DIY: 1998 V70 Axle CV Rubber Boots Tips/Tricks

[cn90]

Stabilizer link (aka End Links): when lifting only one side of the car, it is under tremendous strain.
So, if you want to have an easy time, raise both front sides on jack stands.

[mecheng]

Ahhh, yes, makes perfect sense; that is the whole purpose of the stabilizing bar.
I like the idea of jacking the other side. Safety first

[mecheng]

Did this job on the passenger side, wasn't too bad.

Definitely, it is easier to release the inner CV joint (great advice CN90) but there is a missing step that requires you to bend open the thin metal edge to remove the inner CV joint. It might be in the links but they are not working.

When removing the Inner Joint 3 eared piece from the shaft, I tried using a brass drift hitting that piece to no avail. Maybe because the brass is soft but I didn't want to damage the CV joint.
There is not much edge to hit, which also means a gear puller wouldn't work: kept slipping off.

My dad came by and had a moment of clairity, hit the shaft. So we put the CV joint in a vise horizontally loosly, so that the lip of the 3 eared piece sits against the vise, and smacked the shaft. Worked Perfectly, came out no problem and there is a lot of meat on the shaft to hit and not cause damage. Doing it over, I could release it in 5 minutes guaranteed.

[cn90]

Now, I wonder if the 3-jaw gear puller would work here.
Just make sure the 3 jaws bite into the inner flange, not on the "ball" part, of the tripod.

Just a thought.

See my illustrated photo. If anyone trying this 3-jaw gear puller trick in the future, please post your experience...

CV-Tool.JPG (35.78 KiB) Viewed 1851 times

[cn90]

The above discussion is for separating the INNER CV joint from the shaft.

For OUTER CV Joint: the majority of us Saturday mechanics use: a vise + hammer + drift.

However, I didn't know they even make a tool for it. Personally, if one owns a shop, this tool is great.
Here is the tool from Down Under:

[erikv11]

I just did another pair of boots (inner and outer) yesterday afternoon. It was super easy to remove the outer joint, I didn't touch the inner. Well, except to clean it out and replace the boot etc. I suspect the the key to removing the outer so easily is to separate the circlip just enough. I use a flathead screwdriver about 5 mm wide to open the criclip, and the outer CV comes right off with a few taps.

[mecheng]

Now, I wonder if the 3-jaw gear puller would work here.
Just make sure the 3 jaws bite into the inner flange, not on the "ball" part, of the tripod.

Just a thought.

See my illustrated photo. If anyone trying this 3-jaw gear puller trick in the future, please post your experience...

CV-Tool.JPG

I can say, I tried this on Saturday, does not work at all. The flange does not have enough material. I tried for 30 min, it kept slipping so then said I fuck it very loudly and the moment of clarity helped me move on.

[mecheng]

I just did another pair of boots (inner and outer) yesterday afternoon. It was super easy to remove the outer joint, I didn't touch the inner. Well, except to clean it out and replace the boot etc. I suspect the the key to removing the outer so easily is to separate the circlip just enough. I use a flathead screwdriver about 5 mm wide to open the criclip, and the outer CV comes right off with a few taps.

So you keep the screwdriver holding the clip open on its own, or do you have to hold it with one hand?

Doesn't the screwdriver move around when you are taping the cv joint? With the inner, you simply remove the circlip and you don't have to worry about it.

[erikv11]

I use two people

One hand holds the screwdriver and the "drift" (but I just use a little 1/4" drift/punch), the other taps the drift with the 3 lb. hammer. The screwdriver doesn't move around much because you don't have to hit the CV very hard to get it moving, and once it moves you are done (the circlip is out of the groove). The helper just holds the CV in case you hit it too hard and send it off the shaft.

I've now done three of them this way, it works well.

[dosbricks]

You guys working out the "best practices" for overcoming these frustrating little hurdles serves as an inspiration for all of us who are contemplating this job.

I paid an indy $472 to replace inner and outer boots with Volvo OE when our S70 had 111k. One of the axle nuts got loose the following week! I bought the 36mm socket and tightened both nuts to spec myself. Now the car has 223K, and wife and I were talking last night about ordering the parts for front suspension rebuild. Just easier to do the tie rod ends, control arms, CV boots, and wheel bearings while it is all apart and only have to get one alignment done.

Could you guys share what mileage the cars have that you are working on? I am debating the wheel bearings (which are original)--they are $250 and account for half the cost of the parts. We want to drive the car past 300k or until they take our drivers licenses away. It has been good to us--we loved it when it was new--it still looks it, and we still love it. At 223k, I'm thinking I should spring for the FAG bearing hubs as PM and not have go back in there later. we would like to feel confident driving this car on long trips. What do you guys think?

P.S. It already has new struts/hardware, sway bar links, rotors and pads, PCV, and new coolant system. Does not leak any oil.

Thanks ~ dos