Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
Outers and bearings are original on mine too, no problem there, but the inner cv boots were torn for who knows how long.
Will replace with Lobro ones, which I understand is an aftermarket supplier for Gkn.
 

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
Cv joints came with one pack of grease (80grams), forgot to check the bentley before doing them. Now I see that I should've used 120 grams..
Do I need to take the axles out and pack more grease in there? Can I add grease without taking them out?
 

Gvr

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Location
Romania
TDI
'01 Alh Golf Mk4 Wagon
I made sure to grease the joint, just did not pack the boot with the 'extra' grease. I'll probably leave it be..
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Extra grease in the boot won't do much of anything. I've never done one of these but I recall wheel bearings that required packing, you need to work the grease into the joint. Perhaps not required with a CV joint.
 
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