Vstech's cv axles :) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cirrusman · #1 12-27-2010, 09:57 PM

Here's some pics of the cv axles you'll get from John when you order some re-booted ones. I understand he's painting the cans now, so they will look even better now. I didn't take any pics under the car because all the snow out here right now, but the axle was the right side and size, and fit just great. No complains here

Actually, I'll probably be ordering another one from him... everyone told me to get the set of 2 and I thought "well, if it ain't broken, don't fix it...!". I was wrong there. The passenger's side just got the clackitty-clackers, so there we go again. But I definitely recommend him; he sent me an axle that got lost in the mail and he didn't have any problems sending me another one without charge (except shipping, but that's just fair).
Thanks, John from a happy customer

vstech · #2 12-28-2010, 08:01 AM

You're very welcome! Glad the second one got there without the post office loosing it! (tracking and insurance is now a permanent part of the shipping!!! as are dedicated axle boxes!)

barry123400 · #3 12-28-2010, 11:35 AM

Get some heavy oil in the joint that has started to clack. Just remove the inner clamp and inject some. Then replace the clamp with a screw type. The chances of developing two axles bad at the same time are also almost astronomical.

If you catch a dry joint before damage occurs you will usually prevail. A joint that starts to clack a little after driving a fair distance is the best candidate. It will be too late usually if the clacking starts as soon as you drive the car after a long rest period of several hours.

When just installing one axle remove the one you are not replacing and install it on the other side first. Good ideal to add a little new lubricant as well or slide the boot back. Clean out the old lubricant remaining and install new. That way for all practical purposes you have new wear surfaces in the joint that are properly lubricated. This proceedure really applies to axles with intact boots. That is about the only way to establish that there is still enough oil present in there.

Oil escape routes can be the axel seal or seepage from either end of a boot. If both are absolutly dry one might assume the original oil quantity is still present. A change of lubricant is still perhaps a good ideal. Hard to say what has happened to that oil with warm/cold cycles over the years or the heavier viscosity may have deteriorated.

From a technical perspective after twenty five or more years the axles should be pulled. Old lubricant flushed out and replaced and reinstalled. Nothing lasts forever and in my opinion one of the reasons these axles last as long as they do is that oil was the original lubricant and not grease. A general maintenance type of thing especially if travelling long distances from home.

kerry · #4 12-28-2010, 11:37 AM

I was getting a helicopter noise from the left rear in my 300TD. Local indy injected oil about 4 years ago. Still doing fine.

okyoureabeast · #5 12-28-2010, 11:39 AM

I've started getting the clunking as well on my CVJ axles. I should probably call and ask about the warranty.

cirrusman · #6 12-29-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

Get some heavy oil in the joint that has started to clack. Just remove the inner clamp and inject some. Then replace the clamp with a screw type. The chances of developing two axles bad at the same time are also almost astronomical.

If you catch a dry joint before damage occurs you will usually prevail. A joint that starts to clack a little after driving a fair distance is the best candidate. It will be too late usually if the clacking starts as soon as you drive the car after a long rest period of several hours.

When just installing one axle remove the one you are not replacing and install it on the other side first. Good ideal to add a little new lubricant as well or slide the boot back. Clean out the old lubricant remaining and install new. That way for all practical purposes you have new wear surfaces in the joint that are properly lubricated. This proceedure really applies to axles with intact boots. That is about the only way to establish that there is still enough oil present in there.

Oil escape routes can be the axel seal or seepage from either end of a boot. If both are absolutly dry one might assume the original oil quantity is still present. A change of lubricant is still perhaps a good ideal. Hard to say what has happened to that oil with warm/cold cycles over the years or the heavier viscosity may have deteriorated.

From a technical perspective after twenty five or more years the axles should be pulled. Old lubricant flushed out and replaced and reinstalled. Nothing lasts forever and in my opinion one of the reasons these axles last as long as they do is that oil was the original lubricant and not grease. A general maintenance type of thing especially if travelling long distances from home.

