2000 volvo v70 CV axle half shaft replacement

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 31 Jan 2023, 17:12

Boots are torn on passenger side 2000 v70 and previous owner replaced shafts 60k mi ago, car currently has 164k mi. I don't see having car much longer as it is a spare vehicle that I only put 3k mi/year. Of course, I needed now but figured I could replace axle fairly quickly... wrong!

Everything came apart fairly quickly, but I can't get axle out of transmission. I don't believe this side uses circ-clip, so I wasn't expected it to be very hard. After taking bearing cap off, I took a 10lb dumbbell weight and smacked the bearing towards the outer of vehicle ... no luck whatsoever. I think it is rusted into transmission, but not really sure. I tried a pry bar at transmission, also no luck.

I already drove this thing several thousand miles with ripped boot so rebuilding axle is very questionable. And, already bought new axle from RockAuto (FCP wants $500 for new axle). My backup plan was to do a half-shaft replacement. However, it turns out that the new axle has a different style cv-joint outer casing (I don't know correct term), so new boot won't fit on old inner axle.

Any suggestions to get out of this bind fairly quickly without spending hundreds?

Post by **abscate** » 31 Jan 2023, 17:27

I would clean it out and reboot it on the car if it’s really stuck. There is no circlip on the passenger side. It should slide right out after the bearing cap is removed and it’s knocked out of the race holder

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 31 Jan 2023, 18:17

abscate wrote: ↑31 Jan 2023, 17:27 I would clean it out and reboot it on the car if it’s really stuck. There is no circlip on the passenger side. It should slide right out after the bearing cap is removed and it’s knocked out of the race holder

Thanks Abscate, good idea, I am not sure that is an option anymore though ...

Yes, bearing cap is removed and I think the inner race holder is loose, but not sure yet.

I decided to take the half shift off figuring it would be a good step forward for most ooptions. So, I cut the inner boot banding and tried to pull. It pulled a bit and got stuck. So, i tried to pull harder figuring either outer shaft or whole shaft would pop out. Well neither happened, outer shaft joint bound ip somewhere. So, i cut the inner boot off to take a look. Please see picture ... is this expected on P80s?? I have done P2s and toyotas, never had this issue. Also attached picture of new axle.

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 31 Jan 2023, 18:59

Looks like the inner CV joint is separating from the cup. I don't think it's suppose to do that without removing a clip first. Robert has a good video for how to take the axle apart. I "rebuilt" my outer boots with the axles still in the car. Should be fine to rebuild as long as the bearing aren't scored up.

Get between the axle and transmission with 2 apposing prybars. The 90degree heads work best. Apply force carefully to not crack the transmission case. They can be a royal PITA to get out. Probably should grab an axle seal and replace that while it's out. Don't want to regret not doing that (ask me how I know).

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 31 Jan 2023, 19:25

WhatAmIDoing wrote: ↑31 Jan 2023, 18:59 Looks like the inner CV joint is separating from the cup. I don't think it's suppose to do that without removing a clip first. Robert has a good video for how to take the axle apart. I "rebuilt" my outer boots with the axles still in the car. Should be fine to rebuild as long as the bearing aren't scored up.

Get between the axle and transmission with 2 apposing prybars. The 90degree heads work best. Apply force carefully to not crack the transmission case. They can be a royal PITA to get out. Probably should grab an axle seal and replace that while it's out. Don't want to regret not doing that (ask me how I know).

Thanks. I tried one pry bar, I'll get a second one tomorrow and try spraying shaft into transmission with pbblaster.

I'll watch Robert's video, that might give some ideas. I almost took a grinder to inner cv joint. Luckily, I decided to take rest of night off before doing more damage.

Post by **abscate** » 01 Feb 2023, 01:24

The tripod style will slide right out of the three groove cup, that’s normal. You have the other outer CV clear of the wheel bearing housing, right? Give the shaft a tap to get it clear of the half of the carrier bearing shell to make sure it isn’t sticking there. That’s happened to me.

