CV joint: replacement and selection

When and why it is necessary to replace CV joint

Average lifetime limit of the CV joint is about 70 000 – 80 000 kilometers of car mileage. The most common defects of the component are freeplay, corrosion and abrasive wear of the balls, cage and knuckles. As a rule, this is caused by damages of the rubber CV joint dust boot, which results in the fact, that dust, sand and moisture get on interacting joint parts.

The part may prematurely break down because of sharp starts with skidding at the misaligned wheels, at operation of the car on roads with the poor-quality surface, and due to excessive engine forcing.

The main sign of CV Joint defectiveness is appearance of specific crackling sound during cornering, sharp acceleration, getting of a wheel into a pothole or bumps run-over. Also appearance of steering wheel vibration, weak jerks during car acceleration point out the problem.

During replacement of the CV joint, the whole driveshaft is removed from the gearbox. It is quite laborious process, which is better to entrust to professionals. Installation of the part presupposes replacement of all fasteners and applying greasing material.

How to select CV joint

The CV joints of two types are used in automotive transmission: inner ( roll pin of which is mounted in the gearbox housing) and outer (inserted into the wheel hub). Working in pairs, these components provide transmission of torque from the differential to driving wheels at different turn angles.

According to construction, constant velocity joints are divided into four main types: ball, tripod, Tracta and double-cardan. Usually, in passenger cars ball and tripod parts are used. The ball CV joints provide more smooth car movement. In their turn, tripod components are more resistant to loads, thus considered more durable.

The joints from various companies are presented on the market. High-quality CV joints can be found in the assortment of, for example, Mapco, Metzger and Febi Bilstein.

During component selection it is important to consider where it will be installed: outer or inner semi-shaft, front or rear axle. Construction of the CV joint has a whole set of peculiarities, and even slightest deviations from required dimensions may turn the part into unusable for installation and operation. The important parameters for selection: quantity of inner and outer splines, quantity of ABS ring teeth, outer and inner diameter of CV joint, and its seal diameter.