Volkswagen Golf Service & Repair Manual: Checking inner constant velocity joint

Removing

The joint is to be dismantled when following work is done:

Replacement of grease if very contaminated

Check of running surfaces for wear

Check of balls for wear

Swing ball hub and ball cage.
Press out joint body in direction of arrow.
Press balls out of cage.

Note

The ball hub and joint body are paired. Do not interchange them.

Tip ball hub out of ball cage via ball track -arrows-.
Check joint body, ball hub, ball cage and balls for pitting and traces of seizing.

Excessive circumferential backlash in the joint is noticeable during load change jolts. In this case the joint must be renewed. Smoothing and traces of wear of the balls are no reason to renew the joint.

Installing

Install in reverse order of removal, observing the following:

Insert hub into cage via the two chamfers. The hub can be installed in any position. Press balls into cage.

The ball hub has two different distances between the ball tracks: a smaller one and a larger one.

Insert hub with cage and balls at a right angle to joint body.

When inserting, ensure that the wide spacing -a- on the joint body is aligned with the narrow spacing -b- on the hub after it is swung in. Chamfer on internal diameter of ball hub (splines) must face large diameter of joint body.

Also take note of chamfer on interior diameter of ball hub. It must be visible after swivelling in.

Swivel the hub into the joint body; at the same time the hub must be swivelled out of the cage -arrows- far enough to allow the balls to fit into the ball tracks.

Swivel in hub with balls by applying firm pressure to cage -arrow-.

Checking function of constant velocity joint

The constant velocity joint is correctly assembled if the ball hub can be moved by hand backwards and forwards over its entire range of axial movement.

Checking inner constant velocity joint