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 02 Feb 2023, 04:17

abscate wrote: ↑01 Feb 2023, 01:24 The tripod style will slide right out of the three groove cup, that’s normal. You have the other outer CV clear of the wheel bearing housing, right? Give the shaft a tap to get it clear of the half of the carrier bearing shell to make sure it isn’t sticking there. That’s happened to me.

Thanks Abscate. Yes, CV is clear of wheel bearing housing/steering knuckle.

I found an interesting youtube video about someone having the same problem getting tripod out of inner cup. He says that P80s have tabs at edge of cup that need ground off to remove tripod. I haven't seen that in the forum yet. It sounds like you are saying that you forced it past these tabs.
https://www.google.com/search?channel=f ... G3U5DAWZF0

The only thing that I did on the car last night was sprayed some pbblaster at the transmission hoping to attack some of the rust there. I am slightly concerned that could hurt the transmission seal or leak a small amount of pbblaster into transmission fluid. If I don't get a leak at the end of this adventure, I'll replace the fluid shortly thereafter ... it is about time anyhow.

I am planning to go to autozone at lunch time and pickup free loaner tools, slide hammer SKU#2047 and axle puller adapter SKU#2061. I'll pbblaster again tonight and try slide hammer on Friday. I need the car out of the garage before Sunday.

Current known options:
a) replace whole axle with rockauto axle that I already bought. This assumes that I can get old axle out with slide hammer. I tried 2 pry tools at transmission and didn't have any luck so far with that. It is interesting to note that many on youtube get their axles out with a slide hammer with vice grips attached to the end of it. I am trying to avoid that approach, I hate to score up the cup with vice grips, especially if I still can't get it out. I am hoping the axle puller adapter will fit.

b) Half shaft replacement. I'd have to grind the cup tabs off or force tripod out with slide hammer. Probably grind tabs off as I'd hate to force new tripod past tabs also. This means returning new axle that isn't cup compatible (boot issue) and trying to find a new axle that is definitely compatible. Given that no one has axle in stock, I hate to wait to buy new axle and find out it isn't compatible again (and potentially pay for multiple returns).

c) Rebuild current axle. I have been driving the car around with bad boots for several thousand miles not worrying about damaging axle as I expected to replace it. Of course, if I can get it apart and it still looks ok, I might go down this route if I can't get old axle out of the transmission. It isn't obvious to me, even after Roberts video on how to get outer joint off and sounds like it would be hard to figure that out for the first time while still on car ... so, I'll re-consider this if slide hammer doesn't work (I bought new axle anyhow). Working on this out of the car will require grinding tabs off.

Post by **abscate** » 02 Feb 2023, 04:21

I have never ground tabs off to slide the tripod out. Have not ever heard that.

New boots on a cleaned and repacked axle beats Rock auto crap that lasts 6-12 months

WhatAmIDoing · Post by **WhatAmIDoing** » 02 Feb 2023, 06:00

I drove all winter on a torn boot and it cleaned up just fine. Would trust the Volvo axles way more than anything else.

dj_v70 · Post by **dj_v70** » 02 Feb 2023, 06:18

abscate wrote: ↑02 Feb 2023, 04:21 I have never ground tabs off to slide the tripod out. Have not ever heard that.

Have you done enough of them (ie. say, more than once) to know that forcing them out won't damage bearings? If you have, I'll yank them out ignoring the tabs.

Regarding rockauto crap that you/Whatamidoing note, I don't disagree with that. But I know that PO already replaced axles 60kmi ago. Don't have any idea what I am starting with (plus the extended driving on ripped boots) so thought that new might be less hassle (and I doubt that I will put more than 10k on this car) ... however, if I knew that my new axle cup would be different, I wouldn't have started down this approach. If I do replace using this 'crap' (already bought), I'll try to take current one apart anyhow and save it if it looks salvageable.