Tips / Howtos

Where to find the eBay item number?
Right or Left?: Choosing the correct side
Installing Pinch-type Bands
How to use the Economy Banding Tool
How to use the Professional Banding Tool
How to Change and Remove an ATV Outer CV Joint
How to Change and Remove an ATV Inner CV Joint
Removing an Outer or an Inner CV Joint on an Automotive CV Axle
Changing a Outer Joint Boot
Rebuilding an Outer CV Joint
Removing and assembling "Non-Rebuildable' U-Joints for Automotives.

Where to find the eBay item number?

If you wish to order a eBay listing over the phone you will need to find its item number. To start find the listing on eBay you wish to purchase.

Scroll down until you see the "Description" and "Shipping and payments" tabs. It should be beneath the image of the item.

The item number is on the far right, beneath the "Description" and "Shipping and payments" tabs. It should be a 12 digit number and is clearly labled "Item number:". In this photo the item number is 300826701813.

Right or Left?: Choosing the correct side.

To choose the correct side for an axle you should pick the side as you are sitting on the vehicle. For instance, if you are sitting on the vehicle and the left side axle needs to be replaced, you should order a left side, not a right. Never choose a side based on looking at the ATV from the front.

Installing Pinch-type Bands

When installing your new pinch type bands you are going to need either a tile snipper or a band crimping tool.

Start by wrapping the band around your boot once its seated on your joint.

While this guide shows the inner joint, this guide works with the outer too.

Looking at the band, you will notice it has notches and tabs. Hand tighten the band by squeezing the band and locking your tabs into your notches as tight as possible.

Notice there is a little box tab that protrudes out more than the other tabs. You will want to take your tool and pinch the sides of that little box.

Once you have pinched the box tab, it should mushroom up as seen in the picture.

The last thing you want to do is grab a small tac hammer and just tap down the mushroomed tab till its flat, just in case there are clearence issues.

Now you are done! Follow the same directions for the smaller pinch type as well.

How to use the Economy Banding Tool

Wrap the clamp around the CV boot and thread the tail through the buckle. Draw it tight.

Insert the tail of the clamp into the head of the banding tool and slide it through the slot of the winding mandrel.

Tension the clamp with a clockwise motion using a ¾” socket wrench.

After sufficient tension has been applied (the clamp is tight enough to hold the boot from turning on the joint but not too tight that the boot is damaged), lever the tool back over the buckle to put a bend in the clamp to hold the tension (you may want to tap it with a hammer to put a good crease).

Complete clamp installation by tapping down the tail of the clamp against the buckle and then tapping down the buckle ears to hold the clamp tail.

Cut off excess band with the tin cutter.

How to use the Professional Banding Tool

Wrap the clamp around the CV boot and thread the tail through the buckle. Draw it tight.

Insert the tail of the clamp into the head of the banding tool and slide it through the slot of the winding mandrel.

Depress the locking pawl and tension the clamp with a clockwise motion of the ratchet.

Cut off excess band with the cutter and remove the tool.

Complete clamp installation by tapping down the tail of the clamp against the buckle and then tapping down the buckle ears to hold the clamp tail. Remove excess band from the tool by lifting the locking pawl and removing the ratchet.

How to Change and Remove an ATV Outer CV Joint

The outer CV Joint is the harder of the two joint to remove. What you first want to do is remove your boot, or push it back if you still intend to use it. You than wanna set the bar up in a vice, so that the Outer joint is facing towards the ground.

Once you have that set up, you want to take a Tac hammer and put it directly on the race, which is the part directly connected to the shaft.

Starting with soft blows, you want to take a heavier hammer/mallet and start tapping on the tac hammer, Gradually increasing in force. This will help line up the internal clip, and the heavier blows are going to help remove the joint.

How to Change and Remove an ATV Inner CV Joint

To remove an inner CV joint from an CV axle, first cut off the old boot. If the boot is fine, and you want to reuse it, just pull it back towards the outer joint. After the boot is out of the way, clean any excess grease.

Once it is clean, you should be able to look inside the inner joint housing and see a "C" clip near the edge of the housing.

This can be removed by putting an utility knife or an flat head screw driver under the clip and flicking it off.

Once the clip is removed, you can pull off the inner joint housing, and whats left on your shaft should be: the race, the cage, and the bearings.

If you look at the top on the race, you'll see a retaining clip.

This can be removed, if you have retaining clip pliers these can be removed easily. All you want to do is spread open the clip and remove it, that will allow you to remove the knuckle star piece off your shaft.

