CV joint keeps braking

[thedemoguy]

Thanks for your time
Bill

[Greg Amy]

You're compressing the length of the shaft such that it's binding the joint. Typical reason for that on Rabbits is you're setting it up too low.

This is why some people cheat and run shortened shafts. :018:

Raise the car and you'll extend the shaft to where it won't do that. Nature of the beast (see Porsche forum thread where they break suspension arm parts when run too low...)

[m glassburner]

Also ....what I've learned is make sure your engine/transaxel package is centered properly !! :happy204:

[Bill Miller]

Both of the above are important, but Greg's probably more on the money. The lowered cars will bind a stock length axle. Something else to consider is if the car was ever pranged and not straightened properly. I ran my Rabbit (ITB) at Summit Point quite a bit, and that's mostly RH turns, and I never had a CV joint fail. I've had a hub fail, but that's a different issue. Fortunately, it didn't cause any damage.

[Dave Zaslow]

The binding happens when the inner CV splined shaft hits the trans seal. The fix can be to raise the car or to get Walt Puckett to make some offset delrin lower control arm bushings:

http://www.deltagroupmotorsports.com/

They fit right in the stock mounts and will also increase castor a bit.

Never broke another inner (or outer) cv in 10 + years.

Dave Z

[msogren]

Loosen all of the motor mounts, loosen the axle nuts about 6 turns. Shove the engine to the pass side with the biggass pry bars, Snug up the motor stuff, and push on the end of the axles. You need about .250 end play min. on each axle. More is better. You can also get you r camber at the knuckle bolts. way better than the upper strut , because moving in the upper strut brings the ends of the axles in to the center of the car, binding the axles. Run the small OD springs and grind the edges off of the strut housings. Also , loosen and pry the lower control arms away from car. And the ball joints. IWFM, Mike Ogren
We discussed this about a year ago or so. I weld/braze up the lower control arm bushes, around a "Jeep" pilot bushing.