replacing CV Joint Bellow /rubber gaiter

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
Guys Can anyone give me a heads up on if there is a correct way to undo the Cv joint itself from the shaft? I've disassembled everything to make some space, wishbone, tie rod, caliper but the the cv joint itself is not coming off. I'm bashing it with a sledge hammer and rotating it to maybe aid it in coming off uniformly.. but am afraid that it might have come off from further inside below the engine.. it's either that or I'm going nuts, cos I'm feeling it a bit too soft now after couple of bashes with the Cv not coming off..

any pointers?
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how would I know if the shaft has come off the trans? and if it has how would I go putting it back?

as always guys, you're my only hope at this stage!

Ian - Malta
 
bashing it with a hammer is the right thing to do. there is a little clip on the end of the driveshaft that holds it in place, and the same at the differential. if you've pulled it out of the engine side, your gearbox oil will fall out! you have to be very careful refitting the driveshaft to the engine side, because the securing clip can damage the oil seal on the differential.

when i changed my CV joints, i took the driveshafts off, and used a bench vice to knock the CV joint off the shaft. i did wreck my oil seals though and had to borrow a car to get to nissan for some new ones.
 
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funky2nite

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
I checked and if I turn the other wheel, the joint is still turning. So supposedly the shafts splines are both still anchored to the tranny. As far as oil leak there doesnt seem to be any sudden flows/leaks. But I have a slow leak coming from the engine so its kinda difficult to be sure
 
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funky2nite

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
They release a lot easier when everything bar the boot and disc are in place, then you only need to remove the two strut bolts and nothing more.

https://www.micra.org.uk/threads/cv-boot-replacement.45219/
tbh man, I've put everything back in place, gave the f**k up and called the mech! I genuinely love to get my hands dirty and get to know my micra better..but I know the lack of experience is proving to offer lots of surprises. I'm lucky the car still moves after I learnt that the driveshaft could have come off. I'll be posting another thread of the problem I ended having with the shocks, which I then moved to replacing following the unsusccesful gaiter replacement. On the phone the mech asked me to replace the bellow with a universal one that stretches, precisely for not hammering the shaft he mentioned.. and I rolled my eyes..on hearing such news.....:confused:
 
It does release pretty easily when all intact as long as you have some mole grips in the depression on the shaft, just position the head of the bar you're hitting next to the driveshaft on the mole grip jaws and a swift blow will release it.

Blue print make excellent gaiter/boots, don't use those rubbish universal ones.
 
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funky2nite

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
It does release pretty easily when all intact as long as you have some mole grips in the depression on the shaft, just position the head of the bar you're hitting next to the driveshaft on the mole grip jaws and a swift blow will release it.

Blue print make excellent gaiter/boots, don't use those rubbish universal ones.
tbh I'm still uncertain on the correct way of hooking the mole grips to the shaft. Where exactly is the depression and how will the mole grip help in not letting the shaft come off? I went all the way under the car going along the shaft until it goes to the tranny and noticed no where I can clamp the mole to the shaft and something else for it to stay put. The shaft has a large round rubber around it half way through the tranny, guess it's for vibration.. but apart from that still lost
 
The depression is very near the CV joint under the boot, you have to cut the boot off, hitting the mole grips allows you to release the shaft from the CV, then you remove the two strut bolts to allow you to complete the job.
 
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funky2nite

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
The depression is very near the CV joint under the boot, you have to cut the boot off, hitting the mole grips allows you to release the shaft from the CV, then you remove the two strut bolts to allow you to complete the job.
now you're making tons 'a sense! well done chiefo, sure'll try that.
 
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funky2nite

funky2nite

Ex. Club Member
The depression is very near the CV joint under the boot, you have to cut the boot off, hitting the mole grips allows you to release the shaft from the CV, then you remove the two strut bolts to allow you to complete the job.
sorry for bothering again, hope it'll be d last ;) another mole grip I guess goes on the CV, so with one hand you pull CV outwards and with other you hit the molegrip on the shaft direct to the tranny. right?
 
Imagine you've not touched the car yet, first remove the caliper and brake disc, cut off the CV boot, attach mole grips, hit to release from CV, I'm not talking fully removed here, just an inch or so, remove strut bolts, pull shaft out of CV, slide new CV boot on shaft, put shaft back in CV, refit strut bolts, tap shaft back fully into CV again probably with use of mole grips, position boot and affix boot clips, job done.
 
I hope you understand now, so no need to undo the CV nut or release the bottom ball joint and track rod end.

At the stage you got to the best option would have been to pull the whole shaft out and hold the shaft in a vice, but with the way I've described there's no need for any of that.
 
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