OEM 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier CV Joint

2003 Chevrolet Cavalier CV Joint Parts and Q&A

• Q: What Tools Are Required to Service and Repair the CV Joint Boot for the Wheel Drive Shaft Inner Joint and Seal Replacement (Trilobal) on 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier?

  A: To service and repair the constant velocity joint boot, as in wheel drive shaft inner joint and seal replacement (Trilobal), the following is required: drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35910), drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35566), and snap ring pliers (J8039-A). First remove the small seal retaining clamp from the halfshaft bar with side cutter and dispose of, then large seal retaining clamp from inboard joint. Remove the inboard seal from the trilobal tripot bushing, as carefully as possible, and carry it with the help of halfshaft bar. Before you take off the tripot spider assembly out of the halfshaft bar, make sure you remove the spacer ring using snap ring pliers (J8039-A) and handle the tripot spider assembly carefully. After stripping the tripot spider assembly, discard the spacer ring and trilobal tripot bushing and clean the tripot balls, needle rollers, and housing well with cleaning solvent and dry all items. Check for the damage to spider assembly, housing, tripot balls, and needle rollers. For assembly, install a new small seal retaining clamp to the neck of the seal without crimping it, clean the halfshaft bar, slide the tripot seal and clamp onto it. Make sure that the spacer ring is adjacent to the shoulder of the halfshaft bar before attaching the tripot spider assembly to it. Mount the CV Joint assembly on the arbor press to press down the lower end of the press onto the CV Joint assembly where the tripot spider rests beside the spacer ring without pressing more than 4,000 lbs. Press load (1,779 N). The halfshaft assembly will now be removed, a new spacer ring attached to the halfshaft bar groove, the tripot seal will be inserted into the corresponding groove, and the small seal retaining clamp is crimped using drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35910), torque wrench, and a breaker bar. About 1/4 of the grease from the service kit should be added into the seal and the rest used to repack the housing. Mount the new trilobal tripot bushing into the housing, making it flush with the face, slide the housing onto the spider assembly on halfshaft bar. Place the large seal retaining clamp around the inboard seal and tighten, ensuring that the inboard halfshaft is not dimpled or stretched. Mount the assembly of the joint into the correct vehicle dimension, locating the halfshaft inboard seal, housing, and its large clamp while latching. Last, seal the seal retaining clamp by positioning it through the steps of drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35566) if the clamps is earless or crimp it, in the case of the clamp demands a crimp using drive axle seal clamp pliers (J35910) and stroke the joint to full extension and compression few times to appropriate the grease.