Axle Shafts: Disassembly
- Clamp axle shaft in soft-jaw vise. Remove large and small boot clamps from outer boot and discard. Slide outer boot down axle shaft and separate boot from outer race.
- Wipe excess grease from face of inner race. Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap on CV joint to remove from axle. Remove outer boot from axle shaft.
- Using a brass drift, gently tap cage until tilted enough to remove first ball. See Fig 1
. Remove remaining balls in similar manner. With balls removed, pivot cage and inner race at 90 degrees to center line of outer race. Align cage windows with lands of outer race. Lift out cage and inner race. Rotate inner race up and out of cage. Thoroughly degrease all CV joint components, and allow to dry.
- Remove large and small boot clamps from tripot joint boot, and discard. Slide inner boot down axle shaft and separate inner boot from tripot joint housing. See Figure
. Wipe excess grease from tripot joint and interior of tripot joint housing. Remove tripot joint housing from axle shaft.
- Remove shaft retaining ring from groove on axle shaft. Remove tripot joint from axle shaft. Remove inner boot from axle shaft. Thoroughly degrease tripot joint housing, and allow to dry.
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.