replacing front cv/drive shaft???

[Matt01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt01]

Hi All

I have just noticed that my front right hand side outer drive/cv shaft boot has split and leaking grease mixed with water.

I am thinking of just replacing the whole drive shaft, does anyone know if you need to drain the front diff oil or can the shaft be taken out of the diff without oil spilling out everywhere???

[mcsumway Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcsumway]

If you jack the vehicle high enough on that side you can replace the CV without losing any oil

[Playdoh96 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Playdoh96]

Hi matt01
Yes mate you will have to drain front diff oil to do cv shaft. I would also suggest to pick up a genuine axle seal. You dont want to do all that work and then have to do it again a couple of weeks later due to oil leak. The genuine seal has small sipes in lip which helps keep the oil in. All up its not a hard job and should take you a couple of hrs to complete. All the best Kris

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

If you jack the vehicle high enough on that side you can replace the CV without losing any oil

That is very true and is exactly what we did on a desert trip a few years ago.
In the workshop though, I would just drop the oil and replace with new when the job is done.

[Matt01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt01]

Thanks for the quick response.

Which would be best, genuine or after market CV???

[Matt01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt01]

Hi matt01
Yes mate you will have to drain front diff oil to do cv shaft. I would also suggest to pick up a genuine axle seal. You dont want to do all that work and then have to do it again a couple of weeks later due to oil leak. The genuine seal has small sipes in lip which helps keep the oil in. All up its not a hard job and should take you a couple of hrs to complete. All the best Kris

I noticed in the workshop manual that there is an oil seal on the wheel end of the cv shaft and a dust seal on the diff end of the cv shaft. If the seal you are talking about is on the wheel end of the cv shaft where does the oil come from???

[wastegate Member Find all posts View Profile Close wastegate]

With a few big trips coming up and north of 200k on the clock, I had both CV's replaced and the bearing assy. No oil leak or noise from the original ones so I can now carry a cv & bearing as spares.

From this forum and others, the consensus was to go with new original CV's whenever a lift is involved. These cope with the increased angles and for me it seems to hold water as I've been running 50 mm lift for most of the mileage on the truck without a problem over tough tracks. Diff drop kit may help further. The cheapie CV option may suit city only driven truck.

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

Have a look at the comments on this thread. http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...king-cv-shafts

$900.00 is a lot of loot for the genuine part. We mainly fit Repco shafts at work. They do the job well for most applications but I am not sure if those shafts would be 1st preference. When I say not sure, I mean exactly that. They could be fantastic for the application, but I just don't know.
I would be giving the guys at Don Kyatt a call and asking for a bit of advice. http://spareparts.donkyatt.com.au
Given that you have a 50mm lift, I would also be fitting a diff drop kit too. For 50 or 60 bucks, Andrews diff drop kits ( http://www.pradopoint.com/private.php?do=newpm&u=14108 ) can't be beaten. The kit levels out those shafts nicely and fitting the kit will go a long way to solving your issue.

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

I just re-read your original post Matt. Maybe remove the shaft and pull it all apart. Clean everything up well and inspect. It is a very messy job. On inspection, examine the joints and balls for wear. If they are ok, I would be reasembling with good quality grease and aftermarket boots. The boots are only about 6 or seven dollars each. This will make it a much cheaper job for you. It is not what a shop will do, as when labour is factored in, it is usually much cheaper and easier to just replace the complete shaft. This doesn't seem the case for you though, as I gather you are intending to do the job yourself.

Just a thought????

[Playdoh96 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Playdoh96]

Yes matt01 the seal I would replace is the diff side. There is one wheel side but it's to keep wheel bearing clean so no oil. You can replace cv with out seal but for $20 for a seal and 5min extra work saves alot of headaches later.

[Matt01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt01]

thanks everyone, you have given me a lot of good info.

I think I will see how much the repco shafts are and fix the old drive shaft later and keep it as a spare. I don't think I can justify $900 for a genuine one.

[t303 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close t303]

Go to CBC and check out the GSP shafts. They are reputedly suppliers to the manufacturers and seem to be the best of the cheap bunch. About $240 each IIRC. No complaints about them so far with 40mm lift.

[raydes Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close raydes]

I bought two of these ,, http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW...item564ae05ea5
two years ago still going good. These are Repco drive-shafts with a three year warranty. They are both the same so you only need one spare

[Matt01 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt01]

I bought two of these ,, http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BRAND-NEW...item564ae05ea5
two years ago still going good. These are Repco drive-shafts with a three year warranty. They are both the same so you only need one spare

Hi Raydes
I purchased a similar item from another ebay seller, hopefully it will be ok. you have at least given me some hope.

[willis1459 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close willis1459]

Just reviving this thread for a question I can't seem to find an answer to.

How to I check my front CV joints?

Can I do this without removing them.

Mine are tight if I park and they are under some load - eg with Auto in Park.

But if I apply handbrake and put the auto into Neutral there is no movement in the direction of rotation, either way, no matter how hard I twist, a tiny amount of longitudinal movement, maybe 0.5 mm anda small amount of lateral movement if I a grab the shaft and push sideways - maybe 1 mm.

I suspect this is all normal but would appreciate any help to confirm or otherwise.

thanks

Willis