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Sat Oct 03, 2015 4:14 pm

In the process of replacing my CV joints. These are the GW remanufactured Lobros with about 40K miles. Three of the joints were pretty badly pitted. Going to order 4 new ones. I noticed that on one side of the axle is not smooth and shiny all the way to the "boot rings". The other three are. Can I reuse this axle? Also this side had the worst pitting by far. Many thanks in advance.

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Sat Oct 03, 2015 4:25 pm

I don’t think its even relevant. As long as the metal is smooth and not going to damage the new boot. I would suggest taking a wire brush preferably on a drill and abrade the rust that grew inside the boot down to bare metal. You may have had water in there at one time that corroded the bearing surfaces. Ideally, the boot should reside on a smooth shiny surface.

I also have one boot that wants to retract to inside the rings. I think it is just that the boot has a vacuum inside and contracts. It isn’t supposed to be that way, there needs to be enough extra air inside so that when you drive through cold water the boot can contract. If it can’t, if it is already totally contracted, then it vacuums water into the boot and that is bad. Of course, it happens while the boots look fine, so you never know it is corroding inside.

That is why you are supposed to keep your CV boots somewhat inflated with air.

Sat Oct 03, 2015 5:55 pm

I would run It and sleep soundly.

As mentioned, clean the rust with wire brush/sand paper, smear it with grease and go!

If you have water infiltration fears...... Clamp it!

Dave

Sat Oct 03, 2015 6:06 pm

Sweet! thank you guys, just put in an order for 4 Lobros.

Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:36 pm

Oh by the way, I think assembling the axles takes some sort of technique… maybe it is called “clocking”. I think it involves installing the ends on the right spline angle. May only be important to high-lift vans like mine where the joints turn at a sharp angle. Worth checking out though before you put it together.

Also hope you know the ends go on a certain way. There are plenty of instructions on this site and the internets.

Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:07 pm

[email protected] wrote: Sweet! thank you guys, just put in an order for 4 Lobros.

How about pictures of your old joints, they shouldn't be needing to be replaced in only 40K miles. With even marginal maintenance OEM quality joints should last hundreds of thousands of miles.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:16 am

I too would have thought that they would be fine. I am guessing that since they were remanufactured, they were not the same quality as new. GW sells a complete axle for $100, it seems like two joints would be more than this complete assembly. I took them out to repack them. No noise, ran smooth. All four joints were well packed with grease upon removal and were clean. Boots in very good shape.Also my van is a 2WD with the GW 1 1/2 inch springs, seems like the height is about 18" from the center cap. Will look into clocking, not sure what that is

Below is a sample of my bearing surfaces. The good ones seem to be just slightly used and polished, the bad ones are pitted, grooved. Three of the joints have the pitting one is almost perfect. Thinking replace 4 and have a spare. All four joints are Lobro manufactured between 1984-86. Two of the spiders had the ledge and two did not. I think that these joints were bored out, so maybe the metal is not as thick.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:15 am

That looks pretty bad. Definitely justified installing new joints.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:05 am

They do look bad but totally worth repacking and bolting back on and paying attention to the noise level, if any. I've driven on much worse.

If you swap sides I believe the wear surface will change too, of course

Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:13 pm

They certainly look bad for the low miles they have on them. Yes you could swap the axles side to side and get about the same miles from them again, but if you can afford brand new joints going the full replacement route would work as well.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 12:20 pm

A better quality grease is highly advised.

Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:47 pm

Ok thanks, So looks like my order did not go through for the new LObros. Should I hold off, what I think I am hearing is that I can switch sides and hopefully get at least another 20-40K out of them? I just assumed that they were shot. I am guessing that the grease used came with the GW kit. I am planning on using Red line CV2 grease. Looking into clocking. Seems like I need to assemble each joint paying attention to wide and skinny, which I get but also to put in the opposing joint so that the Wide on one side is mirrored by the Narrow on the other?

Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:01 pm

Those look so bad I would not advise switching sides. That severity of pitting you are likely to spread pitting to the balls even from decelerating or downhill coasting. If all you saw was the normal wear like some surfaces show, yes switching sides would be a good idea. But… for the amount of work you do getting the parts assembled and boots on, you are just going to waste time and still have bad axles.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:37 am

Soaking the axle shafts in white vinegar will remove 99% of that scale. Just did mine and was amazed. Takes about a week with a daily rubbing of red scotch bright.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:55 am

It comes down to how well you will react to a potential breakdown on the road. No one can tell you precisely how long those will last. If you are fine with taking along an extra spare or two and changing it out on the road then maybe you can try to resuscitate those. (I have no issue doing work on the road but even then I wouldn't run those, but that is just me.) YMMV. :D

Mon Oct 05, 2015 11:00 am

I'd replace them.

You can save a little money but the savings will be temporary, and esp. short if the high rate of wear was caused by crummy metal rather than a lack of grease or of quality grease.

Add to that the possibility of an axle failing catastrophically and destroying the engine, trans. or causing a crash if it locks up.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:42 pm

Ok thanks, went ahead and ordered 4 new joints.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:51 pm

Since you are lifted, 944 CVs may be a good idea.

T3techinique.com has what you need.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:42 pm

insyncro wrote: Since you are lifted, 944 CVs may be a good idea.

T3techinique.com has what you need.

.....and the high dollar grease to make them last. Love mine , no breaking joints anymore with the subbie and the weight. Chris at T3 is the man.

Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:57 pm

Christopher offers bomber stuff, he has an excellent quality grease and the boots that last.