Reinstall half shafts same way or reverse?

I'd be interested to hear folks opinions. It would seem logical that the load is being carried by a fresh surface if you switch them around correctly.

 

I don't think it matter which way they go as they are not directional joint.
This is why sometimes they call it "Universal" joint. Maybe some CV joints are directional
but not to my knowledge.

 

Never, ever reverse a drive train component, that conveys torque, especially axles.

 

That is not the origin of the name "Universal".

Universal joints and CV joints are distinctly different.

Neither is directional until put into service.

 

Thank you. What will happen if you swap a CV joint around?

 

Maybe I shouldn't have done it but I'm only speaking from my personal experience where I reversed just the CV joint itself, (inner and outer) and after about 60k miles the car still ran smooth until I sold the car.

 

I'm not 100% sure about the 308, but I've done this with other cars. new surface for the bearings to ride on made smoother acceleration at the joints.

I never had any problem with it, can't see why the 308 would be different.

 

I changed out the CV boots,cleaned and re-greased the axles and then swaped the axles left to right on my old QV. I asked this same question to three independent drive line shops and they told me its fine! And said exactly what Viper Driver stated, it gives the bearing a smooth surface to run against for the next 10 years.

 

Brian is truly correct, but with most people driving these cars like old women its probably not as issue.

If you tore the joints apart you would clearly see the wear side, and that's the side that should stay in load contact. If you did accidentally switch them after a long time in service, you will shorten their life. But as it seems to take eons to reach 30K miles on these cars as the odo's get endlessly turned back, no one will ever know. The motor will be worn out, the syncros will be shot, the drive axles worn out, and the drivers seat will be busted at the seams. But the odo will only read 28K miles and people will say 308's are junk.

 

I built engines/drivetraines on US cars for most of my life and I agree that you never reverse the direction of an axle/whatever after it has been put in service. Also, I have come to this conclusion re Ferraris (never worked on one in my life until I bought my 328): If Rifle says it's the way to go; then it's the way to go.

 

What about new ones? Is there any indication of direction on a new CV joint? I have a set of new ones to replace when I'll remove the engine but can't find any indication ....

 

This is auto shop 101. Upon removal, mechanics are to mark all moving mechanical parts for exact placement and directional rotation. Always. Pistons go back in the same holes, rods go back on the same journals, gears go on the right way round, etc... If parts arent marked, you mark them. Just because people who wont read a book get away with stuff, doesn't mean its correct. But the vast majority arent pushing their machines very hard so it works. I used to be amazed at how often racing cars would throw a drive axle right out of the car at 200 mph, the things literally explode if they aren't right when exposed to high loads and speeds. But it pales to the strange things that happen around aircraft. They push physical limits right to the edge, and far too often it surpasses the strength of the parts. Propeller blades come off in flight (Mitsubishi MU-2 that killed the governor of SD), crankshafts shear in flight (Piper that landed without a prop in Colorado), aircraft break up in flight (Apr 20, 2006 ... Legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield died when his single-engine Cessna... ), jet engines explode in flight (DC-10 that crashed in Des Moines), its a rough world out there. Put stuff back the way it came off.

 

Maybe a little more precision here is necessary...

I think the old hands like rifledriver are exactly correct - you don't want to reverse the direction of movement/load on a used CV. That doesn't mean you can't rotate them a few notches when used rotating in the same direction.

In other words, if a CV was rotating in a clockwise direction when driven down the road, you don't want to reinstall with it rotating in the reverse (anti-clockwise) direction. You probably can reinstall in a different position provided it's still rotating in the same direction w/o any major adverse effects.

One thing about CVs - stay away from "rebuilt" CVs. From first hand experience I know that there's nothing "rebuilt" about these CVs other than replacing out-of-spec balls (with a large margin of tolerance), repacking the grease, painting the shaft and installing new boots. The races in the CV are not touched or "rebuilt" in any way. Pay the little bit extra and get new.

 

Thanks Artvonne, but I knew that and I usually do it.
My point was if a new CV joint would/should have any indication of rotation, which I can't find on my new ones. The only reason I can think of to support this logic would be if there was any hardening difference between sides ...

 

Lobro CV joints which Ferrari and Porsche both use are non directional. No CV joint I am experienced with is but I am sure there is an exception somewhere.

 

Axles twist with use. Some more than others. Drag cars will often have a line drawn the length of the axle shaft and when it gets to one full twist it gets replaced. Reversing and untwisting an axle is a sure way to break it, often even if it is just slightly twisted.

Everything wears with a pattern, those patterns should be maintained.

 

Well you guys that work on Ferraris day in and day out would know. I personally don't see a problem with reversing the axle on a 308 or 911, but I certinally wouldn't do it on a high dollar/horsepowered exotic or race car. Both the 308 and 911 use the exact same CV and axle right?