CV axle/Joint problems

[Tremp31]

Greg, just realized that you put the video on there. Watching now... at what minute mark do things start to go bad?

[Greg Amy]

Greg, just realized that you put the video on there. Watching now... at what minute mark do things start to go bad?

C'mon, man, enjoy the suspense!!

Don't remember exactly...the boot grows gradually from internal pressure to somewhere around 25 minutes? At that point it expands and contacts the block then goes poof and back to its original shape. FF until you see grease on the orange brake hoses then back up.

[callard]

On our Grand Am Type R we weren't running enough air ducting to the front rotors to keep them cool. Radiant heat from the rotors were melting the boots enough that they failed and spit out the grease. The radiant heat also melted the ABS sensor wires. We had to add ducting and heat shields to solve the boot problems.

[Tremp31]

WOW... when it went, it looks like it went quick! Thanks for the help guys. Makes me feel better that I'm not the only one.

[Chip42]

there are goign to be very few cases where you are the only one who has suffered and found a solution for a specific problem... there are at least as many solutions for a problem as there are people with that problem, so most of the quick response "go-to" fixes have been pretty well vetted, too. places like this forum are a gold mine for people just starting out and really help to flatten the learning curve.

[Flyinglizard]

Make sure that any axles that you use must have the original parts down to the hardness and sizes of the CV cages etc. Any deviation form stock is illegal.

The real world replacement axles are often the same only in the fitment. The lengths/OD of the axle shaft and sizes of the CV parts(balls cages) are seldom the same as OE. I build race axles for many VW race cars .The cores I get seldom are VW, and the only legal CV joint is the VW/Lobro . That means that most of the VW race cars has out of spec CVs and no body knows or can tell untill you measure the size of my balls

If I were trying to keep IT cars in the class, I would allow any drive system parts to be updated with bigger heavier parts. Diffs, axles/drive shafts etc.
For any cars older than 25yrs.It should be a given .
Out for now, MM

PS ; loose zip tie on the small boot end works fine. Mobil one red synthetic grease, always.

Axle plunge; equal amount of travel left in the axle ass. Any time that you bottom out the CV travel you will break stuff. Back the axle nut off 6 turns and shove the axle end in to the trans. You should have about .5 in of movement for multi ball CVaxles and maybe a little more for tripod style axles.
Do this with the car on the ground and maybe loaded up a little .
Shove the engine around and add stay bar to keep the tighter side form hitting bottom.

[Greg Amy]

Make sure that any axles that you use must have the original parts down to the hardness and sizes of the CV cages etc. Any deviation form stock is illegal.

GCR 9.1.3.C: "Stock replacement parts may be obtained from sources other than the manufacturer provided they are the exact equivalent of the original parts."

Given that we have no way to scrutineer "hardness" - and no engineering drawings nor any current NOS examples against which to compare it - in theory you're correct, but in reality your standard is not practical.

...and the only legal CV joint is the VW/Lobro

In correct. See 9.1.3.C above.

If I were trying to keep IT cars in the class, I would allow any drive system parts to be updated with bigger heavier parts. Diffs, axles/drive shafts etc.

We've argued that point in the past, and it's always come down to "warts and all".

GA