11 replies to this topic

[madaboutcherry]

i'm fitting new inner pot joints and i cannot get the driveshaft to fit back into the joint. without the circlip it slides in by hand. as always the other side was fine. i made sure the was no crud in the groove and used a new clip. is the clip essential?

[alex-95]

Try closing the clip up if it's new or if you have the old one put that in.

It'll wonder out if you don't have it.

[madaboutcherry]

i've closed the new clip as much as possible. there was no clip on the shaft when i took it apart, and it's been ok for a few thousand miles previously. 

[andyapanel]

Try locating it so that the opening is at 6 o clock

If that does not work, buy a new one.

Good luck with it

[Itsaminithing]

Who did you buy the circlip from? Seems there might be a problem with some being sold that are slightly oversized.

Jut don't run the risk of running without one, it's there because it's needed.

[madaboutcherry]

i've ordered a couple more clips. could someone explain why they are so important. normally it only takes a genlte tap to fit the driveshafts, and with the hub and suspension holding everything in place i can't see the driveshaft coming out of the pot joint. am i missing something?

[nicklouse]

The drive shaft changes length as the suspension works. This is taken up in the inner pot joint or on the big square splines on the older design. If the pot joint was also free to move then it could pop out causing you many problems.

 

there have been a few C clips that have been to long so their ends touch before compressing enough to allow the pot to slide over. Similar to when they have been stretched when fitting or when removing the pot joint.

[Tornado99]

Try bending the ends inward slightly or if just too long, trim back with a dremel cutting disc.

[IronmanG]

On this topic I am having problems getting 1 end off so I can get the new gaiter on. Drivers came off with a 3 legged puller really easily. Passenger side is I have a 2 foot bar on the puller and it's not moving at all. I am now having to pull on the cage because the puller keeps slipping otherwise. Will heat help or is it likely the circlip is broken?

[Spider]

Sadly, heat won't do the trick here.

 

What's likely happened - and through no fault of yours - is one end of the clip 'showed' above the groove and so now instead of retracting back in to the groove, it's getting sheared.

 

When this has happened to me, the only thing I've found for it is, using a soft dolly, to keep smacking the CV hard until the clip shears right through.

If however you are just wanting to fit a new Gaiter, remove the Spider of the Pot Joint on the other end, clean up the drive shaft, put some tape over the splines and clip of the inboard end, give the shaft a light spray of WD40 (or similar), then slide the new boot all the way down. This is actually how I do them every time.

[IronmanG]

Yesnita just to fit the new gaiter. It's in the car, engine out so getting a drift on it or some such is not so easy hence using the puller which worked really well on 1 side. Just read here somewhere the new gaiter can be slipped over the end and then through the cage? .

[johnR]

i'm fitting new inner pot joints and i cannot get the driveshaft to fit back into the joint. without the circlip it slides in by hand. as always the other side was fine. i made sure the was no crud in the groove and used a new clip. is the clip essential?

If the pot is off the diff put it upright in a vice, then insert the shaft up to the clip, put light pressure on the shaft while pushing the clip into the slot with a small screwdriver rocking the shaft slightly in the direction of the section you've pushed in to lock it while pushing the other side in place. good luck.