Inner CV Bearings

GT4_DRED

New member
Is there some trick to reassembling the bearings into the race? I followed the manual and while working on a bench I lined up the inner/outer and dropped the balls in. I know its properly lined up because everything went together easily, but the joint wont pivot (binds). Inner/outer race are facing the correct way, so what gives? Last time this happened I played with it until it eventually worked, but there has to be some method to this.
 

yyonline

Member
If it went together very easily, you likely did it wrong. When assembling a Rzeppa joint, they don't go together easily. The inner and outer bearing races have to be clocked correctly or they will bind.

Here's a good guide: http://volksweb.relitech.com/cvjoints.htm

It's for a VW, but the ST185 inner joint is the same kind of joint. Here's an excerpt from the page that likely explains your issue:

Here's the really important part

Notice how the grooves for the ball bearings in the outer race are not equally spaced. The inner race also has large and small spaces between the ball bearing grooves. To assemble the joint correctly, make sure to align the thin spaces of the inner race with the wide spaces of the outer race. Be careful - You can do this wrong! In fact, the joint goes together easier when you are doing it the wrong way. If you assemble it the wrong way, the joint will bind when it tries to flex.

To see the reassembly in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOma2BMhrzc
 

yyonline

Member
Found another more helpful illustration. From http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1 ... nence.html

Correct:
CVPhoto9.jpg


Incorrect:
CVPhoto10.jpg


This has nothing to do with how the inner and outer races are facing, but rather how they're rotated relative to each other. Took me awhile to figure this out the first time I disassembled the ST185 axles, so hopefully it will help get you on the right track.
 

FC Zach

Active member
GT4_DRED":1wx4cwpm said:
Last time this happened I played with it until it eventually worked,

This is exactly what I did but with the addition of dropping bearings covered with grease. . Pick them up off the floor and clean them only to drop many more times which leads to cursing enough to make a sailor blush. Also hands covered with grease, what looks like the contents of the entire grease container. .
 

GT4_DRED

New member
Thanks for the info. I was able to assemble it within 10 minutes after reviewing the info. You definately saved me a quite a bit of time and headache. .
 
Top