Taking apart inner CV joint - I thought it was easy?

Arwing · Post by **Arwing** » 03 Sep 2018, 05:28

96 850 R. Replacing cv boots. I watched Roberts video on it:

At about the 13 minute mark he shows the inner cv joint tripod just pulls out and then there is a snap ring to take it off.

Well my tripod is not just pulling out. It slides almost out but the edges keep it locked in. I'm afraid to yank and pry on it for fear of damaging the bearings but I don't know how to get to this snap ring otherwise.

Has anybody done this before that can comment on where I've gone wrong?

Post by **abscate** » 03 Sep 2018, 05:37

Get a load of paper towels and get all the grease out of there, using solvent so you can see what is happening

You could have bearings walking off the races which are hanging up. Be careful with that shaft and treat it like the non replaceable thing that it might be

Kudos for stopping and seeking help rather than gorilla-ing it To damage

Arwing · Post by **Arwing** » 03 Sep 2018, 05:50

Good advice. Thanks.

So there is a wire ring that goes around the edge that holds the tripod bearings in the socket. I wasn't looking for it because none of the write ups I've read mention it. It is easily removed with a o-ring pick.

Post by **abscate** » 03 Sep 2018, 06:25

Excellent. I though there was a circlip but wasn’t positive so didn’t want to speculate.

Post by **erikv11** » 03 Sep 2018, 12:52

Very clear circlip pictures: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56276&start=10

I use an air hammer now on these, super fast and reliable. Clean out the grease, mark the CV for installing in exactly the same orientation, pull apart the circlip, bap-bap-bap wth the pointy (but flat-tipped) air hammer bit, it's off.