CV Boots Important Check
Discussion
Just changed the outer and inner rear CV Boots on the Cerb. cos they were cracked and leaking grease. Cracked Boots are an MOT failure, but more importantly like the oil pressure relief spring are an design achilles heel of the Cerb, and I'll tell you why.
The supposed UJ joints at the inner and outer ends of the rear leaft and right drive shafts don't exist.
Instead there is a very large complicated and expensive looking ballrace which is completely unsealed and on display for all the world to see once the boots are off.
Unlike a sealed UJ there are no grease nipples and the only thing keeping the ballrace healthy is the grease that is kept in place by the CVBoot. If this cracks, the grease will be spun out to leave a very vunerable ballrace to eat itself.
So check your boot and if anyone wants to change theirs I'll post how and how much. Quite an easy job once you've done it once.
The supposed UJ joints at the inner and outer ends of the rear leaft and right drive shafts don't exist.
Instead there is a very large complicated and expensive looking ballrace which is completely unsealed and on display for all the world to see once the boots are off.
Unlike a sealed UJ there are no grease nipples and the only thing keeping the ballrace healthy is the grease that is kept in place by the CVBoot. If this cracks, the grease will be spun out to leave a very vunerable ballrace to eat itself.
So check your boot and if anyone wants to change theirs I'll post how and how much. Quite an easy job once you've done it once.
I'm not sure it is a design flaw as the CV joint is actually a lot better than a UJ for delivering power through a wider action/displacement.
The joints have been used for years on cars ranging from single seater race cars, through Ford Sierras, Granadas and TVR S series, Griffs, and Chimaeras. The Cerbera version is uprated and often been used on Griffs etc that have had major engine upgrades.
The joints have been used for years on cars ranging from single seater race cars, through Ford Sierras, Granadas and TVR S series, Griffs, and Chimaeras. The Cerbera version is uprated and often been used on Griffs etc that have had major engine upgrades.
shpub said:
I'm not sure it is a design flaw as the CV joint is actually a lot better than a UJ for delivering power through a wider action/displacement.
The joints have been used for years on cars ranging from single seater race cars, through Ford Sierras, Granadas and TVR S series, Griffs, and Chimaeras. The Cerbera version is uprated and often been used on Griffs etc that have had major engine upgrades.
Absolutely right. Didn't mean to belittle its fuctionality, just its longevity. Most conventional UJ's look woefully inadequate for the power transfer asked of them.
I question the safetynetting of that sort of engineering on the road.
Tis worth chceking as you say. It should be checked as part of the service anyway. I worked out that the last 9 TVRs I have had have all had this type of joint and I have not had a single problem or gaiter replaced. On the Wedge and Vixen, got used to changing UJs although the 520's have lasted for some time. However the suspension mods limit the travel that the drive shaft has to go through and I suspect that is contributing to preserving the joint rather than anything else. I did have a long discusssion with someone from ProDRive about this who reckoned that UJs were fine as long as the travel was limited.
Which method did you use? The remove driveshaft from joint and slip on new gaiter or the use a gaiter expander to expand the gaiter over the joint?
Which method did you use? The remove driveshaft from joint and slip on new gaiter or the use a gaiter expander to expand the gaiter over the joint?
shpub said:
Tis worth chceking as you say. It should be checked as part of the service anyway. I worked out that the last 9 TVRs I have had have all had this type of joint and I have not had a single problem or gaiter replaced. On the Wedge and Vixen, got used to changing UJs although the 520's have lasted for some time. However the suspension mods limit the travel that the drive shaft has to go through and I suspect that is contributing to preserving the joint rather than anything else. I did have a long discusssion with someone from ProDRive about this who reckoned that UJs were fine as long as the travel was limited.
Which method did you use? The remove driveshaft from joint and slip on new gaiter or the use a gaiter expander to expand the gaiter over the joint?
Never heard of a gaiter expander!
Being that my gaiters came with their own individual pakets of grease and a spare circlip for one end of the CV joint, the die was cast.
The trick was finding the most painless way of removing the driveshaft from the mechano set which is the rear suspension. Ended up being the two lowest bolts on the hub carrier and then protect the handbrake cable as you swing the bottom out just far enough to deliver the shaft.
Is fotango still the way to go?
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