Ask an Expert..... » Splitting a classic F/N/S drive shaft

#1 by Marty03 , Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:40 pm

Right, I need to replace the cv inner boot. Now the problem is the shaft won't come out, and so I decided to split the shaft in situ. I can't seem to find the circlip inside the outer boot to seperate the shaft.

Is there a circlip in there?

This is driving me nuts... Help please?

#2 by yozer13 , Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:31 pm

Yeah cut the old boot off.
Wipe a bit of grease out of the edge.
You will see a big ring around the inside of the cv, near the edge.
Remove that and you pull the guts out then and carefull not to drop the balls.

#3 by yozer13 , Fri Sep 11, 2015 7:32 pm

When you cut the boot off push the shaft in then give a lil wipe,
Should make it easier to see or feel the ring dude

#4 by Marty03 , Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:17 pm

All sorted now, I was looking to split the wrong end. On other vehicles the shaft splits via the outer joint.

Drivers side tomorrow...

#5 by 123hotchef , Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:25 pm

oh joys gotta do mine soon boots came today!

#6 by Marty03 , Sat Sep 12, 2015 8:45 am

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #5
oh joys gotta do mine soon boots came today!

Did you manage to get the outer boots mate?

Milners list them as being the same as the inner, but they look nothing like them. My outers were OK, so I left them alone.

#7 by Mallinman , Sat Sep 12, 2015 8:56 am

Which side shaft is it your doing?? On a classic??

#8 by 123hotchef , Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:02 am

Quote: Marty03 wrote in post #6
Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #5
oh joys gotta do mine soon boots came today!

Did you manage to get the outer boots mate?

Milners list them as being the same as the inner, but they look nothing like them. My outers were OK, so I left them alone.

It was the inner that was the problem mate as they are smaller but I got them from e bay too also got 4 generic stretchy ones I will decide what fits best

#9 by Marty03 , Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:42 am

Quote: Mallinman wrote in post #7
Which side shaft is it your doing?? On a classic??

I did the passenger side yesterday, I'll be doing the drivers side today.

I'll be replacing both diff oil and gearbox oil also.

#10 by Mallinman , Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:13 am

Drivers side one is easier as it unbolts. Passenger one just pulls out the diff. Just needs a good tug.

#11 by 123hotchef , Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:16 am

Do u split the ball joints to enable the shaft to be pulled out

#12 by yozer13 , Sat Sep 12, 2015 12:47 pm

I did when I did mine more space and not hard to just pop the hub off,

#13 by Marty03 , Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:41 pm

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #11
Do u split the ball joints to enable the shaft to be pulled out

Yeah, that's what stopped me today... The top ball joint wouldn't budge, I'll get back at it tomorrow!

I did the passanger side yesterday,

# Pop the tracking rod ball joint
# Pop the top ball joint
# Take out the 4 bolts and the little 1 on the side of the bottom joint
# Take the circlip and spacer off the end of the shaft (if your not carefull the hub will swing down onto you)

Then the shaft will come out of the hub, you can then wiggle the bottom ball joint fixing plate out of the lowwer arm, place the hub with lower ball joint still attached safely to 1 side.

#14 by 123hotchef , Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:47 pm

r u sure u have to take the little bolt out I thought that was just a locating bolt and fits in a wee hole so u know the joint is in place

#15 by 123hotchef , Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:48 pm

Quote: Marty03 wrote in post #13
Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #11
Do u split the ball joints to enable the shaft to be pulled out

Yeah, that's what stopped me today... The top ball joint wouldn't budge, I'll get back at it tomorrow!

I did the passanger side yesterday,

# Pop the tracking rod ball joint
# Pop the top ball joint
# Take out the 4 bolts and the little 1 on the side of the bottom joint
# Take the circlip and spacer off the end of the shaft (if your not carefull the hub will swing down onto you)

Then the shaft will come out of the hub, you can then wiggle the bottom ball joint fixing plate out of the lowwer arm, place the hub with lower ball joint still attached safely to 1 side.

the top ball joint normally needs a splitter wacked in then its a new joint or rubber boot at least

#16 by Marty03 , Sat Sep 12, 2015 9:54 pm

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #14
r u sure u have to take the little bolt out I thought that was just a locating bolt and fits in a wee hole so u know the joint is in place

I'm not sure what it's for, but you won't get the ball joint out without removing it.

I was lucky not to damage the rubber on the top joint. I'm definitely going to ruin the drivers side, I tried today and it didn't budge. I reckon I'll have to smash it up tomorrow. It doesn't matter, I have a full set of ball joints on their way.

#17 by yozer13 , Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:22 pm

Get a BFH and give it a beating should drop out then

#18 by Marty03 , Sun Sep 13, 2015 12:28 pm

Quote: yozer13 wrote in post #17
Get a BFH and give it a beating should drop out then

Ha ha, yes I plan on it! I am about to use my "fix it or f@#k it hammer" along with a big pry bar...

#19 by Marty03 , Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:42 pm

All done! Boots on, just waiting on delivery of the set of new ball joints tomorrow. Chuck it all back together and MOT on Wednesday. Fingers crossed.

#20 by 123hotchef , Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:08 pm

my 2 are both done no problems really just dont mix the 2 cv joints up they are different sizes!

had to drop the T bars back down to get the top BJ back into place

#21 by Major Malfunction , Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:19 pm

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #20
my 2 are both done no problems really just dont mix the 2 cv joints up they are different sizes!

had to drop the T bars back down to get the top BJ back into place

Had to wind both T bars off to do mine too, I think when they are wound up to max it's too much tension to relocate,even with a jack under it just lifted the car.

#22 by 123hotchef , Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:20 pm

tell me about it although I managed it on truck 1 strangely enough

#23 by Marty03 , Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:44 pm

Quote: 123hotchef wrote in post #20
my 2 are both done no problems really just dont mix the 2 cv joints up they are different sizes!

had to drop the T bars back down to get the top BJ back into place

Yep, unwound mine too... I reckon I'll lower mine until the 265/75/16's start to rub, then I'll go up a bit. Hopefully I won't munch the cv boots then...

#24 by 123hotchef , Sun Sep 13, 2015 10:46 pm

well i used the bigger universal stretchy boots I think read hope they will last longer

#25 by yozer13 , Mon Sep 14, 2015 8:48 am

I should have unwound mine just jacked levered and struggled haha dont think mine are done to the max though

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Splitting a classic F/N/S drive shaft

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