Removing an Outer or an Inner CV Joint on an Automotive CV Axle

Jack the vehicle off the ground and secure it from rolling.
Remove the wheel.
Remove the axle nut (the large nut on the outside of the hub)
Separate the lower ball joint from hub assembly. Then do the same for the tie rod end
The hub will be able to swing out away allowing the outer cv joint to be slipped out through the back. This may require a tap on the threaded end of the outer cv joint. Put the axle nut back on half way so that you can tap on it without damaging the threads.
The inner cv joint will be the only thing holding it axle in place. The inner cv joint is held in by a “c” clip, just pry it away from the differential and it will pop out, you may need to tap it from behind. Now you should be able to pull it out of the differential.
If you are only replacing the boot you’ll want to do that from the inner cv joint end of the shaft, refer to inner cv joint instructions). However, if you are removing the outer cv joint you’ll want to put the cv axle in a vise by the shaft closes to the inner cv or u-joint . Cut the boot clamps and wipe away all of the grease. Make sure that your cv joint is not held on by an external clip that you can see in bedded in the inner race. This will be were the joint meets the shaft under the boot (this is only on a few mostly european models). If there is no clip you’ll want to tap lightly on the outer cv joint and then give it a few good hits to knock it off of the shaft (I use a 5 lb sledge (wear glasses, grease may fly!) It usually comes off with one or two good blows with the hammer. However, If it doesn't come off put the axle in a vise and try again. If it still doesn't come off use your hammer to break the cage and remove the ball bearings. This will expose the race. You'll need to press the race off of the shaft. You can use a punch and hammer to punch the shaft back through the race. Other wise you'll need to use a press. Or cut it off with a cutoff saw. Cut the race in the direction of the splines on the shaft. That way it won't affect your new joint going onto the splines.
Now that the joint is removed cut away the old boot and clamps and clean the shaft with parts cleaner or Brake clean.
Put on the new boot and slide it toward the inner out of the way.
Cut the corner of the grease packet to make it like a baker's bag. This will allow you to squirt the grease into the hole were the shaft will go. Fill the outer cv joint until the grease comes up around the balls and set the rest aside for later in this procedure.
Now put a little grease on the "c" clip on the shaft to help hold it centered
Take the outer cv joint and line up with the splines of the shaft and make sure that your clip is not sticking out to one side or the other.
Now place the axle nut onto the threads half way to avoid damaging the threads and tap the joint back onto the shaft. If it doesn't go fairly easily then back off and use a screw driver the press the clip in while putting pressure until it is no longer exposed then the joint will tap on with ease.
Now squirt the remaining grease around the top of the joint (it may not require all of the grease packet just use about a 1" bead all the way around) were the shaft meets the joint and slide your boot down and clamp the large clamp first.
Now use a screw driver to go in between the small end of the boot and shaft to release any trapped air or suction that may be deforming the boot. Then install the small clamp.
Now ready to install the axle. Just use your removal procedure in reverse.

Changing a Outer Joint Boot

Rebuilding an Outer CV Joint

Once you’ve removed the outer cv joint from the axle shaft place it in a vice with the splined end facing down.

Make note of the position of the cage and race in the housing to insure that you reassemble it back the same way. Now use a small tack hammer or a regular hammer with a punch or screw driver to tap the inner race in between the balls down inside the joint. This will force the cage up to one side exposing the ball. Use a screw driver to pop the ball from the cage window. Repeat this process all the way around the inner race until all of the balls are removed. Now turn the race and cage assembly side ways in the housing with the cage window facing upward.

Line the two cage windows that are going to be on the sides across from each other with the area in between the ball tracks (some cages have 1 or 2 cage windows larger than the others make sure to line these windows up to be on the side) of the housing and pull up. This should free the assembly from the cv joint housing. Once you have the race and cage free from the housing turn the race side ways in the cage and line up the area in between the ball tracks with the window openings and push one side into the window.

This will allow you to pull up on the race and free it from the cage. Now clean everything thoroughly and inspect the parts for any wear dimples or pitting. If you drop the cage on a hard surface it should make a pinging sound, if not look closely for a crack because I’m sure you will find one.

To reassemble the cv joint place the race back into the cage in the same manner as it was removed. Then place the cage and race back into the cv joint housing in the same way it was removed. Turn them both to make sure that you have them facing up in the correct direction as they were upon removal (for the heavy duty units you want the thick side facing out toward you). Now place one ball into the cage window and tap lightly on the cage while holding the race to keep it from moving out of position to make contact with the ball.

Once the ball is down into the track tap lightly on the cage and race toward the side of that ball to expose the next window and repeat the process until all of the balls are installed. Now take your shaft (with the clip removed and place it in the cv joint and rotate it around (no more than a 30 angle) to check for the smoothness of operation. Then twist the shaft from side to side to check for looseness. It may have a little play just nothing excessive. Now take your grease packet and cut the corner of the bag to make it like a bakers bag and press it tightly into the hole were the shaft will go. Squeeze until you see grease come up around the balls then set the packet aside for the next procedure. Now take the shaft (with the clip installed) and line up the splines of the shaft with the ones on the cv joint and press downward. You’ll want to use a screwdriver to push the clip inward while pressing down to get it centered. Now give the shaft a light tap with a soft hammer and the shaft should slide in easily until you feel the clip catch. It’s a good idea to give it a good yank to make sure it seated. Then take the remaining grease and make a bead around the top of the joint (ice cream cone shaped up toward the boot). Now slide the boot down and tighten the large clamp. Before you tighten the small clamp put a screw driver in between the shaft and the boot to allow any trapped air to escape then remove it and install the small clamp.

Now you’re Ready to put the axle back into the vehicle.