We clean the hinge housing and cover from dirt and clamp the shaft in a vice with soft metal jaw pads.
We cut the large clamp that secures the cover with side cutters..
…or, by inserting a screwdriver blade into the clamp lock, we loosen it.
We open the small clamp lock in the same way.
Having removed the clamps from the cover, we move it along the shaft from the outer hinge.
We remove the grease from the end of the hinge sleeve with a rag. We clamp the splined tail of the outer hinge housing in a vice with soft metal jaw pads.
Using two screwdrivers or special pliers with flat jaws, we loosen the "antennae" of the retaining ring that secures the hinge sleeve to the drive shaft.
When performing this operation, it is necessary to use the tool to center the retaining ring as accurately as possible relative to the opening in the collar, so that when the ring is released, it completely enters the groove in the collar along its entire circumference (except for the "antennae") (for clarity, the drive shaft is removed from the housing).
An uncentered ring, when the antennae are released, will not completely enter the groove of the collar and will not release the shaft.
As soon as the retaining ring enters the groove of the cage and at the same time exits the groove on the drive shaft, pull the shaft along its axis..
…and remove it from the hinge cage.
We remove the mudguard from the shaft.
If the joint is removed only to replace the cover, then, without disassembling the joint, remove the maximum possible amount of grease from it and wash it in kerosene. Wipe the joint with a rag and blow it with compressed air. Inspect the balls, separator, cage and internal cavity of the housing. Scores, dents, cracks, traces of corrosion are not allowed - such a joint is replaced.
We clean the shaft from old grease and apply a thin layer of new grease to it. We put the joint cover on the shaft. We install a new retaining ring in the cage and put new grease into the cavities of the joint housing and cover, a total of 110-130 g. We put the joint on the shaft, ensuring that the retaining ring is fixed in the shaft groove.
We check the mobility of the hinge - it should move without jamming. We pull the cover onto the hinge body so that the cover belts under the clamps are located in the corresponding seats of the shaft and the hinge body. We fix the hinge cover with new clamps.
To install the original clamps supplied as spare parts, special pliers are required.
If they are not available, you can use universal band clamps for fastening CV joint covers, which are available commercially.
Universal band clamps for fastening the CV joint boot: clamp for fastening the boot on the joint body; clamp for fastening the cover on the drive shaft
We show the installation of a universal tape clamp that secures the cover to the hinge body.
Having installed the clamp into the groove of the cover..
…we use pliers to pull out the tape, squeezing the clamp.
At the same time, you need to use other pliers to press against the clamp lock or the clamp tabs, holding the clamp from turning.
Having pulled the clamp tightly, we bend the extended end of the tape in the opposite direction.
Keeping the tape in a taut position, we check the clamp's tightening by trying to move the clamp by its lock along the cover's groove. If the clamp moves, its tightening is insufficient and it is necessary to tighten the clamp again.
Tightly tightening the clamp..
…we bend the clamp tabs onto the tape.
In the same way, we secure the cover with a clamp on the drive shaft.
We check the reliability of the hinge cover fastening with clamps. During angular movements of the hinge housing relative to the shaft, the cover should not shift from the housing and move along the drive shaft, as well as rotate on them. The excess end of the clamp tape (behind the tape retainer tabs) we bite off with side cutters.
The text of the article was obtained from the website ChevyMan