CV Axle, boots, seal replacement questions

Getting the axles out/in is a bit of a struggle. Especially without the right tools. Disassembling the axles to replace the boots is a really messy job.

Both are within the realm of a good DIYer but not easy.

There's no reason to mess with any other seals unless they are already leaking.

 

Its really not a hard task. I got a 24" long extension from Harbor Freight for a few bucks and that allows you to hold the nuts on the transmission side of the shaft and use the extension to remove the bolts. Simple really. Cut the existing boots off and strip them down and wash in parts cleaner. Dry them out good with compressed air and repack them with the supplied grease. I ordered the boots and grease from Superformance in the UK. It only took me a few days in the evenings to do the work.

I did use the OEM style clamps. You can get the crimping pliers for less than $20 from Napa or online at Amazon. Easy to use.

 

I've just started this exact job and for the very same reason.

When I refurbished my suspension last year I disconnected the hub end of the CV joint. To remove the bolts I ended up using an angle grinder on the nuts.

The inboard bolts aren't so easy to get to with an angle grinder, so I have just invested in a 24" long, 1/2" socket extension & an Impact Gun (450 nm). I'll have this lot by the weekend and see if it was money well spent.
I didn't fancy my chances of applying a load of torque to the end of a 24" extension with a breaker bar!

But once the drive shafts are off the car I don't anticipate any huge problems with the work.

If you need to replace a CV joint - be aware that they are available as a Porsche part (£26 in the UK, i.e. around 30 US$). The Ferrari specialists will charge you at least 4 times that amount.

 

I broke 2 hex bits getting the diff ones out, the wheel ends came apart easily.

 

That doesn't make me feel any better - because I know you're good at this stuff and I'm not

 

I think they had been over tightened for sure, an electric impact driver is likely to get them loose easily. What I did do however was cut the bit down so it just bottomed in the socket, this helped as less bending in the bit which probably led to them breaking.

 

Did this job on my Boxer and 308. It is a mess, but not that hard. My best tip is make sure you get the correct allen socket for the outer side of the half shafts and use an impact gun to remove the inner side with a wobbly socket and long extensions pushing hard against the bolts. Will make removal much easier.

When you remove the CV joints from the shafts, first remove circlip, then pull the CV joint off -sometimes it comes off without a puller - then take it apart and clean off the old grease with paper towels, then clean any remaining with parts cleaner or another sovent and wear gloves.

The CV joints will fall apart and they back go together in a specific way rotating the ballbearing carrier at almost 90° angels to get the balls in, so make sure you look at the relationship of the inner star and outer star pattern, it big to small mating. They are a puzzle to rebuild and thevery first time can be terrifying as you struggle to get it back together. Once you know the pattern its simple and takes a few minutes at most to put them back together.

Also try and keep the inner CV on the inner and outer on the outer. Also the shaft should go back the same way- there are 3 indent circles which will help you identify this relationship.

Good luck and remember you can use Porsche 930 boots to do this job and save a few bucks, if that matters.

 

That's very useful - Thanks.

My impact gun and 24" extension should arrive tomorrow. I pray to God that this will be enough to free the inner bolts - as I dread the alternatives.

The boots complete with grease and ties from Superformance actually look like good value for money at around £10 each.

The Porsche 930 CV joints are the real eye opener.

 

Forgot to mention one thing incase you don't notice, make sure you bend down the safety tabs before you try to remove inner bolts. Would make removal impossible.

Any problems send me a pm with your phone # would be glad to walk you through it.

I had issues with the 308 and wound up rounding 2 allen bolt inner heads - someone prior had messed them quite a bit -, had to use the special socket for destroyed nuts and it took them right off.

 

When you say 'safety tabs' do you mean the extensions on the drive shaft nuts (see picture).
These are what I took off with an angle grinder last time! (with of course the top end of the bolt)
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The electric impact gun will hopefully fetch them out, really amazing bit of kit as it puts so much torque into the fastener.

 

Important to clean out any crud from the bolt head so the hex bit goes fully in and hitting it with a hammer to make sure its fully in, is worth doing.

Some hex bits have chamfered tips which "waste" some of the contact area so I ground the chamfer off, shortening the bit by a mm or so.

 

One of the simplest jobs on the car
my tip; a little heat on the nuts

 

No, locktabs probably a better term and I'm speaking about the inner ones against the differential. They have lock tabs which bend up against the flat side of the bolt head to stop it from loosening. They are flat maybe 2 inches long x 1/2 inch wide and curved to follow the curve of the CV. 2 bolts go into one tab and ends bend up.

 

Not sure what year you have. My 1982 308i the tabs you refer to are more for support not bent or locking. The nut can not come loose as the flange hits the nut preventing this. Just saying......

 

You are speaking of the outer side not the inner side against the diff. There is no nut on the lnner and it has a lock tab. If your car does not have them, someone lost them.

 

If you round off the allen hex, Get a Left handed drill bit a little larger than the major of the bolt. ( I believe 8MM). Then drill out the head at a slow RPM. When the bolt head hole you are drilling gets near the end of the head the tension on the bolt will diminish and the bolt will back out. Then buy new bolts. Usually doesn't damage anything but the bolt.

 

Maybe we are not talking of the same parts. My inner nut closest to diff and closest to the outer axial is same nut as in post 11. The nuts can not spin as they hit the flange by design and you do not need a wrench to hold them or a lock tab. The black metal tabs with two holes do not bend. The black tabs are on both inner and outer flanges of all four joints. Just saying.

 

Item 16 in photo
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You keep looking at the wrong side of the half shaft. I guess you have never taken one out. I can't keep explaining to you you are incorrect. Done

 

These lock tabs are not used on the Mondial, QV, etc....They are only on the inner CV joint on a BB where the CV bolts screw into a flange. Most of the other Ferraris used a bolt and locking nut. This is what the OP car uses, hence the confusion.

 

Hey David. Thanks, but my 308 QV has the exact same setup as my boxer. The inside halfshaft is held in by bolt into flange no nut. Is it only on Mondials that it is a nut also.

 

We must have different set ups for different model years my friend. I have rebuilt or maintained the entire drive train. If I had access to my photos I would show you that if you were referring to my model and year that you would be wrong. Guess you have never taken my model apart. Perhaps you can post a diagram like I did showing your point! In the diagram I posted the tab you refer to does not appear. We all could learn something about the difference between models if you could show us.

Regards Wayne

 

I will take picture next time I'm by my car. Unfortunately there is a difference and I do apologize for causing confusion as I've had my driveline apart on both cars and they are identical in the setup of the halfshafts on my 83 308 QV and 84 BBi512.

It must be a pain to get the nut on the backside of the flange on the inner halfshaft with that arrangement. I see in your post of the exposed view. They show the same for a QV.

Mine is different and I would be interested to hear who else has my arrangement. You never know when they interchange parts or made a changeover.