Actually I re-booted both CV axles and put the grease from the pouches that came with the boots some 2 months ago... grease in the axles is new, but they're now clack-clacking, that's what makes me think that the axle is gone... It's not a constant noise; when it sits for a while (8 hrs or more) it disappears, and I haven't driven it anymore just out of fear it's going to go boink on me... Should I just inject some gear oil inside to make the grease runnier?

barry123400 · #7 12-29-2010, 04:46 PM

Well there is nothing to lose by trying it. When I examined grease sometimes it seems displaced so it really cannot lubricate the joint properly. This was on some front wheel cv joints and axels.

The fact that you have to go quite a distance before they start getting noisy to me indicates a possible lubrication issue might still remain. Eighty to ninety weight oil should be good.

Whatever the results let us know. Grease although used through out the car industry never seemed as good from the perspective of function as heavy oil in my opinion.

What I feel is the oil was always flowing and presenting more of a cushion between the metal components. Where as the grease was squeezed out it would not want to flow back over the surfaces nearly as easily if at all in comparison.

The much heavier viscosity of grease more or less works against you unfortunatly. May be okay with brand new cv joints. I still feel even they would last longer with heavy oil in there though.

Another unrelated example but it might help understand the grease versus oil concept. What would happen if you put a litre of grease in a rear end rather than oil? I suspect it would be even quieter until it was displaced from the pressure surfaces. Then even if not completely dry the grease would coat the gear surfaces with far less of a constant coating than the oil does. Even though it is of much thicker viscosity.

vstech · #8 12-29-2010, 05:05 PM

I've made the joints with both grease and oil, and on the SD interior cans, they take about twice the amount of grease as comes packed with the boots. I think if the correct amount of grease is packed into the joints, the grease is equal to the oil in many respects. I like using 75w140 M1 oil in my joints.

Matt L · #9 12-29-2010, 07:35 PM

I've repacked a few SAAB joints with grease. I found them impossible to clean without dismantling. I thought I had a pair clean, then popped the axle out and removed the balls and such. The back side was still horrible.

MB's will doubtless be a lot easier to clean since they come with oil instead of grease.

vstech · #10 12-29-2010, 07:44 PM

yup. my filtered parts washer is doing a great job on these axles. odd that the paint MB used on them melts with the washer fluid I'm using. after I parts wash them, I soak them down in brake cleaner, and towel dry them, then sit them on a heat vent to dry them totally. I paint the shaft between the boot ribs, and paint the cans up to the boot mount.
most of the ones I've sold the customers have wanted moly grease put in. on mine personally, I use M1 75W140 gear oil. no difference in charge either way they want it.

cirrusman · #11 12-31-2010, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

Well there is nothing to lose by trying it. When I examined grease sometimes it seems displaced so it really cannot lubricate the joint properly. This was on some front wheel cv joints and axels.

The fact that you have to go quite a distance before they start getting noisy to me indicates a possible lubrication issue might still remain. Eighty to ninety weight oil should be good.

Whatever the results let us know. Grease although used through out the car industry never seemed as good from the perspective of function as heavy oil in my opinion.

What I feel is the oil was always flowing and presenting more of a cushion between the metal components. Where as the grease was squeezed out it would not want to flow back over the surfaces nearly as easily if at all in comparison.

The much heavier viscosity of grease more or less works against you unfortunatly. May be okay with brand new cv joints. I still feel even they would last longer with heavy oil in there though.

Another unrelated example but it might help understand the grease versus oil concept. What would happen if you put a litre of grease in a rear end rather than oil? I suspect it would be even quieter until it was displaced from the pressure surfaces. Then even if not completely dry the grease would coat the gear surfaces with far less of a constant coating than the oil does. Even though it is of much thicker viscosity.

Well, it worked so far... I took out all the grease I could and put in some gear oil in it and the clack-clack stopped... so far so good in 2 days since I did it...

I'll report here whether I hear noises again.

vstech · #12 12-31-2010, 01:43 PM

hmm.
I don't know if mixing lubricants is a good idea or not. I do know that many grease packages stated to remove all traces of other lubricants prior to installing them. let us know how it turns out!

bustedbenz · #13 12-31-2010, 03:00 PM

I put the pack of grease that came with the boots in each one of mine (one pack per boot) and then filled in the remainder with 75w90 or something. I'll let you know as well; it's the same mixing idea. Figure it'll just make one nice lubricating slurry that sticks to everything. If there's a reaction that makes glue or something, I guess I'll find out.