CV joint swap. Remove LBJ bolts?

[ShooterMcGavin]

I watched a video (can't find it now) where a guy was replacing the CV joint and the LBJ at the same time. That is easy, but if I have just installed new LBJs, do I have to again remove the 4 bolts for the LBJ? I believe they are TTY, so I would need to get new ones?

What can I do to avoid that? Maybe I should remove the single castle nut on the ball itself?

 

[Scramble]

I replaced a CV this spring, removed the LBJ and reused the 4 bolts. My LBJ's were only a year old at the time. I would not re-use those a 3rd time.

 

[TinBucket]

Quick question/thread-jack:

I need to do my CVs:
any reason not to do my LBJs(stock?180k) I've got no play, but....

what's ballpark price to do this job at home. I'm seeing almost $300/axle for Toy rebuilds?(WTF). The LBJs don't seem bad by comparison.

 

[LittleCaesar]

The LBJ bolts are not TTY but do have to be removed to replace the CV. If they are original, replace them too from the dealer.

With 180k on your LBJs and time against you, replace them with new OEM only if you have the money.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I ended up removing the castle nut from the LBJ stud for this. I broke 1 of the 4 bolts the last time I did this and I don't want to deal with it again.

The special pliers needed for the CV boot bands... Can I get those at O'Reilly's or where?

 

[habanero]

I ended up removing the castle nut from the LBJ stud for this. I broke 1 of the 4 bolts the last time I did this and I don't want to deal with it again.

The special pliers needed for the CV boot bands... Can I get those at O'Reilly's or where?

You're replacing boots then? Should be able to get the pliers about any auto place, there's different styles of boot clamps meaning different styles of pliers.
Here's a link to an excellent re-boot write-up
Which shows a couple of the clamp styles and tool part numbers with links.

And just 'cause it's laying around in my head...
CV hub nut torque 174 ft lb, 4 Lower ball joint bolts 59 ft lb and loctite (if you had gone that route), lower ball joint bolt 105 ft lb

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

You're replacing boots then? Should be able to get the pliers about any auto place, there's different styles of boot clamps meaning different styles of pliers.
Here's a link to an excellent re-boot write-up
Which shows a couple of the clamp styles and tool part numbers with links.

And just 'cause it's laying around in my head...
CV shaft torque 174 ft lb, 4 Lower ball joint bolts 59 ft lb and loctite (if you had gone that route), lower ball joint bolt 105 ft lb

Yes, I'm replacing the boots. Thanks for the info.
I went out and bought these Performance Tool CV pliers. Will those work with the Napa boot clamps that I got?

Thanks for throwing those torque values in there. When you say "CV shaft torque", are you talking about the wheel hub nut torque value?

 

[habanero]

Yes, I'm replacing the boots. Thanks for the info.
I went out and bought these Performance Tool CV pliers. Will those work with the Napa boot clamps that I got?

Thanks for throwing those torque values in there. When you say "CV shaft torque", are you talking about the wheel hub nut torque value?

Not sure what the napa kit has...isn't it two types, band and ear clamps?
That plier is made to work with the small clamp pictured here:

The other type is a band clamp, tool part number post 8ish on the re-boot link.

CV shaft torque is indeed the only nut on the cv shaft, the one at the wheel hub. Sorry, I am of the whatchamathingy school of object names! Your name would be much more correct....I'll change mine.

 

[kball]

Unless Napa has changed it the outer and inner kits will have different clamps. Napa boots are what I used in my write up.

 

[Scramble]

Not sure what the napa kit has...isn't it two types, band and ear clamps?
That plier is made to work with the small clamp pictured here:

The other type is a band clamp, tool part number post 8ish on the re-boot link.

CV shaft torque is indeed the only nut on the cv shaft, the one at the wheel hub. Sorry, I am of the whatchamathingy school of object names! Your name would be much more correct....I'll change mine.

We know know what nut you meant! eace:

 

[theesotericone]

We know know what nut you meant! eace:

The axle nut? lol

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

About cleaning the old grease from the joints... I see on videos that everyone is just using lots of paper towels. Why not take all the joints apart, wipe off what you can, and then run the axle through the dishwasher? As long as you give it about a day to dry afterwards, wouldn't that work fine?

 

[habanero]

About cleaning the old grease from the joints... I see on videos that everyone is just using lots of paper towels. Why not take all the joints apart, wipe off what you can, and then run the axle through the dishwasher? As long as you give it about a day to dry afterwards, wouldn't that work fine?

NO! None benefit, getting grease off CVS and dishwasher aftermath.....you can do a perfectly fine job with paper towels, Think outside (and far away from) the dishwasher box.
Best,
Mom

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

NO! None benefit, getting grease off CVS and dishwasher aftermath.....you can do a perfectly fine job with paper towels, Think outside (and far away from) the dishwasher box.
Best,
Mom

Ok, I won't go that route. Just toying with the idea

Maybe I don't need to get every speck of old grease out of the joints? I haven't had any noticeable dirt intrusion, so does it matter if i don't get it 100% cleaned up?

 

[habanero]

Ok, I won't go that route. Just toying with the idea

Maybe I don't need to get every speck of old grease out of the joints? I haven't had any noticeable dirt intrusion, so does it matter if i don't get it 100% cleaned up?

I like that you Toy with ideas, even the crazy ones. :thumb:

100% of the old grease doesn't matter, as you've noted it's any grit and not-grease that needs to go.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Thanks a lot habanero!

I have another question which is kinda random but relevant. We change the oil in our cars, in part, because the viscosity breaks down. Does grease have the same break down in viscosity or effectiveness over time?

I suspect that it does break down over time but not at the same rate as oil?

 

[kball]

CV's should have no dirt in them and they see minimal heat so grease should last basically forever. You don't even change your engine oil due to viscosity breakdown. Oil can last way longer than we normally use it. It's the additives that get used up that keep dirt suspended. Once they get used up, sludge can form. The oils viscosity is still good though.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

CV's should have no dirt in them and they see minimal heat so grease should last basically forever. You don't even change your engine oil due to viscosity breakdown. Oil can last way longer than we normally use it. It's the additives that get used up that keep dirt suspended. Once they get used up, sludge can form. The oils viscosity is still good though.

Good info. Thanks.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Yes, I'm replacing the boots. Thanks for the info.
I went out and bought these Performance Tool CV pliers. Will those work with the Napa boot clamps that I got?

Thanks for throwing those torque values in there. When you say "CV shaft torque", are you talking about the wheel hub nut torque value?

I'll answer my own question, in case it will help anyone else... Yes, those are the only pliers I needed to clamp the bands used in the Napa kits I bought.

Question... I had the passenger CV removed and that side was a little higher than the driver side, but I still lost enough front diff fluid to create a medium sized wet spot in my garage. I should be ok with that little amount of loss, right? I would like to avoid taking the front skids off to top off the front diff fluid. Thoughts?

 

[habanero]

So your kit came with 2 ear-style clamps. Cool.

If you know you had a full dif then that little bit that comes out is okay.